The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-02-01
Sew Plan OF Taxation.

MOST justly cOHlpiaiueu 1o Nuat tAttut lucy MAY
feel compensated by the discrimination in favor Of
direct importations, in Governor FLoYD's bin, we
cannot say. al
When the new constitution was in process of
construction, its artizans-who were agoing to in
augurate the era of fairness and justice to all
classes trades, and professions-announced the
golden maxim that all taxation should be imposed
upon the dd odlorem principle This rule, SO just
was annunciated with great unanmity and solem-
atty. But hardly had it received the harmonious
approval of the assembled sages, when Judge
MASON, the President of the Convention, called
member to the Chair, sided down into the arena
and moved by way of proviso to the great princi
pie of organic law just declared, that the General
Assembly should have the power to authorize Il.
censes, and to impose taxes ON them! This, after
some opposition, was adopted; and this proviso
utterly annihilated the prineiple-the immaculate
principle just annunciated-as much so as if after
having resolved that taxation should be levied ae-
cerding to the value of the articles taxed, it had
Immediately resolved that taxation should not be
levied according to the value of the articles taxed
What has been the consequence Men engaged
in commercial pursuits are taxed upon all they are
worth, and they are taxed upon all they sell Capt.
tai which should not be taxed but once, is taxed
innunerable times. The capitalist who loans his
money is taxed, and the merchant who borrows it
is taxed upon the amount of his sales during the
year in which that capital has figured repeatedly,
and is thus repeatedly taxed Is this Just Z Is
commerce in any State where commerce flourishes
loaded with such burthensf We believe not
How is it in New York, whose commercial pros
perty and power entitle her to be looked up to as
examples Taxation there is upon the al ualorems
principle, merchants are taxed upon their wealth
The tax gatherer interrogates them and they swear
to the truth of their answers and they pay such
per cent upon what they are worth and no more
Capital is thus taxed once and no more, just as is
the case with wealth of all kinds-money, real and
personal property This is JUST this is ad valorem
taxation. 1t is not so in YTginia.
Virginia has ever been anticommercial in her
laws and in the tone and spirit of her legislation
When Maryland, by her legislation, was fostering
commerce, stimulating commercial enterprise, Vir-
ginia was not only not encouraging it, but putting
difficulties in its way. Maryland has built up
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS has built up Norfolk!
The commercial community is not close listed
il is not gripingit is liberal and comes up square.
ly to all the rigid and harsh impostions visited up
on it. But then it must be inevitably prejudiced in
acompetition with communities subject to lighter
DuItHeuh Wy tuc Ctdte ne INSTRUMENTATION
of the day is too rapid, too easy, too minute and
initiate to permit it to escape the positive and eff
cient competition of those communities. And the
question is whether is it wiser by heavy exactions
to drive away capital, dwarf commerce and dwarf
our cities; or, to relax them and invite capital en-.
courage commerce, and build up large cities whose
accumulated wealth will pour so much more into
the lap of the State than the small cities totteling
,,nda fbair h,,,@
To TAX EVERY CLASS ALIKE, TO MAKE EVERY
MAN IN THE STATE PAY IN PROPORTION TO WHAT
HE IS woRTH-THAT SHOULD BE THE OBJECT OF
ALL JUST GOVERNMENTS.
With regard to Governor FLoYD's proposition.
1t proposes relief certainly far as our domes-
tic commerce is concerned 1t remains for the
merchant to consider the amount of the eompensa.
ton afforded him in the encouragement of trade
with foreign nations ~ ASK --.r
The Enquirer commends the bill and pronounces
it "emphatically revenue measure, and one of
imperative necessity" "Yet," it adds, ats conse
quenees and Incidental effects will be of more
value to Virginia, than the much needed revenue
which will be derived from it, 1t appears to MS
that there is difficulty in the way of accomplish
ing, at the same time, both Objects If we continue
to traffic with the Yankees, of course there win
IT, on the other hand, we embark in the foreign
trade the revenue ceases and as the ENQUIRER
says that is imperative" what is there impera-
lively to be done. Tax foreign trade too?
We give below the substance of the bill as we
find it stated in the Enquirer:
The bill contains some eighteen or twenty sec
TONS drawn out with care, but too long for inser-
ton here. We insert enough to give the leading
principles upon which it is based
lst 1t proposes tax on licenses, tax o., the
naked privilege TO do business as merchant, auc |
ioneer, or firm of either This tax is to be equal
Ind uniform on all citizens and treatfoar dollars
year is proposed, and is paid in advance
I'd. 1t proposes to tax capital, rather the bust
less of merchants and auctioneers to be ascertain
I'd at the end OF every ak months by the amount of
ales made within that time. And 0ae-fouyth of one
centatm on the sales of merchant and oaehalf
y one per ceatam on the sales of auctioneer are
he taxes proposed on these branches of business
3D. Ii is proposed to levy tax ON certain perso-
aal ck1uefs, comprehended under the name of 1
FOODS, wares merchandise and wearing apparel;
brought into Virginia from any other State dis
rict or tertitory of the United States At the end
'f every six months each merchant and auction.
Ger Is required report the amount in actual cost
,f all such chattels as he shall purchase and bring
INTO the State for sale use or consumption and \
me tax shall be assessed thereon, at the rate ef
foS per cehtaa and, in like manner, all such perso-
nal chatteis brought sent into the State TO be
so s a. Ie emu OF each six months al she sane
rate OF hye per eentum s & = -
4tn. Is provided that such personal chattels,
.hs growtn or production of amy foreign country,
shall De directly and legally imported into
lrglnia, and the duties lis dutiahef maid AT cus
mouse mere OF e. tss Treasury Of the United
states, shah De So taxed goods brought into
the State, by person moving IN TO 70 side for bis
omn use nSr On live stock of any kind nor various
agricIiturai productions, meats, fishes Oils H.
stntfs, Sec. sra zs]s q. - ~ oiis, use'
pm. And all goods SO taxed and afterwards sola
20 merchant, TO be carried out of Virginia f ~
may DC accounted for by said merchant ana s1 h.
may DC allowed, on his next tax bill a cradi, -
our niths OF the amount Of the caauel loy ,sb;ah |
ne IN had paid, or was liable to pay thereon.
ON livery taxable inhabitant of the State "a 70 \
luliea also 70 give in to the commissioner yvba,
ae y assessed, true account OF all such ,hat,sls
= az may BRING into the STATE, and pay the same
AK rs hs were merchant g.s -, - : =
Hon. CD. Faulkner, NJ. C. from Virginia has I
zone TO PENNSYLVANIA, as the counsel for Parsenx-
Indicted for Kidnapping, for endeayoring to catch
lis fugitive slave. sz - ~. q
Sarah Ann Abigail Brown, who assisted her ne.