Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-23

AT an adjourned meeting of the Merchants of
this city, held Monday evening, December 2lst,
Mr.. j. GosuoRS was called to the Chair, and S.
LArGnL1x appointed Secretary.
The object of the meeting being to hear the
report of the committee, previously appointed,
to draft a Memorial to the Legislature in regard
to the unequal tax assessed upon Merchants,
DIR. Logan, on behalf of the Committee, sub
mitted the following
MEMORIAL.
To the Honorable Senate and House OF Dele
gates, In Richmond Assembled:
The undersigned merchants of the City of
Wheeling and Ohio county, would respectfully
and earnestly urge upon your consideration, the
p7opriety and necessity of some change in the
present mode of assessing the State revenue ups
on merchants.
We consider the operation of the present law
as unjust and oppressive, in that it not only
adopts a different mode to ascertain the values
in the possession of the merchant; but it also
adopts a different rate to be assessed on those
values. The result Is, that the merchants of the
State Of Va, pay toward the State revenue, from
four to six times as much in proportion to their
capital, as is paid by other citizens of the State,
whose capital is otherwise invested.
By reference to the act, passed March 18th,
1856, entitled, ian act imposing taxes for the
support of government" it will be found that
in addition TO the specific tax imposed upon
beginners, a tax is imposed upon merchants
proportioned to their sales, which will average
one per cent. taking the scale given in the act,
which ranges from one to fifty thousand dollars.
Other property in the State, according to the
same act, is taxed at the rate of forty cents on
every hundred dollars value thereof OF at the
rate of two-filhs of one per cent.
If we now estimate the average annual sales
of the merchant, in proportion to the capital
invested, as six to one (Which is We believe, less
than n correct ayerage) it will appear at once
that, under the operation of the law just stated,
he is taxedin the neighborhood of two dollars aud
forty cents on the hundred dollars, instead of
forty cents, as provided on other property.
The merchant is led to enquire, why this inc
quality! lift could be said that capital invcstedin
merchandising, was so much more remunera-
tive, than when otherwise invested, it might be
some justification of the course pursued by the
State toward her merchants as a class.
The mercantile history of the country shows,
however, that no such justification can exist
1t is well known, that capital invested in com
mercial enterprise, is subjected to much more of
vicissitude and risk, than when employed in
either agriculture or manufactures.
1t is generally admitted that the true princi.
pie of taxation, is that each citizen shall contri-
butte to the general fund of the State in proper
ton to the security which the State guarantees
to his natural and legal rights. Does the mer-
chant, enjoy rights and benefits in this re-
spect, superior to those OF other citizens? If
not, why is it. that Notwithstanding, the mea-
gre profits and risks, which confesSedly attend
his pursuit in life, he is still called upon under
the existing regulation to sustain by far, the
largest proportion of the public expense in pro-
portion to actual capital?
As n matter of State policy, also we think the
subject ofour request ShOnld be favorablv enter
tanned. The present systemdoes and will deter
much capital from seeking Investment in the
State, to say nothing Gifts tendency to drive out
much that is alreldyin in. In New York, and some
other states, merchants reSuhject to no license,
and their capital Is placed upon the same footing
as capital invested in other property; nor do We
believe that in any other State in the Union, do
the disadvantages obtain, which surround the
Virginia merchant.
We desire, also, in this connection, to call
your attention to the fact, that the operation of
the present law is particularly annoying and
oppressive to those of your petitioners who
happen to be placed upon the border, where they
are brought into competition with the merchants
of other States.
We do not wish to be thought wanting in 10y
atty to the State. or in devotion to her interests.
We still hold her honor and success
to all other considerations, and in asking the
redress which we think is our due, we would not
wish to be -understood as desiring to shirk even
the least portion of her expenditure which may
justly be allotted to US, and which is necessary
to sustain and advance the prosperity and glory
OF the Commonwealth.
No better evidence of our loyal disposition in
this respect, could be desired, we should think,
than the statement of the fact that the merchants
of Virginia have borne for years, accomplishing
ly, burdens which were not required of their
fellow citizens.
Even we of the Northwest, impclled by our
love of the Commonwealth, have not failed to
respond promptly to what we felt were unfair
demands upon us, and then, too, with q knowl-
edge of the fact that the greater portion, if not
all the improvements upon which the revenue of
the State was expended, were situated in the
Eastern and Southwestern portions of the
Commonwealth, and could not, therefore, be of
any direct or practical benefit to US.
For the reasons stated in this memorial we,
in common with our brethren throughout the
State, ask that the State revenue may be in fu-
turc, assessed upon US, as upon other citizens,
and that the merchant, with the farmer and the
manufactures, shall be taxed in proportion to
the capital invested. And for this we will ever
pray. ~
On motion, the Memorial was received and
unanimously adopted.
On motion of air. Heiskell, copies of the Me-
mortal were ordered to be printed for circuIa-
finn and n comuittoa Of 4broo onno;nto1 e.