The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-03-21
ar xslAL. Nsp RUSS

- fs Inc Kais6rA efthe Dalit Disbaicn-
Gsntlsmen: notice sppsrentlv editoriai, y Ine
pssred in your paper Of saturday last slsss rsPu'
iished In the Whig. which seems esleu o.
suurss INTERNATIONALLY TO msisad and prsjudiss the
sntus the statements and views OF the vritsr more
briefly, none certainly more fairly than the article
Itself It 10 .s follows:
others w. the city Of Richmond. before Judge Mere.
dth the PLAINTIFF sought to epioin tbs collection Ct
taxes posed by the tar ordnance OF last year. upon
ssvers' grounds. Chs was, tia the imp sititou OF
one. fifth of one per cent. on personal property,
over and above the rate imposed real estate in the
sy, wss violation d. this Constitution Of the state
taxation shall be applied to Gil subjects and farther,
that thus provision OF the Cousitutisn deprived the
city Of the power Of laying specific taxes At si and
in allowed BY the Constitution. In eject that tie
tar OF power ofthe Ceupct Is removed. and govern
cd By the prosison, IN reesra % tsaes 70 % 'suna
that thu ordinance was unauthorized ny the thafter
of. the city in imposing taxes ca debts due ttem,
which are properly aensndaele or payable en ";
dents in the city, and stocks bon and certificates
of debt Of companies and bottles polite or soreo.
rate whose princip offices are not locsted within
the said city; and which, or the interest whereof
usually or properly tr.nsferabie payable or redeema
be esswhere than thia its limits. Blu, the decision
of ms Judge was tdve to the plaintiff, on all
these sroruds decision in sEeir favor would have
been cissatrobs in che extreme 10 the city. a. 1t
would not only have nullifed the ordinance and de-
prieed the city of the whole revenue OF the last
wear; but would in ths important particulars ebove
stated have snnued tho charter itself Of the city,
- iaesnsstent with the Csnstituton OF the State,
DanieI."
Taxing the writer's own statements. impsf.sst a.
they are NO gu h consequences arc deprecated ~
him, could possibly have ensued had every sTound ia
4 en- in the Bill been sustained. "THE TAXING POWER
OF THE CouscIt" would not I'm EFFECT HAvs
BEEN REMovED"-"TBE CITY" woult not HAVE
BsEN DErxIvED CT THE WHOLE REVENUE OF THE
LAST Y.Asj'-nor would 1.-THE CHARTER OF THE
CRY. IN sny fart, -ceording to the oonssfustlon
maintained BY the plaiutids, NAVE BEEN ASSuL-
How could the writer have for moment imssined
that all these DISASTROUS coula rssat
IND a By THE ptoytfoss IN REGAsD TO T.xrs
% b ss f,sn mi Of ss1ns sG
TAxABLE lsHAB f1ASE sna AL THs rsor.srY
within is ts to whst.yer e1ten. might DO ne CO. 80
ss,s and DION the tamsaprincip which govern the
General AssembIy in h3lns taxes for the use Of the
state! Csa IL bs tbs interest or the wish of the
-ople of Kchsa thas lsser powsr than Ta, this
Rlhould bs coufered1h 'tQs sitf Soa1enf fof ons
Ths assertion that .cison favora le TO the plsn
tiff .'ouR hare deprjsea the city e the 'uhe 'sff"as
asked pect to alleged to be ion
al or illegal, that the amount il any uoduy chsrg
3D. should be refunded, deducted from the amount
incor rorti6l the y.ar's revenue and the
amount if seriously flt could hass teen i'm rnsdlateiy
replaced y new tevy But il this were NOT 50,
o. use it may BE- ,nosgl .nisnt to di.oh.issits
Nor dld3he palnt1ts In seeking the protection OF
khe ti2p contlivs that they were asking thar
the city ehdrF shoul1 be annul cd home of the tax
to whicy 'they o.je'ted were complained of on
the eroYd as atea in the above artsle itssf that
ns Of
maybe meutioned1eSxes property no. within the
ciry tho tax rfs.sa to be laid income and hat
Doisd none to the
on uni: d lated ACCOUNTS %,sf .s-d on the ground
4 she sde
sorrsf lnterpTseed, tho lns power Of - city
w win ts % .a' i. ia t Ssss
ss:a:!: sss!s taxed the Fl: sPj's
sitsr q the ~ ao ON
sa fs s~: .;
sl e s:.: :; ID,
s ssaaid' BE- isi than s.eAs la
ees ss sas : :sssa
the constitHd1 prom k6d in ,hsRbsence of any
ia:9s r.: :s% e. s s''y
trainers FonstN o. ha& 81 proper to
entrust to- 31Yup relne 43gislHRs Ibf III, state
The plain H3s sought - avoi pfiuction which
ahexid Al THE SHAslTzy ~ Ringing it into
Sp1fict With the conitltution. B0t If, indeed, the
twp instr ents should be prof hcso irreconcile.
a1le, then, doqbtles they and itizsns of Rich
qf0pd geneialB must have epco1iEEred the DIsAs-
TRfus consequences of decisioh Sronouncipg the
Rstituton OF the state psrsmounHto the chatter of
incorporation.
.fUne object of the bill was to q lin an suthoita.
I've exposition Of the extent of o taxing p,wer
conferred on he city; in a word have it iudcially
.tei m ned hetner the constitution la of the
State imposed any limits " hetever upon that power
The constitution, in laying down the principles of
taxation, does NOT in terms At last, lii nit their appii.
cation TO the General Assembly. Its terms, The
fontrary. explicit sufficiently bread to EN-.
is every reason, too, why the restrictions
80 liable to abuse suouId apply mcst strongly mum
cipa and subordinate especially to this city,
where the tax for city purposes il than double
and nay be, treble, that required by the State
Let the Constitution, however spess for itself:
ART 4. SEC ~. Taxation shall be EQUAL md
UNIFORM throughout the Commonwe attn, and all
property other than saves, shalt be taxed in pro-
portion to its value, which shall be ascsrsi aimed in
such manner AZ may be prescribed by law.
of II yeas shali be assessed with tax equal to and
$Sco
land of the value of So o, shall be levied on
every white male inhabitant who has attain d the
age of 81 years &C."
Truly if the Legislature may. 10 contended, au-
thorze the counties and corporations of the State
carry systems of education and internal improve.
ment, and to levy regard to these
stitutionsl limitations-that it may do lndirec, v
what thew prohibited from doing directly the
trainers of the Constitute have sadly hctched h
work they attempted to perform and another Con-
venton cannot b. called too to remedy the mis-
chief. Bus will no further ttespass on your iudu-
gence ssnse CT justas, and Il siacere conviction
OF the importance of the subject have alone
me to attempt this very unsatisfactory expose -
Whether tie rights and interests of the sGzens f
Richmond wiz be best subserved BY extending to
Them the ben. fit and protection which the Con.ru
ton guarantees to other citizens and even to them
selves In respect to State taxation. or by stins in
their corporate authorities discretionary ana we'll
nigh arbitrary, power, il cheeffuy LETT to them to
dec de JOHN kORERTsON
NH 2l-1t
~ 70 the Tax Payers and oppressed ci-
following gentlemen, of tIied ability, will be sup
ported by the free votesA snd tax of Monroe
ard at the Charter ELECTORS They ar, men
knowing the peoples interest," aud will suatan equal
taxation and equal justice to all and they will sas.
tain the credit Of Rie nond at all hazards
Many Voters and Tar Payers
Of Monroe Ward.
For Couacifp,en