Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-05-30

The means Of the State uro--
From taxation, under pres-
ent rates 22,8I8, o0o
From increased assessment
of !aads on enc hundred
millions 400, 600
Total means now applicable $3.218, GOO
Thus. if the Legislature will not disturb
the existing laws, and not lower the present
rates OF taxation fer a few years only. We
may, with present and certain means, album
dainty provide for all the expenses of gov
ernment, for the sinking fund Of the old
debt, and for appropriations of at least ST.
900, 600 per aununl to public works And
cur people are able and willing to bear this
burden Tor decade or two, rather than
sacrifice the expenditures already made,
rather than dishonor the State credit, and
rather than torego any longer than absolute
y necessary the great ends proposed to be
accomplished by some few Of the main works
OF Improvement necessary To he finished to
make any Of them profitable.
But If party selfshncss and blindness, tie
fears and arts of demagogues, want of pa
triotism or want Of wisdom and virtue shall
raise clamor against taxation, though it
he only three millions upon eight hundred
millions err three-eghths Of ono per cent.
only upon the value of our property, and
shall lower the standard of State enterprise,
honor, and progress, as well as the rate Of
taxes, yet, sir, We have other sources of
revenue which nay be reaorted to, which
will inv o,,1 ,,e{,cr
renditure Of twenty-five millions in the next
ten years.
Under the Federal Constitution no State
shall, without the consent of Congress, lay
any imposts or duties on imports or exports
except what may be absolutely necessary
for executing its inspection laws, and no
State shall lay any duty of tonnage Under
a restriction Of the Confederacy which thus
depriyes the States Of indirect revenue, and
throws them upon direct taxes for support,
it is important TO look cut for voluntary
sources Of revenue to case the involuntary
burdens of their people. 1t is strange, in
decd, that inquiry in State policy has here
tefore tended so little towards that end, ea-
pecially when there has been SO much ground
in time past 10 arrFeheud the danger aud
disgrace of reputation Of public debt Tor
tunately for Ersiuia, she has two gree
sources Of revenue independent of involals.
tary taxation.
LIST BY the laws Of the State from 1880
down to this date "all unappropriated lands
on the bay of Chesapeake, ON the sea shore,
or on the shores of rivers and creeks, and
all the beds of rivers and creeks, continued
tn nn t1,a Sc
And the limits or bounds of the several
tracts Of land lying on the sea shore, the
Chesapeake Bay, and the rivers and creeks
thereof, and the rights and privileges Of the
owners of such lands shall extend to ordi-
nary low-water mark, but no further, unless
where a creek or river, or some part there
of, is comprised within the limits of a law
full survey Thus from low-water mark
outwards into the waters of the State their
beds have been reserved as public domain,
and been made continually common to the
people of this State. And by the unyary-
ing decisions of the Circuit and Supreme
ease of "Smith, owner of the sloop Yolant,
plaintiff in error, VS.. the State of Maryland,
December term of the Supreme Court of the
United States, 1850" whatever soil below
low-water mark is the subject of exclusive
propriety and ownership belongs to the State
on whose maritime border and within whose
territory it lies. And this soil is held by
the State subject TO and in t2ast fer the en-
joyment of certain pubic rights, among
which is the common liberty of taking fish,
as well she'll fish as floating fish, And this
right is a jus paJticum to the citizens of
the State TO which the soil belongs, and that
State may regulate the enjoyment of the
right or the fisheries.
The right to pass laws regulating naviaa-
ton and It's incidents belongs to Congress
but the regulation of taking fish, floating or
shell, in their waters, belongs to each State
respectively Virginia may not prohibit
the citizens Of other States from transport
ing her fish in their vessels, but she may
reserve the monopoly Of taking her fish in
her own waters to her own citizens; and to
and to preserve the fish and their spawn
from destruction, she may pass regulations
and levy tax from which she may derive
revenue.
The smallest tax upon the oyster fisheries
in her limits would yield very considera-
BILE annual revenue. The soil upon which
the oysters grow extends over space Of
more than 1000 square miles. About TO-
600 tons of licensed vessels belonging to
our citizens, and at least FIVE times that
number of tons belonging to citizens of 9th
er States, making in all So 600 tons per
annum, are engaged in the oyster trade Of
Virginia. Ihat amount Of tonnaee accounts