Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-12-20

citizens OF the counties of Marshall, Bedford, vii
| son, Rutherford and Maury, with reference to
change in the Constitution upon the subject of new
counties, which was received without reading, and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
ASSESSMENT OF SLAVES.
Mr. DUNLAP from the Committee on Ways and
Means, returned Mr. Summers bill mo 1927 to
amend the revenue laws in regard to slaves-re-
commencing bill in lieu, providing that the slave
shall be assessed where he shall be living the 10th
day of January, in each and every year; and that
slaves assessed in the possession of the hirer in
$50 for the year 1851 said hirer shall not be held
to pay tax the slave not in his possession in 1857
it being the true intent and meaning of the act,
that the hirer shall only be required to pay tax on
property in his possession.
Mr. DAVE objected to the injustice which this
bill would work in the counties Of Montgomery and
Stewart amongst those engaged in the iron interest
where many slaves were hired from Kentucky.
Mr. DUNLAP referred to the provisions in the
act of the last session covering this case.
Mr. BULLOCK argued the manifest injustice of
this proposed radical change Of long established
principle of assess nent and taxation by which the
owner of the property is required to pay the tax
thereon.
a message in writing, was now received from the
Governor, by the hand of F. N. W. BURTON Secre-
try Of State.
Mr. DUNLAP explained the provision of the act
groes hired out Of other States or countes-in the
name Of the true owner, and requiring oath in
the case-the hrer being taxed to the amount Of
the hire of the slave.
Mr. BULLOCK spoke again, and insisted on the
injustice of requiring TO go out of his county
to pay taxes on his property.
BANKS AND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FROM THE GOVERNOR
On motion by Mr. ROWLES, the bill was laid on
the table, for the present, and the House took up
tba ~ ba
from his Excellency, the Governor of the State of
Tennessee, and it was read by the clerk as follows:
The Message was printed in this paper on the
18TH
Mr. STOVALL proposed to print 200 copies.
Mr. NEWMAN suggested $500, which was ac-
cepted; and an order to print made accord
ingy.
ASSESSMENT OF SLAVES
The House returned to the consideration of the
bill in lieu of Mr. Summers on this subject.
Mr. LAMB moved the indef mite postponement of
the whole subject
Mr. RICHARDSON demonstrated against the mo.
tiOn in argument for the wisdom of the provision
in the ID section, to the furious operation
of the act Of last session, by which parties are
sometimes required TO pay double tax.
Mr. SCHMITTOU suggested pOstpOnement on ac-
count Of the absence OF the author Of the original
bill-NlT Summers.
" FL
withdrew his motion to postpone, and moved to
amend, by striking out the first section of the bill
in lieu.
Mr. JOHNSON thought, that from the provisions
of the bill in lieu, negroes might escape with
put being taxed at all.
MrWiLSON explained, that the hirer was only |
required to. give in for himself the amount of |
he hire-the owner for the value of the negro.
Mr. DAVIDSON gave an example of how the law !
night be evsded.
Mr. DAVE showed that it was the intention 10
assess the negro IN the county where he is hired
he hrer being compelled to give the name of the
,wner.
Mr. BAYLESS asserted the wisdom of the laws re-
Iuring the taxation of the properly where the owner
esides-nOt requiring it of the man who happens 10
lave it in his temporary possession. The owner
vas more responsible, and should be required to
,tve in his property on oath. This should be the
ase with all property as well as slaves. He was
weary Of hearing so much about slaves in Southern
'tate, making all our legislation black. as the
zee of spades with slavery
Mr. DAVIDSON explained the provisions of the
ct of the last session-preferring the act himself,
nd showing that it meets all the requirements of
he gentleman from Washington.
Mr. SCAMITTOU argued the justice of taxing
there the negro lives.
Mr. RICHARD. ON showed further the difficulty
rowing out of the construction Of the 3Oth section
f the act of lS56-which be read commenting
lereon-a difficulty from which many could not
ct clear through the coarts, and had to come up to
be Legislature by petition.
Mr. LAMB alleged that there was no conflict in
ne law of the last section, and it needed no amend
tent The slave owner should be taxed for the
alue of his slaves whercsoever they may be, be-
luse they belong to him, and he enjoys the benefits
rising from such ownership. Make the hirer pay
* upon the amount of the hire of the sl-ve-ihe
mount of his interest in the slave he hires.
Mr. RICHARDSON was simply explaining the
ficulty arising in practice in Stewart county. He
'~ed nothing about the first section of the bill in
eu.
Mr. WILSON alleged the injustice of taxing coun-
es for the expense of pstrolling slaves and deny
g to such counties the right to be reimbursed I
trough taxation upon such property, hired within I
leir limits.
Mr. BULLOCK showed how the tax might be lost :
the State on slaves, IN traastu from the owner to
rer, and which could not be prevented by this bill
.quring them IN every place TO be assessed on the
9TH day OF January in every year. The committee
'ud not have devised proposition better calcu- 8
ted 10 cheat the State out Of i EsysnsS, than he