Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-09-21
assessment on Ttha5Ees.
A ,,onr. Sss/ IN O.9s O.ss

ces Of the Peace summoned to attend Court for
some specific purpose, and actually present, re-
ceiye the per diem in Albermarte and Rocs-
bridge the pay is confined to the regular mem
6srs of the Court srho sat during the dag. The
nav of Justices for these special occasions with
out authority of law, at that costs Augusta
county nearly, if not quite, $500 year. we
NAV add also that an act of the Legislature au-
thorizes three Justices to hold Court, ordinarily,
but the full complement of five are generally
found upon our County Court bench.
We do not propose to recommend any plan OF
reform, but trust to the wisdom of the Court TO
devise one. From the taxation for county pur-
poses in Augusta, compared with the assessments
in Albemarle and Rockbridge, it is apparent
that the matter is within the control OF the
Court. Otherwise why should the people OF
Albemarle and Rockbridge be taxed, on an aV-
erace not much more than one half the amount
levied upon usi
We will, however, specify two particulars in
which some change is desirable. First, IN rel
erence to the mode of auditing and allowing
claims against the county. In Rockingham, the
Court at each June term, appoints Cor reap
points, person who is styled the County A.
gent, to whom all claims against the county are
presented those which he considers proper and
reasonable he allows and others are reported by
him to the Court for decision. He then ascer-
tsins the aggregate and makes statement OF
what will be the probable expenses for the year,
and the levy is made accordingly. In Rockbridge,
claims are adjusted by the County Clerk and re-
ported to the Court for approval or rejection
In Albemarle, the Court annually appoints
committee of three Justices who audit each
claim and fix the assessment. This Board usu-
ally sits during the entire June term, and each
member receives his per diem for the service
In Augusta, tho Court appoints committee on
the first day of The June term, which rstlres ana
in two hours time reports batch of at least one
thousand accounts as examined and allowed J
| 1t is absurd to suppose that any committee
however intelligent and faithful, could discharge
such duty properly in so short time.
The other particular to which we alude has
reference to the number of delinquents returned
in this county. The number of tithables IN the
county is reported by the Commissioners OF the
Revenue as 6,465. Of this number 4,SV4
are white, and of these $40 are returned by
the Sherifs as delinquent. That is, nearly
sne-tsJth Of the ghite tjtha6les Of augusta
county pay no tarsSi Can this be sos-
The statement is almost incredible, but papers
in the Clerks Office establish the fact. No one
can believe that one white person in the county
out of every five and fraction is really unable
to pay his portion of the public dues, and it be-
hooyes the Court to adopt some plan for enforc-
ing payment. The experiment of publishing the
DELINQUENT list was tried few years ago, and
with good effect Why it was not continued
we know not; nor can we tell how far the ter
rors of q formidable army of $40 mountaineering
cotsrs may prevent a correction of abuses.
The Convention which framed the Constitution
committed o serious error in permitting persons
to vote without payment of taxes. a different
policy would save annually thousands of dollars
to the State and to the pockets of the four-htths
of the people who now bear the weight OF coun-
ty and State expenditures. Directly and indi-
rectly the new Constitution has materially in
creased the amount raised by taxation and at
the same time throw the burden upon fewer
number of persons. In the year 1850, before the
new Constitution went into operation, the num-
Der of delinquents in this county was 442; last
year, as we have seen, it was $40. The people
are paying dear for the privilege of electing
county officers-those who do pay; but the de-
inquents have glorious time of it.