Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-08-04

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MOUNT VERNON EMPrY,-sFTbere ia a rerort
that MI John A. Washington designs TO re-
move the remains Of the Father of his Coun-
ny from Mount Vernon, previous to the trans
ler OF the property to the ladies of the Mount
vernon Association. We are prepared for
any act of meanness upon the part of that in
dlyidual After the cane speculation and the
exhorbitant demands he has made upon
patriotic association, we are ready to believe
that he would even sell the bones of his illus
drious ancestor to some curious anatomist.-
Inc chief object of the proposed purchase is
10 secure the tomb of Washington from in
jury. Mount Vernon is of little interest to
the Association without it,
The above appeared in the PHILADELPHIA
E0en'ng Journal of yesterday, and is the sub
Ject OF editorial comment in the Courfsr and
enquirer OF this morning, the tone and tenn
per OF which may be inferred from the follow
| ing extract:
1--WE are we'll aware how Just the feeling
OF indignation is against the brute in human
form bearing the name of Washington, who
mas openly trathcked in the mortal remains Of
the great Pater Patria and yet we indulge
the nope that contempt for the wretch who
| sells the bones of Washington for two hundred
thousand dollars, instead of gladly accentipg
ten thousand for the ground and tomb as he
ing more than their value, will not prevent
the citizens of this State cheerfullv contrib
utlng to the proposed purchase. In truth. the
SIMPLE TACT that the present owner of Mount
vernon Is bent upon making money out of
the bones OF Washington, instead of prevent
ing our giving freely, should be an incentive
to prompt and energetic action. He is in the
market with his goods; and if the people of
the United States do not purchase. what guar
ahty nave they that these sacred relics will
not De sold within month of the failure to
pay the next instalment, to some collector of
curlosties for London or Paris
Inns is no imaginary contingency. We
consider 1t demonstrated fact, that the pres
ent owner of Mount Vernon is bent on nut.
ting money in his purse from the sale of
Washlnton's bones; and if Americans refuse
to give him his price, he will most assuredly
snip them to Europe for market
On the 9th OF April laot, contract legally
eorgatory III all respect, was made with the
proprietor of Mount Vernon, for the purchase
of the two hundred acres desired, embracing.
as they supposed, not only the home and tomb
OF Washington, buildings, wharves. etc.. but
the remains of the deceased patriot, for two
hundred thousand dollars. Eighteen thou
sand dollars were paid down in cash.
Inc question now arises, whether tie peo-
pie want Mount Vernon without Washing.
will get them with their deed i-N. Y. Rpsn-
ing Post, July 9Oh.
The following clause in the contract be-
tween John A. Washington and the "Lades
OF the Mount Vernon Association Of the
Union, proves that he has no right to re-.
move the remains of Washington from the
tomb and the presumption therefore is that
he has never done any such thing as reported
by the Doyestown Democrat:
"And that the said vault, the remains in
and around it, and the enclosure, shall never
be removed or disturbed and that no other
persons hereafter shall ever be inferred or en-
lomoed within the said vault or enclosure"
TAxATIoN.-The decision of the Supreme
Judicial Court, in the Lunenburg case, de-
llYered by Judge Thomas few days since,
and spread before the public in the columns
OF the DAILY Advertiser of Friday last, is one
that affects the interests of almost e-o-y
| payer III the Commonwealth. especially POLL
tax payers. The practical effect of the decis.
ion is witnessed in the revision by the asses.
sors of their plans of taxation for the present
| year. Already we hear that the assessors of
Boston have determined to make the poll tax
81 70 instead of 81 90, as formerly in
Brookllne the poll tax is fixed at So. OF
course there is consequent reduction of the
amount of taxation necessary to be assessed
on property. This is according to the law,
as expounded by the court and there can
not be shadow of doubt that the decision of
the court accords with the statute. The only
wonder is, that somebody has not found this
out before. During the last five years, any
single tax payer in almost any town in the
Commonwealth might have broken up the
whole assessment, under the law but Mr..
Joseph Goodrich of Lunenburg seems to have
been the first man to find this out.
If the new principle of exposition had
been adopted last year, or the year before,
under the heavy State taxes of the Gardner
administration, the poll taxes would have
been So, perhaps even higher according to
the principles now laid down by the court.
This would have reduced the rate of taxation
on property from SO 80 to 50 10 per $1,000,
etfecting reduction of at least tsoenty cents.
The State tax this year is nearly two
thirds smaller than last year, SO that the diff
ference is less considerable.
1t will be understood that the principal
point OF the recent decision is this that the
limit Of poll taxes to 81 so does not apply to
State taxes; but one sixth of State taxes
must be assessed on polls.
Heretofore, it has made little difference to
poll tax payers whether there was State
w. y. NV AShSSAOE"htuJ IL OeCOmes OF
great Importance to them as we'll as to other
tax payers. that they should assist in the cleo
ton of Legislators who will SO conduct the
State finances as to cause the State taxes Ell
Their to disappear wholly, or to dwndle to the
smallest dimension. A great step in this d.
rection was made by the legislature last win
ter. which reduced the State tax from $780,
97S, which was the amount in 1857, to
SS599SS, the amount the present year
Boston AaUertiser. 1