Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-05-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

OF REAL EsTATE.-The Assessors, toward the
close of the last year. commenced and concluded
their duties, but in n manner which has hssat-
isfed many who own brick land mortar or any
other kind Of property with sufficient surface
to bear thereon the brief but expressive word
"tax''
In many cases which have come to our kuowl-
edge, they seem to have acted on the principle |
that houses, like wine, improve with age. A
tenement, for example, built twenty years ago |
for thousand dollars is DOW worth fifteen hun |
dred, and ground bought for twenty cents
within the last FIVE years is now valued at
dollar foot! In not a few instances through
out the city, property is assessed at only double
its value for, be ii remembered, the legal value
is what it will bring in " cash, not credit, and
not in transactions on time.
According to the law, the sum of seventy-fve
cents was last year authorized to be levied
on every hundred dollars worth of property;
and this, under an economical administration,
would have been sufficient for corporation pur-
poses The charter limits the maximum Of the
tax to seventy-fye cents; and beyond this, of
course, corporation officers cannot legally go.
But does not every one see that the end can be
attained in another way. Namely: by nomi-
| naiiy increasing the value Of real estate, and
thencollecting the tax upon it, on the principle
that thOusand-dollar property is considered
to be worth fifteen hundred and that, instead
of only seven dollars and fifty cents eleven dol
lars and twenty-five might as we'll be imposed
True, the victims of this policy may appeal
from such exactions; but to whom To the
very board composed of the Ward Assessors
| themselves. (And here we will mention, by
way of parenthesis, that these Assessors would
not, likely, be so liberal in their estimates if
they had, in the language of the law, to pay
cash " for the real estate they might wish to
| purchase.)
If the future Assessors shall be so liberal and
extravagant in their idees of the value of prop
erty as those who have Just essayed to perform
their duty, the number of millionairoS, on pa
per- will be largely increased. Men in merely
comfortable circumstances will, after the tax
books shall have been exhibited, suddenly find
themselves ''rich," in the general acceptation
of that term. Certainly, so far as this is con-
cerned, the ''goOd time" is "coming-wait a
little longer.''
Every man knows that of late, there has
been no briskncss in the real estate market
everybody knows that, in periods like the pres
ent, when the expenses of living are extraordi-
narlly high, people have not got much cash with
which to buy houses and lands. Hence, we
cannot imagine how or from what causes real
estate has risen here in so wonderful a degree
In truth, the Assessors seem to have been de-
fcient in judgment, if we may credit the many
representation, from highly respectable citi.
Gems upon this subject.
1t is for those aggrieved to consider upon
course for the redress of their grievances.
At the ensuing June election new Assessors
are to be selected, together with other but not
more important officers of the Corporation 1t
therefore becomes the duty of every voter to
see that the best men are chosen to manage our
public affairs; men who, if they shall perceive
that the revenues, under an honest or legal
assessment, are not sufficient to meet all de-
mands OF extravaganza and folly, will set about
the work Of retrenchment and reform. The
generosity of the people should not be too
severely imposed upon or taxed, oven if tho
OBJECT IS at once to sweep away the public
debt, Of many years accumulation
HE DISCUSSION AT ALEXANDRIA-On Fri
day night, Liberty Hall was crowded TO exces,
by persons Of all ages, sizes, and descriptions
present to listen to the discussion announced to
take place between Mr.. Goggin, the Opposi
ton candidate for Governor of Virginia, and
Mr.. Robert j.. Montague, Democratic candi
date tor Lieutenant Governor Mr. Letcher
was not able on account of sickness, to proceed
IN the canvass with Mr.. Goggin. therefore that
duty was discharged by the able candidate for
Lieutenant Governor
Each speaker, according to previous arrange
mcnt, Was to occupy one hour, and be allowed
each fifteen minutes to reply
MR.. GOEGIN's SPEECH
Mr.. GOggin, upon rising. was enthusi,stic,II,,
received He said that he was present that night
IN the Of sPons bic duty that devoiyed
upon MIN as candidate for the office of Covrruor
OF Virginia, nominated bya convention which az
>einbled IN the city Of Richmond on the ICtI Of
February last. and which was composed of NVbIrs
Americans. and all others opposed to the elertn,
OF the Hon. John Ietcher. He EXPRESSED his 70
2ret dt Mr. L.. ; failure to meet him upon the
stump, and was somewhat surprised at his action
as lie had always stuck to him closer than
bIother- But tie had gallant Lieutenant IN,
MohtdSuc,) who sat by his side and he yyouId
tHPecl hlr to he quite as satisfactory as MIR. l..
nlhseli. Tins gentleman had assumed to broacb
mere, Tor the first time he would venture to S,y
the doctrine that State or any stat of III. |
mon had the right, upon her own responsibility
beIieVlnS that that right was delsDat,J H. ~, |
under the Constitution of the Irnited So, H.I
Withdraw herself from the Federal Union IvI,.n
ever she thought proper TO do So "i'" |
lie would lsk If such doctrine had been taugtt |
thein oy their representatives in Congress- Gc
ndu told theil That he and Mr. l. also plant them
serves upon The doctrine OF the resolutions of '9SO
according TO his Interpretation of them: and tbose
resolutions In their opinion acknowledged tho
~, ,ign. OF STATE to secede at any time Was thai
the doctrines Of James Madison Andrew Jact |
or The Democratic party Of the State OF Vir1inia'
ne wanted the gentleman to state the ground upon
"nlch ne placed this right. Carry that doctrnr
Su ana would not Massachusetts or anv otbe,
,v v'e nave the same right to secede rs Virginia
" ould not ONO, In the event Of secession hscon,
aid ps t OF some foreign power, and by tn
10 vi that power protect Your fugitive sIsve.
V men would the gentleman have the stat Of
virginia To secede? Would lie have he, Jo - |
now when that party to which the gentleman he
iohged had left them without a dollar I'm the
treasury IL she had reaped as she had the hema'
nus ul The exPenditures-had taken part i'm incm,
ring heavy debt-should She have the nr,ifI
oI wlthurawlng until that debt was Maid IL |
wanted the gentleman TO answer those onestions |
as Jacksonlan Democrat, for although that narty
mao ceased 10 exist see one of the rendrtyy |
sihilei lahndlng to Mr.. Smith, editor of the AIer
dhurla Sehtlnel;) he looks incredulous: hut he "a
connected with the press. and Therefore - -