The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1860-04-21

-. Gen. Hcuseur, who haA rc4rscrtt himself
uOtpsious for Proclamations since bis Induction
isto The GubcrnAiosal char, has recently issued
: very vioIcn: one aspinst Clement Il. Joh'so,
Comptroller, in which he alleges that the said
Johns has issucl instructions to the difs,cu, ~
se,-ors and Collectors u Taxes Throughout; the
State. in dirvct ccafict with the law approved
Feb. II 1850; that " said instructions contain
requirements not contemplated by Law, but of-
prcssive to the citizen anil subyersive Of his
rights and calculated 10 prevent the payment @;
taxes on lands, and involve the State in Goddess
litigation" rha, the average value Of 'h'
lands ms fixed by the Comptroller is far beyond
the average value ~ assessed for taxes, or
their real value in the market Tic also charges
that the Comptroller hS arbitrarily directed
the Assessors Of the State TO disregard por
,ion Of the law" The Governor declares, in
conclusion, that the Comptroller has failed to
ascertain the average valnc Of the land in
each and every county, and that that portion OF
bis instructions in conflict with the Ia. Is void
and Of no eject ~ insiruc,s the various As
se~sors ,hroughou, the State to disregard the
instructions Of III. Comptroller, and to fix
the average value Of the ,snls themselves,
to the best OF their abilities Here, then, il a
pretty kettle Of fish. in which the revenue
from taxation !. likely to be seriously diminished
il Houstons proclamation is acted upon
Mr. Johns, in reply, has i<'ned circular adj
dressed to Assessors and Collectors, in which
he shows clearly that his previous instructions
were correct. He warns the Assessors not TO
disregard their oaihs and their bonds or softer
themselves mislod by unauthorized dietaiion from
am source That the Governor Inns attempted
TO usarp power no, conferred upon him tina,
If be is to declare the law and direct is admin
istration the bonds Of the Comptroller and As
SCISSORS .hould be released, and MI power and re
sponsnbility centralized in the Executive.
The poin, Of controversy appears 10 Ia this
Mr. joins has instructed the Assessors. that in
the assessments Of the yalHe If lands ont of their
respective counties, they shall take the average
value of the lands as assessed in these counties
Gen Hous,on contend. That il is,he duty Of the
Assessor 10 also embrace the assessments given
in by nonrcsidonts Of those couniics and adding
these TO the assessments given in by residents
aud then determine the average value OF all
This would, Of COURSE, materially lessen the ycye-
nue. for nonnsideDls. give in their lands al the
lowest rates. Il is reasonable to suppose tina,
In many instances. they have never secn the lands
and know nothing OF their value. And, again,
lands given in one year at fifty cents per acre,
may the nes, year have increased from one hun
drcd 10 thousand per cent, There can be bal,
one correct mode, and that j. the system adopted
by Mr.. Johns to take the average value OF land-
as given in by resident citizens. Gen. Iioustous
policy il carried out would deilaud the revenue
Of the State for the benefit Of land spectators,
who III many instances, have bought lands a, ten
cents an acre, and have been paying taxes At that
value, while resident citizens. are required to pay
fall prices