Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-04
rne Tax uug.ssnr.

The Tax TsugsEstar.
The Comptroller General of Georgia, in letter
to the Hon. t. G. HnDNAN, of Arkansas, puts an
efectnal extinguisher upon the tax bugbear gotten
up to brighten the Southern people from asserting
and maintaining their rights The following is the
letter:
CoxPTRo1LER GENERALS OFFICE,
MiAedgeyille, Ga, April IL. !
Hon. T. c.. Hindmdn, Helena, Arkansas:
DEAR SR: Yours of the 10th ult., asking to be in
formed officially to the 'rate of taxation" in Geor-
gia before and since secession is at hand and
hasten to reply to the same
Our taxes in Georgia are levied upon the I'D
Udsore principle generally to property; banking
and railroad capital, however, paying specific tax
the former paying 39l6 100 cents on the 500 and
the latter paying one>half Of per cent. upon its
net annual income. Our poll tax is 25 cents each !;
professions &C., and persons of color are taxed IS
EACH
With the exceptions, then, of bank and railroad
capital the rate of taxation in Georgia for the past
two years and at present. is six and half cents
the one hundred dollars Tor about one-ffteenth of
one per Gently There has been no increase of tax
alton in Georgia since the State seeded The 81
cents on the $3.50 raised last year 100000. In
view of the State seeding and the authorized issue
of 81 100000 of bonds for her defence, the Legsla
ture, in December last, authorized the Governor
and Comptroller General to raise $600,O00 on the
general tax of 1861. Provided the same amount of
property is returned this would only make the whole
State or general tax pay levy of about ten cents
the one hundred dollars, one-tenth of one per
cent. Beyond the raising of the 100000 cannot
90. But the levy is not authorized to be made until
after the LIST of August next. The Governor and
Comptroller General have not determ ned nor will
they determine until that time, lat which time they
can best judge of the wants of the State) whether
or not they will increase much the per cent upon
last year.
As however, our taxes are so very low, and as
we have had to purchase about $500 600 worth of
armsandImunition of war besides paying other mil
itary expenses it is probable that may deem it
necessary or proper to raise the 100000, and if
| the same amount of property is returned that was
returned last year, we may have to levy about ten
cents the one hundred dollars, or one-tenth of
one per cent. Of course. if the same amount of
property be returned at less value than it was re-
turned last year. the per cent levied be higher
| to raise the same amount of money. But, even if
we do this, our taxes then will not be as high, as
| that paid by our State a year or two ago, when
| there was no war other disturbances of the
public peace AS pertinent to this matter Pdeem il
not inappropriate TO present the following, contain
ed in the report from this Office in October 1852 to-
| wit:
with the slight glance have been able to give
the late Tax Acts, within my reach, of several
Southern States, find that in South Carolina upon
lands in Cities towns and villages, borcughs &C. the
tax is l24 cents on the 500. and upon other lands
it is 90 cents, and slaves pay 20 cents per head 10
Kentucky real and personal estates is taxed at 20
cents on the $500; in Texas, T2} cents the $780,
| In Mississippi, l6 cents on the 500 on lands 20
cents on money DC, and 40 cents each slave. In
Florida, 163 cents the $780, In Virginia 40 cents
on 500 real and personal estate and 81 20 each
| slave. In Alabama, 20 cents on the 500 on real
estate on other property, so, cents money at In
teres and an average tax of 60 cents each slave
Chose between fifteen and thirty years of age be-
ing 81 10 each In Tennessee, it is l33 cents the
$780, In Louisiana, it is 70 cents on the 500, while
in Georgia the tax the land slaves and ether pro
perty) except bank and railroad capital,) Is now
| but 81 cents on the $780,"
1t will therefore be that while the tax in
Texas wants but one-half cent the 500 of being
double tax, the per cent tax in the various 9TH
| er Southern States above named is more than dou-
| BILE that of Georgia, while Alabama and Kentucky
are more than three times larger; Louisiana more
than four times larger, and the per cent tax in Vr
| ginia is more than six times larger than it Is in
| Georgia.
| In Wisconsin it is I2B cents on the 500, nearly
| double; New Hampshire and Maine it is 20 cents on
| the 500, over three times large. In Pennsyl.
vanla 1t is Is cents the 500, nearly four times
| as large, and in Minnesota it is 26 cents on the
| SlOO, being four times larger than tax.
In Ohio, the per cent, 81 cents on the $780, IS
nearly five times larger, aid in Illinois, the per
cent tax II cents on the $780, is over ten times lar
| ger than it is in Georgia.
Thus it will be seen that the tax of Georgia is so
lr OelOW ldI OF OLheT states, mat IL may De term
ed almost nominal tax.
| But this is not all. As have seen it stated in
some of the Northern Abolition prints that forced
loans have been exacted in the Confederate States
of the South, since they have seeded. take this
occasion to say forced loans have been exacted
| in Georgia of any character whatever. The pub
lie debt of Georgia. the 10th of October last was
| S2,670,750. To redeem this, besides her taxes,
| (Which have been annually applied to the payment
| of the interest and reduction of the public
| debit this State owns the Western and
! Atlantic Railroad supposed to be worth
| 100000, which has been paying into the
State Treasury S45O00O per annum after paying all
expenses, and she owns also about 100000 of good
| bank and railroad stock-in all S7,790900. The
last Legislature, however, in view of the anticipate
ed troubles now upon the land authorized the issue
of six per cent State Bonds payable at 20 years. for
the defence of the State Up to this date The banks
of this Stateand individuals haYe,already younari-
y and patrioticay taken $780, of those bonds at
par and as Georgia has abundant means to meet any
emergency, (Which fact is well known->to her own
people,, if we need more, we have no fears about
| getting what money we want at home.
Hoping soon to see Arkansas and every other Dor
der Southern State again free and with their friends
| who nOo1 free, and far removed from an Adolf
| ton government, Abolition rule and Abolition
| domination and destruction.
| l have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
| oeedient servant PETERSON THwEATT,
Comptroller General.
A