The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1862-05-02

C. s. War Tax

CANTON, Aissr April X, leJ2.
70 he People gfHas.Dpi.
The Secretary Of the Treasury Of the
Confederate States has addressed to tho
undersigned a letter Of instructions.
part Of which is here extracted. as fol.
lows;
I'm reference to paying the tax in coin,
7 hold that every taxpayer IS bound, If
required, to tender to the Collector. 1T
"the proper time, the precise amount Of
Ibis tax, whatever it may be. il is not
"the duty of the Tax Collector to give
change in coin when he does so, it is
aonly an act of courtesy or accommo-
'dation, and should never be done to tho
"detriment of the Government So, liza
mans tax is less than $, for instance, he
should tender the specific amount in
coin; or, IL the Collector is prepared he
"can receive a piece Of coin larger than
"the amount due, and give back the ex-
cess in specie change. BY this system,
''the full amount of coin would be retain
ed and paid over to the Government, as
heretofore directed by a circular letter
from this Department"
am also instructed, in the same letter,
that the receipts for taxes paid (which are
to be duplicated, one to be delivered to
the tax payer, and the other remainingin
The book to be forwarded to Richmond),
must show on their face the amount paid
in coin by each person.
The Collectors are instructed that tax
PAYERS must not be allowed to combine
for one to pay the taxes of two or more,
nor will persons who owe taxes in their
own names, and as administrator, guar
dian, trustee, etc, and who are assessed
separately, be permitted to put the whole
together 50 as to reduce the fractional
sums to be paid in coin. And for the
same reason, taxes due from husband and
, vile on their separate property, must, if
assessed to each separately, be paid sepa-
rately. Collectors have been notified that
they will be held responsible for the pay
ment in coin of all the fractional sums
t due from each person, just as those frac-
tons appear from their Book ofCollated
Lists, and also for all other coin which
their receipt books show came to their
: hands.
That the people may be prepared |
d have deemed it my duty thus to call their
j attention to the matters above stated. |
- have not failed to represent to the Depart
n mont of the Treasury the difficulty of pro-
e curing coin in this State. The reply is
> that the Government greatly needs coin.
~ Its coupons Of interest have been paid in
coin, as fast as they fall. due, and must
d continue to be so paid and all know that
<, munitions of war cannot be purchased
e. abroad except for coin It's, therefore, a
e matter of necessity that the Government
II should have it. Those, therefore, who
'e have the coin should pay it freely. To
~ the rich, whose taxes are large, the pay
as ment in coin of the fractional parts OF
lie their tax, under s., is a very small mat
81 tar-even il ii cost them hundred per
N sent. to obtain it. To the poorer class
sr only-those whose fractional sums are
Il large in proportion to their whole tax
=, can the payment Of those fractions in spe-
q Gle be onerous. The past iustifes the con
s. fdence that they will cheerfully respond
/ to this call of the country.
u At my suggestion, the question of ex-
o tension Of the time for payment of this
d tax, has been brought, by the Secretary OF
to the Treasury, to theattention Of Congress,
and | have reason to believe the time
~ will be extended several weeks, so as to
i enable the people to pay it less huriedly
e and inconyeniently than many would do,
L under the law as it now stands, which re-
, quires its payment between the first and
e twentieth Of May next.
JOHN HANDY,
Chief Collector for Miss.