Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-12-04
Gov. Browns Special Message on Taxation.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Milledgeyille, Nov. 20, 1863
10 the General assembly:
Justice to the citizens of Georgia and to the great
cause IN which we are struggling, requires that
invite your attention to a matter which consider
OF vital Importance, and urge upon you to take such
action as will lead to the application Of the proper
remedy, for an existing evil. For the last eighteen
months have repeatedly stated, that in my honest
opinion our greatest difficulty will be in maintain.
ing our supply OF provisions If we can do this,
which is in our power, with Gods blessing if not
abused; we have nothing to fear from the power or
armies OF the enemy, Deeply impressed with the
Importance of this subject, consider the waste of
the necessares of life as highly cul pable, and any
action OF the government which causes such waste
unfortunate and unwise.
Entertaining these views, l am obliged to con.
clude that the tthing system adopted by the Con-
gress of the Confederate States was an unfortunate
error, which can only be retrieved by entire and
early change of policy.
think it safe to estimate that at least one.third
OF the amount Of tithe of tax in kind, of this State
will be wasted and lost on account of the want of
store room, and the management and carelessneSs
of the government agents, who, unfortunately, are
seldom practical planters, but are in very many
cases young or inexperienced men, who have but
little practical knowledge of the business in which
they are engaged The result is that large quanti-
ties of Shelled corn are thrown together in heaps,
Shu lSlI W must spun, Ut lO Uo Oy uOBS
and other stock on account of the insuficiency of
the store rooms to protect it. Fodder or hay in
bales Is hauled to the common place OF deposit, and
is there thrown out without cover and permitted to
take the rain it falls, and is soon rotten. Pota-
toes and other like productions collected in places
remote fH to the army are almost an entire loss-
Much OF the meat If collected at the time fixed by
law, will. be thrown together in heaps before it is
well cured and will be tainted and spoiled.
is not reasonable to suppose that all toe govern
ment agents appointed they are, will look after
and take care of the government stores with the
same care and diligence exercised by planters and
producers in looking after their individual property.
Again, if every agent were as faithful as he would
be IN the management of his affairs, it is not
possible, in many cases, for them to procure store
houses in which they safely keep such large
quantities Of provisions must be collected many
counties of the State. And is also worthy of con-
Sderation that in large NUN Der of counties in the
State the StOrehouSeS far from railroad trans
portaton that it is worth nearly half the tax in kind
to haul 1t to tie road when, in these very countess
there Is not, account of the absence of so much
OF our productive labor in the military field a suff
cent supply Of provisions to sustain the lives of the
people The consequence is, the government must
pay very large amount of money for hauling the
tthe out OF the country, and the State must then
appropriate money out Of her treasury and purchase
corn elsewhere, and pay large amount to haul it
back to the place, sustain the lives of Sold
ierS families.
This system is not only working badly, and eau
sing the waste of large quantity of provisions
greatly needed by people, but is has, far
am able to learn, given general dissatisfaction.
The people are perfectly willing to pay in the cur
rency OF the country any amount of taxes which the
nece 'sties Of the government may require till We
through this struggle But they are not willing
to pay tax in kind which is very bqrdensone to
them to deliver, and which, after all their toll, they
often have the modification to see wasted without
benefit to the government or any one else.
In the present condition of the country, it seems
to me- that there is but one course left for the gov
ernlnent to adopt which will do justice to ALL sus-
tain cause and be sustained by the people; and
that is to repeal the tthe law go into the market,
purchase its supplies at market value, and impose a
tax payable in currency, sufficient to absorb all that
portion of the currency which it cannot induce the
people to fund, and which is in redundancy of
healthy circulation. This would not ouly be the
best regulator of prices but it would relieve the ag
ricultural class of the unjust and unequal burdens
which are imposed upon them, under the impress
ment acts now executed and cause the burden OF
sustaining the government to fall alike upon all
classes of our people.
l therefore recommend the passage of a joint res
olntion by this General Assembly, requesting our
Senators and Representatives in Congress to all
their influence and do all their power to procure
the speedy repeal of the law which provides for the
imposition and collection of a tax in kind and to
procure such modification of the impreSsment act as
will compel the government to pay the market val
ue as Just compensation for property impressed by
it And to urge the passage of such laws as will re-
uure the tax in future to be collected in currency
and will absorb any redundancy of the currency,
caused by the payment of just compensation for
property purchased by the government.
am quite sure the people of Georgia willing
to bear their just and full share of the burdens Of
the war; and to pay any tax necessary to sustain the
credit of the Confederaey.
They are we'll aware that it is infinitely better to
paw their debts in the present currency, than to
avoid taxation now, and have to pay in gold or its
equivalent after the war is over. This remark ap-
plies with as much force to the maintenance Of
State credit as of Confederate credit think may
safely say that there is not member of the Senate
or House Representatives, who in tie management
of his own private business will borrow the present
currency and agree to pay back dollar for dollar in
gold after the war is over. | will say further that
there is not a member of either house who has a
single sensible constituent who will make any such
contract How then can we justify our conduct II
we do not for the State that which no one of us
would do for ourselves which no prudent citizen o
the State will do in the management OF his own pr
vate affairs If refuse to- assess tax sufficient to
raise the sums we appropriate we are guilty, 1t
seems to me, Of this inexcuSable f'lly as We must
then borrow for the State the present currency, and
bind the people of the State to pay the amount we
borrow, in gold, after the war is over. | am sure
that nine tenths of the thinking men of the State
will agree that it is far better to meet our expendi
lures by taxation to paid in the currency, than to
accumulate State debt at present rates to be paid
hereafter in gold or its equivalent
JOSEPH E. BROWN.
LETTER FROM JOHN MINOR BoTTs-A letter from
John Minor Bolts to the Richmond Examiner, dated
October 1S, is published in the Yankee papers. He
DIMES having proclaimed himself Union man with
nnt any Es or hnts and having said that he wished