The New York herald., 1864-08-08

| fathers heart in resentment for the calumniel
heaped upon sons reputation.
| Assessment OF Ihcensss-Importans No.
tice.
We ask the attention Of our readers to very
important notice from the Commissioner OF
Internal Revenue, which will be found in ano-
ther column, relative to licenses required to
be taken out under the law OF June so, 1864
The facts set forth in this circular will be new
to many, and, we think, will be somewhat
startl1, .c all. The leading point to which we
desire 10 draw attention is the liability Of
every one who is in the employment of any
firm or corporation, and earns by his services
over one thousand dollars per annum, to pay
license of ten dollars year for the privilege
of earning that sum. While this circular
prescribes the mode of assessing and reassess-
ing all those who have been liable to pay
license for certain business it defines the inter-
probation OF the law to include among those
who must pay license from the 1st of July
last every person." firm or corporation en-
gagged in any business, trade or profession, for
which no other license is required, whose gross
annual receipts shall exceed one thousand dol
lars. One license will not exempt firm.
Every Individual must pay his own license.
Every tradesman, bookkeeper, clerk. clergy
man, teacher, artist, farmer or porter who
earns more than one thousand dollars year
must take out license for the right to earn
this amount in addition to the tax lie has
already to pay upon his income.
1t is well that the people should understand
his before the assessor comes round. 1t will
be seen that this tax presses hardly upon
the working man, whether he be an artisan,
clerk, salesman or bookkeeper, and it
presses almost exclusively upon these classes,
for wealthy firms and corporations can afford
to pay license for their remunerative business,
while the man who lives by his labor alone,
with the currency deprecated to one-third its
value, and with an income tax OF three per
cent to pay on all his earnings above six hun
dred dolIars-which is allowed for his family
expenses and the anpant OF his rent, whatever
that may be-wll be ground to the dust.
This class will be hard put to it ere long
to sustain life at all. In the heaviest
tax burthened countries in the world there
is no such unequal taxation as this.
While capital is compelled to contribute in the
form OF license towards the expenses OF the
goverrment-whch it is proper that it should
do-in no other country that we know Of is
labor obliged to pay any other license than
that which Providence imposed upon it when
it was dscreed that man should earn his bread
by the sweat Of bis brow.
But there is another provision iu the law upon
the injustice Of which we desire to express our
strongest condemnation. 1t declares that an
ofliceholder, under either the federal or State
government is not regarded as following any
is not required to be licensed. Thus, the
bookkeeper or clerk who works ten hours
day for six days in the week in tue service Of
firm or an individual. and gets over twenty
dollars for this labor, must pay ten dollars a
year license, while the government employe,
who often fills . sinecure, and shows himself
about once month, on pay day, pays nothing.
Upon the inconsistency and unfairness Of this
provision it is unnecessary to comment
DEFEcgs IN IRoN-CLAD NAVAL vEssErs.-The
failure of our Monitor system has its couater-
part in the navies of England and France.
England has attempted to build some light
draught iron-clads, and, like our own, they have
proved miserable failures. The English press
and people are loudly denouncing their govern
ment for permitting an individual to expert
ment thus at the cost of the country, and thus
retard the final success Of the system. Mr..
Reeds iron-olad Research has proved herself
unfit for duty, % the Passaic did with US
months ago, and Admiral Freemantle reports
series oftdefeots in her construction and gene
raj plan which show plainly that to render
this vessel, as we'll as the rest of her Glass;
available for war purposes a large sum must
be expended.
France, also, is in trouble with her armored
navy, and naval commission, composed Of
some Of the most practical seamen and mechan-
les in the country, has reported, after care
full examination, in favor Of a change in the
construction and armament of the iron-clad
aeet OF the empire. This has been done in con-
sequence OF facts ELECTED by an examination of
the details Of the fight between the Alabama
and Kearsarse Austria and Prussia have sent
Aseuso W tniS Souh>Ay WIN 'iO" " 40
certain facts in connection with the plan Of con-
struction Of the new iron clad broadsfde frigates
built by Mr.. Webb, OF this city. Russia and
Sweden have been foolish enough to build q
feet OF iron-clad RATS, on our Monitor pat
terns-a step they will both regret ere long.
Our turret system is failure. as is clearly
shown by distinguished United States naval
officer in . recent communication to Mr.. Welles
in which he states that the weight Of the centre
turret on the three turreted iron-clad Roanoke
has forced out the keelsons of that vessel so
that tho centre turret guns can be fired only
in one direction. As soon as our Monitors are
strained little more the turret spindles will
be forced through the bottoms Of the vessels.
This officer says-and he has learned the fact by