Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-26
For Tie E0QNUtI.
CONFEDERATE TANATlON-1lS Err
RORS

During the present su sioa OF Congress a.
iitional taxes will be imposed. and in tranlir2
the new tax bill Congress- should avail ltfei
Of the opportunity Of avoiding the errors com
nltted IN lramr the tax bill which VII,
assed in April, 1863 The existing bill Is &c
-ctive ana in some respects grossly u'lust
history proves that legal tender laws are We y
tenorai zipg, while they never prcrchted 'h'
depreciation OF paper money. C'"gres, ba.
10 constitutional right to pass any such law,
ut in the present tax bill tho attempt uns
made, through taxation, to make Cuntcderat
urr ency, in substance, legal tender. Tn
cd of tsxation was held in tc2rornm owe.
very creditor. If he WIS willing u recelv,
Confederate money ia ra?rcnt Of his credit
I'D would endorse his consent en- eaHh credit
he paid a tax Of one per cent. up,n his credit
ind securities; but if be- refused to make thi'
endorsement, then his credits e., were gu Z.
lee cd to "higAer rGts" vi taxation Thls
higher rate was strangely ietI t. lha di-crc.
ion ard judgement Of the Secretary Of Ii:
treasury At first he decided upon barring
credits assessed by the standard Of spoei'
Eheneyer the creditor refused TO make trs re
,uired endorsement. S'me credits we're ia
.sssed at nine or ten per cent taxation. Al
ierward- Mr. Memm,ucvr modified his view"
little. His conflicting instru tons TO the
assessors led, of course, to embarrassment anh
oerplexity, and CAUSED annoyance 10 manH
.reiitnrs. Fnr al this Congress alone was re
sponsible. The power Of taya':on is !hc pre-
cg tt,ye Of Congress only. AMI i. * tss i'm
perativo duty o! Congress tc select subjects Of
taxation aud then designate thu rate IF tara
ton The Secretary Of the Treasury should
OF be permitted or required to decide upon tn"
rate Of taxation upon credits ard securities
or any other property. lie is IN executive
officer, and should be restricted 10 thc
performance of executive duties Congress
.hould prescribe the rate Of fnrRG0H ~
language too clear to admit Of doubt. No tax
oilt should discriminate against one class AMI in
favor Of another Glass Of society. Deb!QTs ale
now protec ed against oppression BIZ stay LAYS,
and they shonld not BIZ encouraged by arJ
tax bill 10 d.fraud their creditors, by it,
s,stig upon paying eff debts in cur
rencs greatly Deprecated. The creditor
'sss hrs evinced 10 desirs to Cypress thsir
dsbtcrs oy demanding specie, sd have shown
great in.!u !gence. Why. then. shUud an. war
be carried OIL against creditors Wig comps'
them by Law 70 exhibit their credi ard bonds :"
the Assessors, and make an endorsement Ga
ach This requirement is despo:ic aud ill.,
quisterial, indeca.e and unnecessary Ise
Jath OF the creditor as to the amount of his
credits. should be sufficient Ha should also he
allowed to de- net the amountof his debts from
the amount Of his credits, and be taxed lin the
Virginia mod, upon the nett amount and mt
he gross amount-of his credits These snt
other defects of the tax bill shHud be correc Ell
by Congress. As FIR as practicable, taxation
should BIS iar impartial ard justine people have
righ. 10 ex pect this, sud viii not be sarSh i
.i,h less. They will mt COMPLAIN OF Il" w AK"
zion 80 soon ~ Of unequal and unjust burdens
rney have asked fJr iegar ,vul-r law. a.c ,nS'
they d. sire unne. Such Il isw would new, r irr-
Prove ihr currency, rhi'e il would prdducr
many flsuds -hM'E