Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-03-19
y. g.: Land Tax

Governor Peirroint returned yesterday from
Washington city, WHITTIER he had gone on a
doutle errand first, to obtain muskets for the
use of the Public Guard, and secondly, to in
woke, on the part Of Congress, such action as
would secure to the people of the State that
extensiono of the time allowed FOR the payment
of the laud tax which was contemplated in the
resolutions passed by the General Assembly at
its late session. sl>i <&s5 5ssE .A<A.tslJ
The Governor succeededin procuring mus
kets of the kind desired by Captain Gay, viz:
the most od-fashioned kind now in use, being
the Springfield musket of the model of 1912.
In regard to the land lax, the matter stands
thus: The Secretary of the Treasury, MIR.
McCulloch, and the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, Mr.. Rollins, are both anxious to get
rid of the trouble and expense incident to the
present mode of collection, and have already
done all that lay in their power to relieve our
people. The Secretary has ordered that there
shall be no sales OF land for this tax until Con-
eress shall have had time to pass upon the
question And if Congress should refuse to
pass an act such as is needed, then the Secre-
tary will still allow the people as long time as
possible in which to pay the tax. The Govern
or is confident that there is no reason whatever
toapprehend TO any compulsory collections. ~
Governor Pelrpoint went before the Com
mittee of Ways and Means, of which Mr..
Morrill, is chairman, and represented that
our people arc all in state OF comparative
poverty that there is bu. little money in cir
culation, and of this the landowners have
only small share; that it would oppress the
people very much to compel them to pay this
tax now that the collection Of it in the present
mode necessitated the employment of three
commissioners at cost of some sixteen thous-
and dollars per annum, besides the expense
of cnrpstof clerks in the State, and another
corps in Washington, to assist the former In
keeping matters in due form and order; that
the Secretary of the Treasury was very desi-
rous Of getting the collection Of this tax off his
hand, involving asst does great annoyance to the
taxpayers and vast trouble to himself growing
out of the dissatisfaction of the former, in many
instances, with the proceedings of the commits
sioners aud their assistants, and the consequent
numerous appeals made to him for revlsal of
the same These and other reasons were en-
forced by the Governor upon the committee
the Governor hopes to some purpose Mr..
Morrill, said the committee, as well as the House.
were very much pressed tor want Of time, and
by the numerous bills uefore them, but that
they would attend to the matter. Govern
Peirpoint subsequently saw Mr.. Merrill, ano
furnished HIM with the heads of the bill which
he WISHED to be passed. Its chief features are,
first, to authorize the Secre,a,y.Eto withdraw
the 'mnssioners and all their agents; and
secondly, to allow the State, or if Congress Ok
jectad recognizing Virginia as State, at least
to authorize some person or persons, or othclaIS
of Nrglnit, 10 assume the payment ct the TAX
in three inStalments, to fall due on the lst day
of January in each ot the years 1868, 1869, and
1870, the Secretary to have rover to enforce
the collection Of all upon the failure to pay any
one of the in ia ments. s@
What the prospect is for the passage of
Governor Peirl oint,s bill, We know not. MIR.
Morrill, said there WAS much prejudice against
our people, growing out:of the course OF our
newspapers and that we were all thought t.
be rebels. Governor Peirpoint denied the im-
peachment, asserted that our people were not
di,Ioyal AMI again pressed the passage Of his
BILL Richn1oud Dispatch. 81 ID, lfasg -