Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-12
soldiers mustered out. Tho pay estimate for
the coming year is $17, 1926, $50.

soiuicfS must LereQ out. Inc paw estimate tor
the coming year is 81, ,82S, 500.
Secretary Stanton's report contains the fol-
lowing
While the reduction of the volunteer force
aud the advantageous disposition or concen.ra-
ton OF war material were thus successfully ac-
complished without diminishing the military
power OF the country, recruiting and reorgan-
izng the regular army favorably progressed.
In consequence of the difficulty in procuring
enlistments for the regular while SO many men
we're required for the volunteer service, one
hundred fifty-three companies Of the regular
army, as then authorized, we're unorganized
on May 81, 1865, but IN the middle of the
foiioTIng July these companies had been COM
pletsd. Under the act OF July %, 1886, the
regular army now comprises ten regiments, or
one hundred and twenty Companies, of cavalry;
hive regiments, or sixty companies, of artillery;
and forty five regiments, fc ur hundred and
| hfty companies. OF infantry of which two
cavalry and four infantry regiments are COM
posed of colored men, and four Infantry regi-
ments OF men who were wounded in the line
OF their duty. One regiment of white cavalry
had been fully recruited IN September 10 the
other reg iment assigned 10 the Pacific coast, is
very nearly completed Forty eight of the
nifty four companies required 10 convert into
regiments the sing battallons of the nine
tHrSc-J 1steiiCn regiments OF lne Iorner CTyan-
iza;ion have BEEN completed and sent 10 their
regiments Inc four veteran reserve regiments
have been assigned to districts where the men
may De u,eiu.ly employed in guarding store
! houses and cemeteries, and on similar duties.
Ire cOiOred regiments will be recruited, as far
as possible, from the coored volunteers still
ic service Tbe law authorizes an assignment
Of one hundred priva.es to q Company as the
maximum, fifty being the minimum, and the
maximum strength OF the army is thus placed
at 1882, rank and hle. The present strength
OF companies Is liked at sixty-!our prvates for
cavalry. artillery, and infantry, and one hur-
dred and twenty Two priva.es for Light batter
les of artillery, making an aggregate strength
of 81 302. AS soon the ranks shall be well
filled II is designed To increase the efficiency Of
the military force by raising the standard of
qualifications.
Secretary Welles reports that the navy ha.
$50 vessels, 2,32l guns and Is 600 men.
E.ty-iour iron-clads are laid up, and seven are
not com pleted. Sixty-nine vessels are in squad
ron service, carrying 69i guns Ou the pen
sion list there are 2,265 names; the total
annual paymen, IS S2oO,739.
PUBLIC LANDS
Secretary Browning reports that 4, 629 900
acres If public lands were sold, entered, locat-
ed or granted last year, and the cash receipts
we're SS3i.O0O Land offices have been re-
opened in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Loui-
sana and Arkansas.
The Com mission of Agriculture estimates
the crops as follows Wheat, $50, 100000
bushels corn. $50 900 900 bushels-an in
crease of 10000, 900 over that of 1859 +; cot
ton, 10000 bale of 400 pounds each. The
farm stock in the South is from 56 10 so per
cent. OF the amount returned by the census OF
1860.
INTERsEL REVENUE.
The receipts of internal revenue last year
were 1910 ,9J6,9S4, against Sll7 ,l45,O0O in
1864. Tae neon tax has greatly increased
as the following isuces show
1861, SI4,9l9 ,279 80
1850. 20 ,567 $50 %
1866. 60,sgf.l35 6S
OF ths coilso..Jns in 1864, So 913 ,S34 SS
we're from incomes taxed at tive per cent u N
- o0o.oTU . { lJ taree per celtuln, ana cTo,-
373 90 3, and one-hah per centum. OF
those Of 1863, SSOl94l 80 were returned at
ten per cent1m, 80 .934 1880 at five per cent.
- 697 246 90 at three per centum, and
SI33 4O2 76 at one and one-half per csntun.
o the receipts in the fiscal year 1866, S26,-
90 500 5S were ut 1Ve per centum, aud
S34 ,j0l, ,l22 81 at ten per centum.
Inc whole amount received from the tax
upon incomes since the passage Of the law of
1862 including the collections during the
present ii-c,l year, already reported, is 5 l64,-
SGj .0lS O5.
Oher specific taxes produced the following
returns last year
Iron and steel, Sl3,72s,133
Refined re.ro'e1n aad co,l oil. 5317,39 96
Q 5ars and cleroots, 3474,43S
Chewing aud smoking tobacco, II 336 92l
Fermente liquors, 5,ll5,l4
Disabled spirits, 29,l9S, SIS
Commissioner Rollins proposes a change OF
time for making returns of income, for the
following reasons
. Il turns FOR ihjs lis are required from the
taxpaver on or before tie first Monday in
MAY in each year, snd the taxes payable
on the 80 day of June following. For
nous reasons 1t seems desirable that the returns
saould be made - an earliet date. The
amount OF ones income, except in cases where
regular books Of acc cunt are kept. can ordin-
arly be more accurately determined nearer the
close Of ths year il which It accrued. Many
taxpayers, including large majority of those
eng ged in agricultural pursuits, have more
leisure al that tme TOR the preparation of their
returns while many residents of cities, and
indeed OF the warmer portion OF the country
qenefaLy desire 10 leave their districts for
purpose OF business or pleasure before the an
nuai ISIS under the present law can pass to the
collector from the hands of the assessor. In
sucn cases no little annoyance and complaint
have arisen, which the utmost vigllence Of the
revenue officers could not fully avoid.
rne special tax is payable on the first OF
May, on or before which time the party sub
lee. to il is required 10 register his name, CAL
Ing, ETC., with the assistant assessor OF his as
sessment district. Tne assistant assessor has
afterwards to make his certificate to the asses
sor and collector, and the collector usually
awaits the annual list from the assessor before
commencing his collections. Yet the law pro-
vldes that any one who shall carry on any
business, or do any act mentioned IN the stat
ute for the doing of which special tax Is i'm
posed, withoul payment thereof, or without
producing his re ceipt for such payment when
called upon by an internal revenue officer. shall
for every offsnse, besides being liable to the
payment of the tax, be subject to imprison-
ment fine. Peddlers, LOO, engaged In
business without payment of this tax and
producing this receipt, are liable TO the forfeit
/ ure of ali the property which they use or en-
ploy 1t is not known that hardship has arisen
| by the too rigorous enforcement OF the law !;
| bat wrong is liable to result, or the revenue be
| defrauded, by the exercise of clemency to those
/ inclined to attempt to violate Il altogether, be-
cause its precise requirements cannot be re-
garded. The law should noL make its constant
| violation a necessity. | recommend, therefore,
| that returns for the annua! list, including the
| registry for the special tax, be required on the
first Monday in March in each year, and taxes
be made payable on the thirtieth day of April
| following"