The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-01-17


wholly insufficient. While / do not prc
pose to prescribe the details of Legislation
that may supply these omissions, com
mend the subject to your careful consid
Grafton. lstE3 sgt-I tstf8,t.ftt
| THE coLoKKD PEOPLE .'s =
| The recent amendment of the Consti
tuition of the United States complete
the abolition of slavery and leaves tn
cOlored people in our midst free, a fac
which should be borne in mind and recog
nized. Under the Constitution of our owl
State they cannot vote or hold office, bu
they are entitled to security and protec
ton of person and property, which
should be guaranteed to them by propeI
legislation An important step toward
the accomplishment of this purpose, ant
one it seems to me you should not hest
tate to take, is the removal of the restric
tions upon their competency as witness
es Until this act of justice is done al
other guarantees are fruitless, and these
unfortunate people are left to the mercy
of any one who chooses to inflict injury
upon them. ''' -
| SUITS BY REBELS.
An act was passed at the last session
of the legislature ito prevent the prose
cution of suits and the suing out of pro
cess by persons engaged in the rebellion.
This act provides that the defendant in
any suit may require the plaintiff to file
an affidavit that he has not participated
| in the rebellion, and if he fails to file the
same, his suit shall be dismissed. II
seems to me this law is of doubtful ex.
pediency 1t was intended to prevent
rebels from suing loyal men for acts
| done during the rebellion; it will be seen
! that while this object is effected, its pro-
visions apply equally to any act done or
contract entered into at any time after
| it's passage So that if it remains as it
| is, no person who has taken part in the
rebellion can at any time in the future
prosecute suit of any kind. This be-
| ing the case, they cannot enforce any
contract they may make. They can neith-
er buy nor sell with safety to themselves,
unless the transaction is completed at
the moment-for they cannot enforce
the contract by suit. Thus you have a
number of the population of the State
who can engage in no business and must
necessarily become drones in society. 1t
may be said that if they are not satisfied
with our laws they can leave the State.
But those that own property cannot sell
it even for that purpose, as by this law
they are not allowed to enforce their con-
tracts i recommend that this act be at
least so modified as not to apply to any
transaction since the end or the war.
FINANCES-THE AUDITORS REPORT
The cohdilion ofthe Finances will ap-
pear from the reports of the Auditor and
Treasurer tobe as follows:
Balance remaining in the Treasury
Jan. |. 1866. wv 2lO,e'
Eeceipts from all other sources during
the fiscal year ending Dec, ~
1865 ''i''e|'s@
Total receipts.. 675 593 10
Dec. 81, 1866, .........e.4l7,a ,alO, ,55
Balance in Treasury January 1, 1866 s26l 3s3, "a
Deduct amount belonging TO School
Funds not subject to appropriation
for any other purpose ..........-s sl, ,992, 50
Balance in Treasury for general purpo-
ses Jan. l. lS66, 6,.--.....---..--..-SlI SlI9,39O, u
Estimated receipts for currnet year, .45O, 10000
Estimated total receipts, -s629, 800, II
Ordinary expenses for current year, l9O, O23, 50
Amount subject to extraordinary ap.
preparation by the Legislature, SI39, 36', Sc
1t will he seen that the Auditor has
estimated the ordinary expenses OF the
State Government for the current
year at less than one half of
what they were in 1865. In this, have
no doubt, he is correct, and it may be
accounted for mainly from the fact that
the war having ended, many compara-
lively heavy expenses that were necessa-
rily incurred during its continuance are
nolonger required. Nor dol think that
the Auditor has over-estimated the re-
ceipts into the Treasury for the current
year. Indeed am inclined to think the
amount will exceed that reported by
him. During the war, revenue was col
lected from only aboutIone half the conn
ties in the State. This year it will be col
lected from all, and it seems to me that,
if his estimate isnot in fact too low, 1t
may certainly be relied upon as safe
one.
TAXES ON DELINQUENT LANDS.
invite your attention to the many
valuable suggestions accompanying the
Auditors Report. only two or three OF
which | shall notice specially:
1t is apparent that some amendment Is
needed to the law prescribing the mode
of enforcing the payment OF taxes on
real estate. AS it now stands the pay
ment of taxes on unimproved lands be-
longing to non-residents caanot be en-
forced, except that once in five years the
lands NAV be sold for the delinquent
taxes: while our own citizens may be
compelled to pay their taxes regularly.
Many nonresident land owners avail
themselves of the provisions OF the pres
ent law, and the State is thus, in many
cases, for yearsdeprived ofthe use ofrev-
enue that should be paid into the treas
ury annually In addition to considera-
tions connected directly with the rev
enue, these nonresident landholders are,
by the present law. favored in holding on
to their lands in an uncultivated condi-
ton; and thus very greatly retard the
Improvement and prosperity -four State
I recommend that the law be so amended
as to require sale of delinquent lands
once in two wears, with Limitation OF
redemption to one year after the sale.
RE-ASSEssMENT OF LANDS.
There has been no assessment of the
real property within this State since
1856. Taxes are being collected on
valuation made ten years ago. Great
l~-o 80 p1nna tn fhn voIun