Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-12-05

OF ZlSC or SepteInDer laSly to pIoFluo IL
, the redemption of Bills Receivable, issued b
this State" promptly exchanged Netiona
, currency for the Bills Receivable when pre-
, sented. This will rapidly reduce the amoun
| he held on 3lst October. The undrawn az
preparations, and such additional appropra
tions as may be made at the present session
must be paid, principally, in Bills Receivable
i until the taxes for the fiscal year, commen
cling the Let of October last: shall be pai'
into the Treasury, which payments shoald b
, required to be made by the Collectors as ear
:. ly as June next. If the General Assembl.
re-euacts the clause in the Tax Bill of tn
last yee requiring that all taxes shall b
- - gold or silver, National currency o
Bills Receivable, and continues the auLhorit..
to the Treasurer to exchange the Bills Re
ceivablc for National currency, there is ID
good reason why the value of the formel
should not be at par with the latter. TIT
Comptroller General estimates the appropria
tions for the present year Of three hundred
and two thousand seven hundred aud ter
dollars, which sum will besincreased, if The
recommendation hereinafter made, to provide
for the payment of the public debt, sho' ID
be adopted by you. The pigment Of taxes
|! is, at all times, orerous to tie public, but i;
peculiarly oppressive tD tile people at tho
present time. The ordinarysexpcnses of gov
ernment, however, must be met, and the faith
and credit of the State maintained untar
nished, and taxation is the only resource left
US. The burlhen should beFendered as light
as possible, by the most Igid economy in
making appropriations, and by requiring a
strict accountability from all public function
aries. Material changes in the subject mat.
tiers of taxation and notifications in the rates
are requisite to render taxation less oppres-
sivc. Assessors should beirequired to make
new assessments of the valnc of lands aud
town and city lots. The Capitation Tax is
onerous, aud is not proportiQned to the gene
raj scale of taxation it should be reduced at
least half, and the employer should be
held liable for every poll in bis service on lst
March next. "A general system of licenses
to lawyers, doctors. dentists, inillers, cotton
pickeries for toll, merchants shop keepers,
trades men, auctioners, livery stable keepers,
hotels and eating houses, nonresident mcr-
chants and drummerS. audaothers should be
introduced. Taxes should be imposed ON
money at interest, bonds and solvent credits,
also upon all articles Of luxury, embracing
jewelry, gold and silver plate, and watches,
carriages, buggies, all horses not used for ag-
ricullural purposes, pianos, playing cards, etc..
upon the capital stock Of all: incorporated
companies, including railroads not exempted
by law from taxation, legacies, dstribative
shares in intestate estates, pistols, bowie
knites, patent medicines, and the gross profits
of brokers, factors and banking corporations.
The taxes heretofore imposed on express, tel
egraph, gaslight and insurance companies
may be very materially increased as these
companies are realizing large profits on their
several investments.
All public officers who, by law, have a seal /,
should be required TO atiix a. Stamp, in value
from fifty cents to two. dollars regulated by
their value orim portance, eaa papers where
the .seais used the sparts exsing the pa
per being required to reimburssthe officer
Tor the same.
And lastly, G tax should be levied on ali
salaries and incomes exceeding five hundred
dol4rs.
A Tax Bill embracing these new features
would raise a sum abundanty sufficient to
meet all the current wants Of the State, and
provide for the gradual redemption of the
public debt. The payment Of taxes thus
lcyed would fall principally upon the wealthy
aud those whose employments yield them
ready cash, and would occasion comparatively
little Inconvenience to the Taxpayer.
Heretofore, tie interest on the public debt
has been paid by the Bank of the State Of
South Carolina, but its loss of assets, growing
out of the war, together with its large out.
standing circulation, preclud the possibili-
ty Of relying further upon it, and the debt,
principal aud Interest, must be met by taxation.
The Treasurer, with the assistance of an
additional clerk, can pay out, in future, al!
claims from his owl counter; and recorl-
mend that an appropriation be- made 10 meet
the salary Of such clerk, and that the Bank
be discontinued as the fiscal agent of the
State.
The loss of assets, and the imposition, by
the general banking law of Congress, of so
heavy tax on the circulation of all other
than National Banks, make it manifest that
the Bank of the State of South Carolina can
never resume business and / recommend
that its charter be revoked or declared for
feited, and its books, papers and assets put III
the hands of Commissioners for as early
liquidation as may be practicable.
TAx-coLLEcToRs.
The Tax Collectors have heretofore been
elected for the Election Districts in which
they reside. Since the abrogation OF the Par.
;sb system, the former Legislation has not
been changed, and Collectors are still elected
by the voters within the former Parish lines.
Beaufort, constituting now, but a single Elec.
tion District, still has four Tax Collectors
and Berkeley Election District has eight Tax
Collectors. The reason for Tax-Colector
in each Parish ceas!ng to exist, the law Should
be so modified as to elect one for each Elec-
ton District. The additional numbers re-
ouire an increase Of the books to be furnished
by the Treasurer, and larger number of re-
turns. The commissions arc, insufficient to
induce business men to acceptiof these small
places in one OF the Parishes, the Collectors
commissions are less than fifteen dollars: and
in another, (St. Johns Collcton,) no cplec,
/ lions have been made, because no Que, within
my knowledge, would accept the office.
recommend that the law.be so modified as to
provide for the election of one TaX-Collector
for each Election District.
TIE PUBLIC DEBT.
The Comptroller General and Treasurer
pursuant to the requirement Of the Act o
2Ist September last, prepared and forwarded
ME statement showing the aggregate amount
of the principal and interest, calculated up tc
July l, 1867, on the stocks and bonds past
;. due, which the Act provided for funding, 8
copy of which is herewith com mmunicated and
my proclamation has been issued, calling or
these bond holders to fund their demands
conformatly to the Act. A contract has beer
made to have the bonds printed, and it i!
| L ko al. L.