Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-01
rxlus ron ApyExrlarNo.
An Internal Revenue Assessors
Experience.
ASSISTANT AssEsaoR's ORVICB,
EAST CHArHTM, June 20, 1866. !

EAST CHArHrM. June 20, 1866.
Editors of the Republican:
Having once more passed the ordeal OF An
nual Assessment under the requirements of
the internal revenue laws, it may perhaps be
interesting and profitable to some that, with
vour consent) we publish short review of
our experience in the practical working OF
the revenue system. and especially among
those who with a limited amount of reading,
derive most all their notions from perusing
some partizan journal that has tor the iass
few years devoted 81 much of time and energy
to embarass the administration and make the
tax law appear odlous.
The tax law contempletes that all persons
shall on the lst day of May OF each year call
on th. Assistant Assessor and make a full,
true, and particular statement OF his or h0
income for The previous year, &c. But usage
hc;e. as elsewhere has established the rule
otherwise, and we therefore have been willing,
as lar as possible, To call on the tax payer
hoping thereby to lecei G from him o. her
ready and willing compliance with our -
quirements, and am happy to ssy that IN =
large majority of cases these hopes have ss0
realized But the exceptions ars quite eoe
frequent, among which We vii notice ~
cases in contrast with tboss jssa sllaAs4 -
We call to leave blanks with = farmer, ~
owner OF hundi eds of acres ,nsA1ly or quite oes
of debt, with spacious, veil hsisheA hoaso
and out buildings, end evRy external sppssS
ance of thrift and entsrprlfe. he nsese a
perhaps with g cufleA lip, OF . SoeUl, aAA
commences with a tirsde o. th1 Wer. We 70
ply We have inclination to dfssuo eoose
TOPICS on this occasion, Snd hs s1Dsfso -
su uggestlon, but out Of the fuliaess Of his Assfs
continues, closing the pArs OF chs sossefse-
ton with the remsrk .has As has % texASts
income, and ciaims thas his expiass stisa ssoule
be sufficient to save him from further roaoie
in the matter We reply that his ststsos>e
must be made in fgarss, Ana tEy TO give hlD
reasons why. He seplles shsa she whole wo
debt should be repudl. tel. We make shsrs
reply and leave HaA near 10 mors fsom him.
In making up osr sheet his csss pssssass u
self, and now comes the pinch. Ii ws asssas
him we are accused OF psilticsl perseessio :
if We pass him BY ve s>s euisy OF neeiso' =
duty, and have disobeyeA isssrus.ions. 80
we grasp our odioss" pss, ssssf . tx,
and the penalty, and tahs sp new cass.
Newt a iarmer from . Alffersas locality pre-
sents himself In obedience with notice sefvsd,
and expresses himself rsaAy 80 report: Ques.
t,on-W here is your stasemsntt Ansser-I
have not had time to make one yet. q
How do you expect 20 make proper repo8s
without one? A-Oh, oaA do il In very
sufficiently correct to swear sof Why, zee,
on stack of Bibles as high as yoa please
Well, then, proceed. Q.-How much live
stock did you sell in 1865, and what amouas
did YOU receiver A." None believe" A
short pause. with the hssd inclined thought
fully forward. while sitting at The table.
65, 65, +, yes, believe did sell tuo calves.
and SO the believing and guessing goss @ with
strong tendency against tax, Wlsh memory
apparently very accommodating, asd when
the balance is struck the order Of the blank
k,r rA~R q.
ment Income fac below nothing. And -
this man is positively we'll OF, hvss In good
style, and acknowledges that he has made
money, but last year was stckek. so
this case is passed by, aud left foe future con-
sideration. with one positive dscisies 81 oas
part, and that is, If you should con$anoe
guessing hereafter before, We shall feel
compelled to guess also, and not being very
| familiar with the acs, there may b soas TIL
| guessing against you
Aud now the scene changes. A sometS.
unassuming farmer approaches vita OsDs-
raadum In hand, and presents . sssssOsct, ,fua
| and clear, in dollars and cents even, which Il
readily transferred 20 blank No. "a, and foossl
with the same ease and Qaicknsss shat th>
deductions are that follow. A respec table
balance subject to tax, ID the footing, and YET
this farmer has no more visible appearance Of
gains and profits than the two alresly sllute(
60. We raise our eyes from eas PaeeSS1s -
just finished, and how his manhood, in co..
trast. looms up before us; how visible and
indelible is that sacred motto imprinted on hil
manly brow " First my God. next my Coan
try, then Myself" And bow We sppseciasa
that noble sentiment SO beautifully expressed
by Pope, An honest man % tie noblesl
work OF God We feel grati6ed, refreshed
yes, regenerated. We scof 1T the idss of re
putiation, and disgraced country; We looh
forward hopefully, yes, with the full assurance
that the time will soon arrive when we shall
stand before the world, the proudess rational
monument of Justice and Power that the sun
II. ali the course of his wide travels has ever
looked upon. Respectfully yours,
JOHN NJ. BARNES, Asst. Assessor.
-Cotumbia Republican.