Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-01-12
From the Montpelier Watchman.l
The Grand List Question.

" SuppSSO tbC oONOIAOA LIDS 1AtAOIi-
ty to require an opinion of the Supreme
Court on this question in advance of any
suit; and that thus the question may be
settled without delay or cost; but we un-
derstand that Gov. Stewart is decided in
the opinion that the payment of State
taxes can be lawfully enforced, and hence
may reasonably be unwilling to even
seem to entertain any doubt, or to raise a
doabt in any body else by questioning
the Court If the Court does not settle
the question in advance, then a single
suit will be enough. Only one man is re-
quired to refuse to pay, and we advise all
the rest to pay promptly, as a matter Of
prudence. Even if there is inequality,
and 80 injustice, in the taxes of any indi-
vidual, town, or county, the case will not
be beyond remedy; justice will be done
finally.
The reasons given by the lawyers for
their opinion satisfy US that the opinion
is wrong; to wit, that many of the town
lists were not verified by the listers on
oath that the committee to equalize real
estate between the counties was not
sworn, and that this committee raised the
aggregate of the list beyond the aggregate
returned by the town listers. Their gun
was too heavily charged, and the recoil
was fatal. If their opinion is correct, GER
tainly there never was State grand list
on which the payment of taxes could be
enforced, because there never was time
when all the town lists were legally made
and sworn to Is the State neDe3 to be
able to collect its taxes l. it t. be
bankrupted by the delinquencies of list.
ers, or averaging committees, or both 3?
We cannot accept a conclusion so mani
testify bad.
| No the provisions requiring oaths are
| simply dtrectOr4, as the courts say in like
cases and neglect of them is not TO be
availed of for the purpose of defeating the
main intent and design of the law. la the
grand list especially this should be the
rule, because the real reason why listers
do not swear to their lists is that they
cannot honestly do it their appraisals
are too low and unequal; they have
wronged the State and their neighboring
| towns and many of their townsmen
And are they or anybody else to be
permitted to turn round and say. Onr
list is Illegal, and no taxes shall be col
leeted We think not; but rather that
the taxes should be paid, and the injustice,
if any be shown, remedied. The law pro-
vdes some remedies now. and more can
be provided
! Furthermore; we have satisfied our
| selves that the equaliz alton of real estate
| between the counties is substantially cor
| rect, and this we have done by a process
entirely independent of the committees.
This we reserve for another article here
after.
VERMONT IN CONGREss.-On Wednes-
day Mr. Morrill, offered resolution,
which was adopted, directing inquiry by
the finance committee as to the expedien-
cy of imposing = tax of 81 upon e'ch APP
plication for an official position having q
salary Of not less than $1,000, and the same
upon each signature thereto made to the
Pre-idelt or made to be presented 10 any
of the executive departments, aud an adj
ditioual tax If so cents whore the salary
is in excess of $1,000.
Mr. Thurman of Ohio, suggested to Mr..
MorrItl that as his resolution had no title,
it would be appropriate, as well as candid,
for that gentleman to designate it, "a re.
solution for the purpose of raising rev.
enue for the republican party"
MIssoURI.-The Republican members
of the Missouri Legislature have been
oaucusing, and the prospect Tuesday
night seemed to be good that the differ
ences enganleIsd ~ the canvass last fall
may be made up, end ths two wings of
the party united on the question Of the
organization and the election of United
States Senator. The most prominent
Republican candidates for Senator are
Judge Wagner and Col. Benjamin, and
the principal Democratic candidates are,
J. D. Phelps, Samuel T. Glover, Gen.
Blair. Judge Buckner, Judge Horton,
Gen. Shields, Judge Woodson and Gen.
Craig.