The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-05-11
MKmmemver TO Defeat the
Intent and Meaning of the Act
for aHae Relief OF Taxpayers.


On the I'D of March, law was pass
ed, requiring Boards Of Supervisors to
hold a special term of FIVE days days for
the purpose Of correcting " all errors
" of assessment of real or personal pro-
"perty whether made by the Assessor or
g the Board of Equalization, when it
shall appear to them that the same was
= caused by misrepresentation, or clerical
error, or sufficient evidence shall be
''given that the same is erroneous"
The language of this act is so plain
that none but a loggerhead could mis-
take its meaning. We viii do the Legis-
lature the justice to say that it is clear
and comprehensive; and embraces all
cases of erroneous assessment" and
valuation no matter of what description
nor how originating. Its passage had
been made necessary by the numberless
errors of assessment and valuation, oper-
ating oppressively on the taxpayers, and
committed by corrupt and incompetent
officials who had been put into Office in
many instances with reference to par
tizanism instead of the public good.
Notwithstanding the well-known intent
of the law to authorize Boards of Super
visors to correct assessments and valua-
tons, and thus to take off taxes which
had been enormously imposed, we are in
formed that in several instances-many
for aught we know to the contrary
Modest Musgrove has used his influence
as the head of the revenue branch of the
State service-to induce the Supervisors
to give the law construction so narrow
as to defeat the object of its passage, and
to deny to the taxpayers the relief to
which they are entitled under it by virtu-
ally restricting them to the correction of
errors classed as clerical. Under this
construction, the Board Of Supervisors in
Rankin county notified the taxpayers
that they "would meet not for the pur-
Z" pose of reducing the tar, but merely to
correct Mistakes" thus excluding the
idea of RENTING, or Producing" the
tax imposed on a false valuation. We
have heard of other counties, DeSoto
among them, in which the meddlesome
hand of the " Best Organizer was thrust
to defeat the intent of the law, which
was to give the people substantial relief
from the wrong-doing of ignorant and
dishonest officials.
Under the disappointment and confu-
sion arising from the maneuver of the
"Organizer," to embarrass the legitimate
working of the law, public concern was
awakened why the opinion of Mr.. Attor-
ney-General Morris had not been obtain
ed and published for the information and
guidance of Supervisors. 1t was known
that the Attorney General had
on several occasions interposed his
authority to arrest abuses medita-
ted against the rights of the peo-
pie and to expose cOnspiracies against
their treasury, and his opinion, as the
official act of the legal adviser of the
heads of departments, was anxiously
looked for. 1t is no secret that it was
asked for and obtained at the last hour
by the Auditor; and the question arises
why was it not sooner sought, and why
when obtained was it withheld from the
public? We understand that in this
opinion the Attorney General expresses
the belief that while it was not the inten-
ton of the law to authorize a general
change of assessments, the Boards were |
nevertheless authorized to correct all |
errors IN the assessment rolls as to the value
IF the property assessed achether arising
from misrepresentation, clerical error or
otter cause and 10hether committed BY the
assessors or the Valuation Boards Under |
his authoritative construction of the law, |
t would have afforded the relief intended. |
The 3rd section of the act requires
hat "the clerks of the Boards of Super
'visors shall transmit to the Auditor a
transcript from their proceedings con-
tanning list of the taxes so remitted or
'abated and the Auditor (shalD remit
'or GbGte the State tax in like proportion;
and if the same has been collected by |
'the Sheriff he shall REFUND to the |
party the amount obated or RENTED"
&c. And this is where the shoe pinches
he foot of the 'tOrganizer." To the
fraternity of which he is
shining light, who are leeching the
pockets of the people, there is no sensa-
ion SO delightful as that which they
'ealize from the operation, but to be
to disgorge, is the refinement
# misery. 1t is the next thing to
leath. They regard it as an audacious
with their prescriptive right
o steal the earnings of the people under
he guise of law. We read the other day
hat an impecunious carpet-baggel who
anne to Mississippi and failed to get into
he Plumber Ring, unable to endure the
bought that he had been cheated out of
lis dues, shook the the dust from his
eet, and fastened away TO St. Louis
nd hung himself. The people would
experience relief if some other members
f the gang under similar feeling of
would follow the exam
lie.
of MOngreI Officials.