Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-11-02
Governor Browns Mes

49, . ~
On Mol day Gov. Brown sui
mitted his message to the GeEer-
al Assembly. l, reviews the con.
ditisn Of the State In an able man.
ner, and Offers some very impUr-
tant suggestions. In abiding to
the debt of the State, the message
Gays:
After exhausiing all other sour
ces, the balance of bonded debt.
including interest to the 1st Of
January, 1872, is about SIG, 493,.
1886.
OF this, sl5, 900, 900 90 is prin-
cipal, and S4,495,l73 sc is &C,
crued interest.
The interest Of this debt must
be paid altogether out of the reye-
nues OF the State.
With floating debt of 81, 500,
All u, b, sides the current ex-
penses oil the Government (say
six hundred thousand dollars per
annun) we cannot reduce the
payment Of interests until the
floating debt is wholly absorbed,
and, OF course, the current expen-
ses must be paid as they accrue.
The laudable desire of the peo-
pie for retrenchment 10 the pub
Ii. expenditure, and consequent
diminution OF the rate of taxation,
ought not TO be construed into a
desire to evade the provision nee
essary for ali economical admins
tration of the Government, or the
payment of the obligations OF the
State. The immense loss of prop.
erty sustained during the last ten
gears, and the unsuccessful efforts
in agriculture for the past two
years, make it most desirable that
the burthens of taxation, if posi-,
BILE, be alleviated.
But the people are determined
to preserve the honor Of the Stale,
by meeting fairly all her obliga.
tons, and paying all her necessa.
ry expenses. This is their first
desire, and secondary and subor'
dinate to this is their wish to re-
dice the rate Of taxation.
This question was fully discuss
ed throughout the State, in the
canvass which resulted in ouI
election, and the declaration that
the whole debt must be paid, met
with the unqualified Endorsement
OF the people.
And it is now submitted to your
wisdom and patriotism, as we'll a.
10 your just sense of State pride
whether the present aggregate of
revenue can be diminished.
Upon the subject of taxation
the message says:
Ii has been the policy of the
State for a great many years tc
tax all suits, appeals and writs Of
error, as we'll as rresentmeuts and
Indictments i'll courts of record
and considerable annual revenue
is derived from these sources. If
this is justifiable land it has never
been seriously questioned) there
is no reason in principle, policy
or justice, why litigation before
Justices of the Peace should not
pay reasonable tax. There are
three thousand Justices of the
Peace under commission in The
State, and if they average eacl
twenty five cases in n year, the
whole number of cases is seventy
five thousand, and at an averag,
tax ofS2, would yield to the Treas
ury $3.50, 900 per annum.
Many Of the States Of the Amer
lean Union tax the execution Of
the bonds OF all trustees; and if 4
tax upon the execution of deco
can be justified, the argument
would apply with equal force Il
bonds.
There are many thousands
perhaps thirty or forty thousanC
of these bonds executed every
year, and with moderate ia,
they would yield a large sum.
The message recommends tina
section 622 Of the Code, relating t
the sale Of lands for taxes, be re
pealed, and that stringent laws b.
enacted, by which the tax OF
lands, like that on personal pro
perty, may be made available t
the Treasury of the State.
Referring to the inequality anG
want OF uniformity in assessment
.ot property, the message recon
inends there be some action takel
to remedy the evil. II says:
The practical workings of ex
listing laws, for the assessment of
taxable property, produce grea
dissatisfaction, resulting in op
preston 10 large class, becaus,
of the great inequality of assess