The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-09-14
REAssEssMENT OF LANDS.

otact E&tasuIee VI III iedu0e esua au '"hcaeo
| to you.
REAssEssMENT OF LANDS.
| The most important Of all measures to the
people Of Augusta, likely to be brought to the
consideration Of the General Assembly at its
next session, will be a bill providing for the
equalization Of the assessments Of Real estate
throughout the Commonwealth The State
Constitution provides in article < sec 1st
that Taxation, whether imposed by the
State, county, or Corporate bodies, shall be
equal and uniform, and all property both re-
al and personal shall be taxed in proportion to
its value, to be ascertained as prescribed by
law. No one species OF property from which
tax may be collected, shall be taxed higher
than any other species of property CT equal
value and further in sec. Of the same ar
t.cle, it provides that, 1.-THE General Assem-
bly, shall provide for the reassessment Of the
real estate Of this State.in the year 1869, or
rs soon thereafter as practicable, aud every
fifth year thereafter, provided in making
such assessment, no lands shall be assessed
above or below Its true value" and yet we
fad the @rossost inequality IN the assessments
Of real estate, 1t only in u ssten and South
western Virginia, but also in the Valley.
The object to be attained is uniform
scssmcne in proportion to actual value. II the
assessment be uniform, it matters not to the
State or owners whether it be high or low, for
given amount Of revenue must 1T all events be
produced but in case Of inequality, those
whose lands are assessed at hi5h figures, are
required 70 pay more than. their fair proper
ton, and this rule holds good with regard to
communities, the same as individuals. For
example, the lauds Of the county Of Augusta
are assessed at o9e million, four hnndrcd and
titirty-Sovcn holis;,ni ilile hundred and six dol
lars, 23ctS g. 4:3;T5 sos % above the assess
meut Of the saue auds in l8J5-while the
lands of the county Of Rockingham, are six
hundred aud twenty fur thousand one hun
lrcd Al ! sixfy oue do!?ars aaa 81 cents less
tl!sH the assessment OF the same iaads 10 ooo-
inaAiHg ditIsrence against Augusta. taking
the assessment of 1856 as a standard. OF over
two million and fifty thousand dollars. A
still greater disparity exists between Augusta
and several other Valley counties with lands
gu;tc rs good as hers The best remedy for
this evil, is universal equalization OF values
t'.roag !!out the State. If that fails, the next
best remedy Will be to obtain the passage
Of Il bill authorizing the reasscssinent OF lands
III he county oil Augusta. In hat reasaess-
NEXT yoar lands mast, at any rate, be brought
as much bclow the assessment OF 1855, as the
lands oi I ,csaghaiit, which are quite equal to
yours. Whcn SO reduead you will be relieved
Of two millions ana sixty thousand dollars Of
taxabla values, upon which youare now paying
according to tile present assessment, ten thou,
sand three hundred dolars, ($l0333 00)
The counties that have been assessed ut low
rates are going to G5bt against this relief
in your behalf, for it is gheir interest to do 50,
/ and it will require all of the influence that
+! you can bring to bear, to attain either of the
remedies indicated | think there alc iuau
ences in tho State that will uphold my hands.
and unite with me in relieving you OF this
palpa5le Injustice
REpU3LICANISI.
I deem it necessary in conclusion to take
notice Of certain reports that have already
been i.at out in the Comfy against me
70 wit: That / #m "A syn pathizer with
the Republican party, a D4!nasogue, and
Disorganizer TO all of which reports [ de-
sire to give fat and unequivocal denial. do
not claim that am either an extremist or a fire
eater, and frankly admit that members Of the
Republican party in the Legislature Of Vir-
GINA and in the County Of Augusta, have
aided me in the accomplishment of ends OF
advantage to the people Of Augu ia, pure
ly loeal-zaud in no wise POLITICAL which
services I have always appreciated and ca
deayored to return in like spirit. But there is
no member Of the Republican party either in
,, the County Of Augusta or the State Of Vir-
GINA; but will be compelled to say, that
my position on politics has always been
Of an uncqusocal and decided adhesion
to the Conservative party OF Virginia. Ii
what I have heard be true, do not think
that certain prominent men living IN the
town of Stanton, who are bending all their
efforts to procure my defeat, can obtain the
same testimony at the hands OF members OF
the Republicans party When the Hepabl-
can party was in the ascendant in Va, these
individuals am told made such overtures and
representations to members OF the Repubil-
can party. as to induce them to believe that
they were going over to them peck and heels.
The fact of their not being voters at lifetime
enabled them to straddIe the fence-wait
until the battle was fought end then fall On
the Winning side. Victory perched upon the
banners Of the Conservative party and they
at once sung Hosannahs to its brilliant tri-
umphs, aud are now oud-mouthe1 in de-
nouncirg and undeavorng to cast suspicion
upon those who are not only now true, but
were true at the time they were ready to de-
sert. From this source or from some of
their satellites emauates this charge.
DEMAGOQTsN.
As to this charge call upon you to say
whether | have On any occasion epdeaVored
to use the articles and appliances of the DEM
agoguc in procuring your support. am sure
impartial members of the Legislature will
testify that whatever influence had in II at
body, was not attained by either trickery or
wire-pulliag, bat solely by a bold, frank and
honest advocacy Of what thought Was right,
independent Of the wishes OF selfish individu
ais aud cliques-ana a fearless dcnunciation
Of what conceived to be wrong
CoNvENTIoN,
As to the charge that am dlsorganizer and
opposed to the Convention, have only to say
that if the people of Augusta desire Goa
vention ana nlicate thai desire b. turning
out in respaetao, nan 5esi, at their towl-
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