The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-08-15

in force does not authorize The transfer OF
the titles 50 forfeited to citizens who have
purchased parts of the same lands and
paid the lakes on them.
Others of such older titles or claims
have been purchased by the State for the
taxes charged Or forfeited for the failure
to have them charged, aud SO have been
vested in The State.
The State. county or township taxes for
the greater period since the formation Of
this State have been SO enormous, and
consequently unimproved lands have be-
come 50 little valuable, that the taxes for
few years have reached in amount the
value of the lands.
The Commonwealth having sold and
granted such lands to the claimants, who
paid The price demanded and have paid
the taxes, it is eninon'ly just, as we'll as
manifestly indispensable to the quiet Of
the title, that the State should transfer her
title or claim, acquired in the manner in-
dcatcd, TO these meltorous claimants.
The new Constitution, il ratified, trans
fer the title or claim Of the State to lands
sold for taxes and purchased by or other
wise forfeited to the Common wealth to the
following classes in the following order
To persons who bave had actual and
continuous possession Of The lands under
color or claim Of tile for ten years, and
have paid the State taxes on them for five
years.
f,here beno such person, then to per-
sons Other thar those for whose default
the lands were forfeited who have title or
Claim thereto, reguaraly derived under
grants from the commonwealth, which but
for the forfeited title would beavailable, and
have paid all State taxes for FIVE successive
years.
Or if there be no such person, then
to persons (olher than those for whose de-
taul, the lands we're forfeited who have
claim to and have had actual possession Of
lands, under color Of; title. for Eve success
sive years, aud have paid all State taxes
for that period.
/ Wien the owner was charged with the
| State taxes Oh the land. in order tl.t he
might pay them, the osiccgs had the ueces-
sary information to charge. and generally
did charge. The conn;y and township take,
aud enforce their payment The actual
payment OF county and township taxes
is not made ~ element in The title, be-
cause i, would be very jiticelt to prove ,bc
pymen, il the trinl Of a land suit
Besides thl different grants By the CON-
monwealh Of the lands to different per-
sons, there are many other causes of de-
fpcivc titles Sales are often made with
imperfect convyances that do not pass the
tile rs was intended, so tia, 10 law the
vcndlr retains the tide that 10 fact The
purchaser paid for and ought . have. In
ways ibuumerable titles are Defective
Iy transmitted. Generally the parties who
have attempted to confer the titles are not
charged with and do not pay tie taxes,
while the purchasers or other actual claim
ants, supposed to have the valid titles, do
pay thcn
lhe new Constitution makes i, the du-
ty Of the owner Of lands to bavd ,h, m en-
tered on toe lapd books ana cause them.
selves to be charged with the taxes aud
pay ,hcm 1t provides that when for Ave
successive years aft5r the year 1869 the
owners of tracts exceeding one thousand
acres shall not have been charged with
taxes, the land shall be forfeited and the
title vested in the State Aud it trans
fcrs this title to the classes of meri'orious
claimants before mentioned, who shall
have apparent title. valid on its face. or
possession under cslor Of title, and shall
have paid the taxes for.the time before
specified. But it reserves to iaants, in
sane persons and married women the right
after their disability ceases to redeem their
lands so forfeited
Though five successive years omission
from the land looks is necessary Dan alb
soIute forfeiture from the owners failure
to have himself charged with taxes, it is
all the time the duty Of the officers to
charge the owners with the taxes charge.
able by law on the lands, and to collect
them by the sac of personal property or
the real estate itself When the owner
has caused himself to be so charged with
the State taxes, the officer has the infor-
nation necessary, and be should have the
lands charged With all the county and
township taxes for the current year, and
with all taxes for any previous years for
which it may have been omitted 1t is
the officers duty to do likewise rs to all
tracts not exceeding one thousand acres.
But these are not forfeited merely for
omission from the books
The provisions referred to will compel
non residents aud other owners Of lands
to have their lands entered on the land
hooks and pay the taxes or forfeit or cause
the sale of the lands and vest the title in