The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-15
The New and Approved Method 30 Di-
Iniuish Faxes.


minish faxes.
To the Editors Of The Dispatch:
The General Assembly in their extremity
in consequence of inability to pay the interest
on the public debt have adopted a new
method Of avoiding an increase OF taxation
which deserves consideration. Ii is simple
and certain, avoids responsibility, and by the
application Of force compels the people to
raise, not the taxes. but the funds desired.
Now for the modus operdndt.
The county court system IS the patient
laid out on the table for dissection. The
eased part of the body. The remedy is to
take away the jurisdiction of these courts to
a very large extent and place the judges upon
that these Judges "shal be learned in the
law OF the State" which is construed to sig
Nifty =" the law" which aSccrtains their pay.
in "the law" will be satisfied with four
dollars per day for all duties to be per-
formed in court, and throw in all duties
to be performed out of court gratis.
This will, on an average, produce the learn.
ed lawyer two hundred or two hundred
and fifty dollars per year. Ii you can't
get learned lawyer to take the office,
then take one that is not learned; and there
are degrees among the uulearned-thoseW who
can read and write, and those who cannot,
Among those who cannot there may be found
some who would be glad to take the office at
two dollars per day-perhaps some coorcd
gentleman would be pleased with it at a dollar
per day. 1t is of no consequence to the PEG.
pie what sort Of decisions are made relative
to their property, character, &c. You want
cheap justice. The remedy is, however; let
the supervisors of each county levy the sum
necessary to pay the judges. LcVying is not
taxing. The people have to pay the levy.
Is the amount Of tax levied by the State di-
lninished by this process? IStheamount levied
by the county increased? Ah l.but the people
Of each county ought to pay for the luxury
of having their county business attended to.
The man who lives in Hcnrco sues for debts
due him in Chesterfield. The Richmond
merchant sues for debts contracted in half
the counties in the State. The man in Ches-
terrified perchance may be guilty of INSIDE
meanor in Henrico. He is to be tried by the
judge in Henrico. The people of Henrico
oughtto be punished for the misdemeanor
committed upon them, and made to pay all
expenses. The Commonwealth is the in
jured party. Its laws are violated. Let the
supervisors levy OH the people OF Henrico.
Having accomplished this feat, what next.
The business belongs altogether to Henrico.
The circuit court system Is the patient on
the table, The Treasury is oppressed with
the amount necessary to pay their judges.
The additional duties imposed on them will
require men, doubly learned in 1.-THE law y :;
and double-shotted lawyers require double
charges Of powder. The Treasury must be
relieved. Increase the salaries ofthe double.
shotted lawyers and require the supervisors
OF the counties TO levy the amount. The
Treasury Is relieved, and the people are not
taXed-they are only levied on.
The Legislative expenses are rather double
shotted, too. Just require the Auditor 10
estimate the amount each county ought to
pay as its share Of the legislative eXpendi-
lures, estimated by population, and require
the supervisors to levy that amount. The
people are infinitely relieved, aud the money
being left in the Treasury will pay the ill.,
terest OH the public debt, and the Legislature
have no necessity for increasing the taxes
single cent. The people only have to pay
leVya 7.tgl t-als. -zyHfy3 80 "a s.f
We predict, if this system is not nipped in
the bud. it will be the source of more aggra-
vation of taxation than all the other species
of legislation besides. These are only few
hints. The theme IS q rich one, TO be de-
yeloped .by the curious and inquiring. This
Is the new way not to raise taXes-the new
way to cut the purses of the people.