The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-16
4ifIlu!lu:olld nispatfll..
THURSDAY !. :. JANUARY 10. 1873.
Taxation-Assessments.


The great obligation Of the people IS 10
support their Government. That Is 'n'
highest Of all earthly obligations. IL Is no
excuse for endeavoring to avoid aiAatio''
that debts to individuals are pressing tue
!, .ax-payer. The Government Is the highest oil
1 al, claimants. and should be paid in prefer
y pnee to all others. There is no excuse that
stands good against The Government claim
save homeless poverty. The citizen holds all
he has. and his very life, by the protection
and power Of State; and his duty to that is
second only to his duty to his Creator.
An obligation Of SO exal;eda nature should
not be diminished or cvaded by any strata
gem. The Constitution requires that each
citizen shall pay tax upon his property upon
fair valuation of that property, ard any
device by which the property is undervalued
is dishonest--an evasion Of the highest obi
CATION on earth by dishonest means.
What is an honest or fair valuation OF
land! 1t Is not the estimate That might De
put upon it to-day or tomorrow, according
TO It's present cash value, or what it would
now bring in the market under the hammer,
but fair valuation for term Of ycars-thc
price it would command ut u time of we'll
established order md confidence, with per-
sons present who desired it and were ready
to buy. If the lands of The State were to be
revaiued whenever there was scare in the
money world, and when there were no per-
sons ready to buy, the State would be re-
peatedly and at short intervals reduced to
great straits. If the landed property of the
State were placed in large quantities, even in
the best times, upon the market it would fall
down, down, 10 stage so low that it would
Re next to valueless. But that is not con-
dition Of things contemplated in the Consti-
tuition and laws-not anticipated in the for
nation Of the body-politic. If it were un.
derstood that no farm should be assessed Mt
value above That which 1t would bring on
the very day the taX-collcctor visited the
owner the State would be pcrplcXed with
an uncertainty as to the means of supporting
and running the machinery Of Government
that would be fatal. The eStiDate for one
ycar with another could not be made, and
the people would be constantly In danger Of
being left without government.
We take it that the best proof Of this fact
is afforded in the adoption of stay laws by
the State. Those laws show that by forcing
property into market it is so deprecated in
value us to he ruinous to the owner. But
when tho State passes stay law it does not
couple it with provision for reassessment
OF the value Of lands. That would be to
subject itself to the very injury from which
1t would save the ciizen-viz., the depre-
citation In the value Of land Were it to do
so. as the value Of the land is the basis of
taxation, it would be without the means of
maintaining its Government unless il raised
the taxes, which in II time of great pressure
would he considered INDUSTRIOUS.
If these views be correct the rca2sessment
OF lands Inst year in this State is indetcnsibIe.
80 we may consider the indisroStion to lay
tqXcs manifested I've trust without au-
lhority} by the members Of tic Legislature.
The assessments should be based urOn fair
valuation fcr term Of years. The Great
Eastern was designed by its length 10 span
two or more " aves. and thus preserve stcadi-
ness in her notion. So should All assess
meni he made to preserve a level, and keep
the state out of The trough Of the seas. 1t is
unfortunate for the State and sign of faith
le>sucSs of her Sons when they would sub
iie"t her to the injury of revulsonS and tenn
rornry depressioHs by diminishing her re-
sources, and leaving her TO be dishonored
by robhing her of the means to maintain her
credit.
The reAsscssmcnt of lands at the present
time, therefore, we regard rs iii act of
ialthlessness TO the State. If We could look
upon it as Nh net wholly controlled by pecu.
mary considerations we should feel less con-
ccrBed about it; but is there not something
deeper in the matter! We know that
party is DESTROYS Of controlling this State
through demagogism, but the people would
be proof against their arts were they devoted
to their State with that lofty patriotism
which should animate every citizen. Is
there not waning of patriotism growing
out of The feeblcness of the State in its con-
flict with the Federal Government? Let
Vir9saians answer. a
We have feared that the venerable Virginia
was thrown in the shade by the Federal Gov
eminent seated upon her borders--that, not
being able to enforce her own laws in oppc-
sition to the will Of the Government ut Wash
ington, her sons Ind lost faith in her and re.
spect for her, and cared less than formerly
about the maintenance Of her credit and her
honor. Let Ftrginians ansuer. AS their
faith can only be proved by their acts, there
is reason to doubt their fealty. 1t remains
to be seen how far these fears are well
founded.
There is no way to maintain State save
through the devotion of her people. Is Vlr-
glnia to fall by the faitheSsnesS of her sons !?
d. -
Interest and Money.
Yesterdays Wing put its foot in it BY
irux inc f1,clr x,c to