Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-06

0aLA EAh4A u4NAeAEA VI AnE Gt1lC anu OuE
from the State at large, to be appointed by
the Speaker, 10 consider the bill callil g a
Constitutional Convention. The rules
were suspended and the resolution adopted.
By Mr.. COOper-ProTiding for the APP
pOintment Of a committee Of five to pre-
pare and report a bill extending the time
in which to collect taxes to the 10Th OF
November, 1876, and providing that until
then no tax collector is to distrsin or sell
any property, real or persona, of
any citizen, but allowing any per
eentum in the way Of penalty for
not paying as now provided by law to
stand, unless BY other statute such penalty
be repealed; said committee to consider
also whet, if any,, effect such a law would
have towards ~diseharging the sureties of
tax collectors, and il, to avoid such dis
charge, the same be necessary, to incofpO-
rate in said bill a section providing for the
appearance Of such sureties before the
County Court, and that they r~eaeknOwledge
their liability as sureties, and in default of
so doing to enter into a new bond. The
resolution was laid over.
By Mr.. Misunderstanding the Comp
trOller and Secretary of State, to inform
the General Assembly of the facts relative
10 the duplicate bonds, Nos. 4472 to 4491
of the white b series, referred to in the
message Of Gov. Brown, as they appear on
record in their offices, and to give any ex-
PLANTATION they may possess in regard to
them. Laid over,
RATE OF TAXATION.
The special order being the consideration
of the resolution introduced Jan. Is, by
Mr.. Head, the resolution was read, as
follows:
Whereas, the people Of Tennessee have,
for a number Of years, been taxed far
State, county, municipal and other pur-
poses, at a rate almost beyond their ability
to pay; and
Whereas, owing to the prevalence Of the
drought during the past year, crops of all
kinds we're almost an entire failure through
out the State, as a consequence of which,
money is difficult to be obtained, and our
people are in an impoverished condition;
and,
Whereas, their taxes, at all times OBJ
pressive and grieYous to be borne, are made
doubly so under the peculiar circumstances
by which they are now surrounded; and,
Whereas, it is manifest that unless some
thing is done for their relief, bankruptcy
and ruin, irretrievable, will be the portion
Of many Of our best citizens; and,
Whereas, it is the duty of this Assem-
bly, to contribute every means in its power
to tighten the burdens Of the peope with
out material detriment TO the interests OF
the State; therefore, be it
Resolved, that, in the opinion Of this
General Assembly, the rate Of State taxa
ton for the ensuing two years should not
exceed the sum Of twenty-five cents on the
n hundred dollars worth Of property.
Resolved further, that the rate Of county
taxation in the variOns counties of this
State, should nOt exceed that fixed in these
resolutions for the State.
Mr.. Cole moved to amend the second
section of the resolution by adding sunless
it shall appear that the necessary expenses
and credit of the State demand a higher
rate Of taxation; provided that there shall
be no increase Of taxation.
Mr.. Head moved that all amendments
and resolutions in lieu, and all motions Of
fered TO affect. the original resolution, be
discussed without 4 vote being taken by
the House on each proposition.
Mr. East said, that as this was a very i'm
poTtant resolution, he hoped that it would
not be passed upon hurriedly, so that the
friends and opponents Of the measure could
have an opportunity to discuss it. He re-
gaTded It as the most important measure
that would be brought before the House,
and it deserved the profOundest cOnsidera-
ton, as it involved the credit Of the State
and future action in regard to the public
debt. Il would be looked to by the coun-
try with a great deal Of interest.
Mr.. Cole desired that his amendment
should be adopted. It did not include any
special rate of taxation, but simply pro
posed to give the House the widest scope
accorded to their enlightened judgment.
Mr.. Gibson moved to lay the motion Of
Mr.. Head on the table. Rejected.
Mr.. Heads motion was then ruled ost Of
order, as II was not in strict compliance
with the rules Of the House.
hr. Mcmillan moved to postpone the
further consideration of the resolution un-
til Friday, Feb. 20, at IL A. N. He thought
that they ought to advance furtheriut leg
islatiOn in order TO ascertain the amount
necessary 10 carry on the State government.
Until measures Of reform and retrench-
ment had been passed upon, they should
not adopt such a resolution.
AANotAFNAf A0ANLCAF tAl1t JIG AGAC VI GUILTY.
Mr.. Anderson thought the resolution
was premature. They were sent there to
look carefully to the interests Of the State
and to use the pruning knife in cutting off
surplus branches and twigs from the top Of
the tree to the bottom, curtailing expenses
wherever necessary. 1t would not be lust to
reduce the rate of taxation below what
would actually be necessary to carry onthe
State Government until it could be ascer-
tanned what expenditures would have to
be made.
Mr.. NOblitt opposed any further post
pOnement Of the resolution. Now was
the time to fire a few shots in this direc-
ton, without waiting any longer for the
opposition TO prepare themselves.
Mr.. Head said that by fixing the rate Of
taxation now they could ascertain the
amount Oftazable property and the amount
of expenses Of the State government, and
then, when any proposition was submitted
to appropriate money, they could very read
lily ascertain the amount in the Treasury
and would know the extent Of their ability
to pay it.. He hoped the matter would be
at once.
The motion to postpone until a day Ger
tain prevailed by a vote Of - ayes to %
Mr.. Cummins moved TO reconsider the
He said that by the action Just taken
would have to rush along without any
mark whatever. They would 90
on making appropriations without knowing |
what their resources derived from taxation
would be. He insisted that the postpone
ment Of this question to the last hour was
and essentially wrong.
Mr.. Cole believed that, at the present
Of the session, it was impossible to
tell how much Of the burdens resting on
the people would be relieved by a proper
course Of legislation in the direction of re-
Jrenchment and reform. The discussion
Of such resolutions would amount to moth
now, as the main question would come
up on the revenue bill.
Mr.. East favored the motion to reconsIi-
pr. IL was evident to his mind tia, this
vas going to be the talking measure Offhe
House, and he would, therefore, like to
it come in broken doses, or at inter-
7aiS. The man who was for a twenty-five
,ents tax was not caring what the ex-
lenses were. He knew and they knew
hat forty cents would pay only a portion
# the ordinary expenses, no matter what
lind Of a knife with which they walked
the expenses Of the State. If
here were to be as many d%elinquents as
heretofore, they would have to make the
ate Of taxation even larger than forty
ents.
Nj. Gibson hoped they would take hold
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