The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-21
-, church Property.

rx on Church Property.
..la.a~>of ne Dispatch;
! '., ~ ,,,rnrs hav" been opened TO
~, I'M, subject. allow me TO ouer
aHs"N,., u.,,,ch are very different from
- t.t least one OF YOUR col'e>pou"en,sS. ~,
~" 4" 4 H4riis'," who argues tnat oe'
iI''..~,u..1n is protected by ia", q.
,,-.,r,y ,'.'.. ,5ond hc trrcd for the support ..
iI,,,-,,o ut. ! respectfully suo'mt 'ha'
,,.. f.. nat ong a non S'Qntnr, nut tna' II d
-. .r NJ = serious character. II coiIeEes,
..,..o q.ylnns. and other ChaFlIaoic a"''
rnreni institutions are exempt from IAN
i.. ,..,,-,,,.c t,,ev are supposed 10 contribute
-. '...l.Ii.~ sense 10 the welfare oi the en-
d. ,r,~o,,ri,v. in a much higher sense
3, Ill I.,,,.,.S dedicated solely 10 The Wor-
- - l,nd be exempt. Nor is this a
l'.t .,.. G...,,t: hut Is the settled couylc-
."., ~, many T, ,heciing minds, and as such
,,f..j 10 the mo-. serious consideration.
......., rnot tax on such houses OF Wor-
....,.n,, only. in the language Of Bishop
L5I.,r. "a premium on iuddcllty,' but is
Fl ,... =, tax on religion lt>eI, ana "ouiu
l.,...,,,. a, 81 odiOuS Discrimination against
49,. a..g,,, and best interests ot society.
Tr. CHRISTIAN people OF Virginia, OF all
9.,.rosr,,ipr-, who havc built these houses
~, ,rn-,e.n Nqve been accustomed TO look al
49,. pfri ni Rights and our acts OF Religious
r.,..Io,p no, 50 much as granting protection
q, ,r,t.rr,ng riqhts--tbe right 10 worship
I.J ac,oyjIur to the dictates Of our con-
.,.,gcr> cirryiug with it the right 10 puma
j,a,,,,. in which Almighty God is TO be wor-
.,fropd, He being the Common Protector
cf hn,h ghurcn and State. To tax them
=. o,IinqrY property is taxed may therefore
r.. ,D.,Iy regarded rs an assumption of legiS-
l,.iyr bower in conflict with the principles
n rr,,rous freedom. Men will cheerfully
fax THEMSELVES, snd even incur pecunlary
sacrifice when the eX'gencicS OF public de-
fence ,ee,n 10 require 1t, OF which we may
,Gr..g u1igi.!e u>ance in the alicrity with
winch large uumher OF churcE.hells were
niyrn no durln" the late war TO make cannon
for the Southern Conftderacy. But If it bad
lrrp uroposcd in the Confederate Congress
H. thy those same churches for the support OF
gyycrumcnt The noble reply Of Charles
ellsworth PinCkney 10 the French Gov
eruGcut when the payment OF 4 sum OF
money vas demanded as the condition OF
ad rom France would have come up
ali over the South: "MillOus for defence,
tul not cent for t'Ibute.' Aud so John
Hnnpicn won an immortal name by resist
luz thr payment OF twenty shlllngs tax inn
pJ,lG bY the arbitrary act OF the hinS-ln
>,rakIn. OF which, two hundred years alter
ward. Edmuud Burke said if it had been
ont sailing the resistance would have been
{ ,Qgi'y JUS fable, since it would bave equally
ylo.y,c1 Inc great principle Of rtghtfor which
Iimpdrn was COnleudng.
~, Iot us look al this question in prac-
tici. point Of veiw: Are these houses Of wor-
tmp p@l.rty in any such legal sense that
tAry arc liable 10 taxation! | submit that
they are not. The law requires that
all Jrgrr'g shall be assessed for tax
atiou Al It's cash ualue and as 10 real
estate. that so much shall be added
for lmypUsment$ on each town lot OF
pare ot iund ns the lot or parcel Of land is
ruasucvd in value by such improvements.
In cites and towns the annual rental value
Of each house and lot is generally taken as
The bi,i, OF the cash value OF the property.
But how Is the rental value or the cash value
ol house Of worship TO be arrived at:
submit hat It has neither; and therefore any
assessment made upon the property would
ic p9r'ly arbitrary and ii 'ogcther uncertain.
Nu!c than this, would Hot the collection Of
The tax he difficult, il not impracticabla, in
many Cases: VINO Is 10 pay il1 Are the
trustees. 10 whom the legal title has been
conveyed: Their sole luDction is to hold
)He legal title for the use and benefit
Q! each particular congregation as a
mouse o! worship. These trustees have no
l"hu out ol Which the tax can be paid. The
congregation derives no income or revenue
non The property and many OF them are
unfortunately poor and burdCned with
church dcblS-oiten contracted in building
these hOuses Of worship-msny of them find
Il H''hcult 10 pay their pastors anything but
lne lh'>t scanty salary, aud TO put on them
tpr additional burden OF a tax on their
houses OF worship would be oppressive, If
not utjust.
hut II seems to me that The proposition TO
''A eluich pro- crty-if property it can be
|'!rd-coln"s at time and in O form that
''Fo'iS II specially Objectionable, and even
C"'"us' IL IS one OF the Two new subjects Of
'"N""o' suggested as proper to pay the inter-
-. W lhv fuOiic Debt OF Virginia. And what
: INC older: WhI>kcy Does not the juxta.
!'>'io" oi '"o things so opposite in their
>"~' aver SIf'Nc You as most strange and uu-
''A'! one, tie greatest curse OF ciyiliZi-
t'o"' "uieh is every day li!liny our iails and
'"'''s'' asEiGHS II an untold cost to the
,&, ''' o'Drr F'prc>cntiDg the greatest OF
.~t.,..,N =. our fallen humanity! II new
,,,, w.. VI 'oGilon must be touJd, are there
"''"S 'hat could he named that would
-" 'A' ">' Objectionable and more proper on
s! account: What OF the Q0qs ? Are
,"''>"H"> 0i tncsr worthless. and lar worse
y" ""li ihIe>s, animsls 10 be eyempt from
r.-l are We never 10 have Legisla.
~ WIN nf!hness enough 10 face this
r,,,,,%, 'I" oI t"Hin@ cur.dogs fairly and
ag,rn., II The senseleSS outcry
Our Ia.s., 10 continue to scare
ttgry ,,''"I0'S :, from performing so obvious a
,J,tr. ~ 'ur public Ten thousand tax
ar:.,' 80 ''~'r been lryiEg for wears mast 10
q, nj, .D', DI' lawmakers TO the importance
aud gidin", Iaethod OF protecting their sheep
time H. ~ pay The public debt at the same
to...'i.-. 3' lna '0hiskes do very we'll to 90
ana .,.',, "ut ia tic nslne OF all that is lust
( ON ,,,.', ,'' Tue churches be spared OF only
a,,,r,s,.'1o 1"or, but even from the reL7otest
A,tt1' WIN these yilcst of nuisa noes.
would ,n A'ru OF being thought siDgua ar, I
that o,a1, n'"t!oh as subject Of taxa ion
lu3, ol 10 pay far more than IL do es,
Ire s.S s'S|''9H Insurance companies, boz
thing. r,, "'e' la my opinion, iesr
Sra,e h, nave S, doue more to imDoverish The
) sr,yec.,,, ,4,'a'nIng it OF millions without ans
tc u.,d, ~ o'h"nt 10 return, aud they should |
lAe s,lT,n', ~ pay more than they now do for
le,i orlort Of Government. We hear a sreat
hey NV n'ut Tue "ttoated toadholders.n but
,aIaJ I'e ,.!. poor and insignificant when com.
Geir w1,hL .aese corporations. that count |
ii agents ~ " millions and sustain an army
but th,, nn. over The land. am not sure
uuch ho.u t nome companies would bear q |
gsu,usno"a TAX than they now pay. But
lase eeo ta. TINS communication to depre-
nh,s,A