The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-11

7. LANES BARBoUn, OF ulpeper county

House bill imposing tai ess on Ietl' = Y
sonat property came ups BE
sE THE rAx-BILL.s
IS Mr.. JAMES BARBOUR, Of Culpepef county,
chairman Of the Finance COMMITTEE and
the patron Of the bill, spoke 1orstMo. NouTs.
He answered the obi ectlons urged Against
the bill, and argued that By SLOWING the
State to control her revenues, ana pnttinS
all creditors on an equal footing, it VIII save
the State from the Reputation that mas peen
going on for wears. and will guarantee TO
fhe nnblic free schools al of the revenues
they are constitutionally entitled to.
Mr.. CARTER Of Northampton moved to
strike out 30 cents in the preamble ana :ln-
sert 60. Rejected. =
The bill was ordered to engrossmenl IN IN
the form folIowing-on recorded vote
ayes, II; noes, 40:
ID Bill Imposing Taxes on .RedtG ana PERSONAL
Propertu 10 meet the necessary expenses
of the Government, for public free school
purposes, for general school pagpo seS.
and to pau the interest on the public debt:
Whereas the condition OF the people OF
this Commonwealth is such as TO render an
increase Of the rate Of taxation upon prop
erty impracticable, and the General Assem-
bly, Of Virginia conceding that ITS power 70
tax the property or person OF tn re, citlz q,
must at all times be confined Witnlna the
reasonable limits prescribed by what, IN Tue
Judgment OF the General Assembly, Is the
ability of a citizen TO pay without ruinous
damage to his property ana business,
hereby declares that the present rate OF
taxation-to wit: Fifty cents on every SlO0
of the assessed value OF property is the ut
most limit to which the General Assembly
should proceed in leVying taxes; ana
whereas the revenues OF the Common
wealth, with the present rate OF taxation
(which is the highest that should De.
imposed). will not enable the Com
monweaith to maintain its govern
mental organization by paying the ne
cessary expenses incident thereto under
the most rigid system OF economy; and TO
discharge its constitutional Obligation 10
The system OF free schools, ordained by the
fundamental law Of this Commonwealth,
and to pay the present rate OF interest on
the amount claimed as the principal OF the
public debt; and, whereas, the preservation
of the State government IS absolutely neces-
sary, not only for the protection Of the per-
son and property OF the citizen OF the com
monweath, but for the preservation OF the
rights, and promotion of the interest OF
the creditor of the Commonwealth; there
fore, ;,
/. Be 1t enacted by the General Assembly,
That on all tracts and lots Of land, and the
improvements thereon, not exempt from
taxation, and on all personal property and
chooses in action, and on all toll-bridges and
ferries, there shall be tax-tirst, Of TWEEN
tv-tive cents on every one hundred dollars
OF the assessed value thereof, which snail
be paid and collected only in lawful
money of the United States for the
exclusive purpose Of deiraying the ne
cessary expenses Of maintaining the
government of this Commonwealth, as
the said disbursement may be directed
by proper appropriation-acts OF the General
Assembly; second, Of ten cents on every
500 of the assessed value thereof for public
free-school purposes, which shall be pald
aid collected only in lawful money OF the
United States, and shall be paid into the
treasury to the credit Of the public free
school fund, and shall be used for no other
purpose whatever; third, OF fifteen cents on
every 500 of the assessed value thereof to
pay the interest on the public debt.
2. 1t shall be the duty Of the Auditor OF
Public Accounts to have prepared as soon
as practicable the necessary books for the
cient and appropriate columns for deSigna-
ting and setting apart the several taxes
hereby levied for the objects and purposes
| herein recited.
3. 1t shall be the duty OF the treasurers
OF other collecting officers OF The counties,
cities, and corporations OF tue Common
wealth, as soon as the commissioners OF the
revenue shall deliver their books Of assess
ment, to have made out taX-bilS, in which
shall be specified the amount Of tax levied
for each ofthe purposes above named, and
shall keep the same separate and distinct
| from each other upon the books OF their
Offices. The said treasurerS or other collect
ing officers shall, as soon rs said books are de-
liyered to them and the Said taX-bills made
out, proceed to collect the same as now re-
CURED by law, and pay into the treasury the
amounts so collected by them; which
amounts shall be placed to the credit OF ac-
counts which shall be kept by the treasurer
and denominated: first, the account
OF money paid in and disbulsed for
the purpose OF defraying the expense OF
| maintaining the government OF the Com
monwealth; second, the account OF money
paid in and disbursed for public frec-school
purposes third, the account OF money paid
in and disbursed for paying the interest on
the public debt; and the funds so credited to
these several accounts shall be dSbursed for
LUc SGNSIdl l)OSeS lOl luC cuiu
accounts in such manner as may be pre-
scribed by law.
1. The collectors of the public revenue
shall in every respect conform to the re-
qurements Of section 3 OF this act in col
lecting and RENTING said revenue, and
upon a failure thereof shall be proceeded
against in the same mode as is directed
against the treasurcrs or other collecting
officers OF the counties or corporations by
existing laws.
). This act shall be in force from its pas
sage.
The bill, having been engrosSed in anti
cipaton of this result, was, on motion OF
MIR. MoFFETT read a third time, two thirds
OF the members agreeing. 1t was then
passed by the following vote:
AYES.
Akcrs ". Il. Goode, Fl. NJ. L.. Popham, T. G..
Atkinson, 4. G.. Grigs6y, A. ). RoDlnson. T. e
Rarbour j. Hamilton. r, Robinson. j. ii.
Bernard. Ct. S. Harrison, III. II. Shannon, c. j.
Bland Il. +. Harrison, X. \. Shllmate, w. BIG.
Burnham, w. T. Harrie, L. Z. smith, f. II.
Carter,J Il. Henson, s. L. Smith, j. II,
Chase, j. Z. James, K. D. Southwark, j. W.
Coleman j. l.. James, Vt. Spessard, NJ z.
Crank, r. G. Johnston, j. d. Stevens, q. s.
Curlett, I. :. Kelly, d. -. SYKES, w. g.
Dance, W.J. Keyser. II. N. Taylor, \. j.
Davidson, j. A. Kyle, W. Taylor W.
Dickerson a. Lacy, b. w, Van Lear, D. \.
DickensoI,W. j. Lady, j. 3. Walker
Dyer, B. +. Lee. A. u. WALSH, =. NJ,