The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-05-09
SAVING MILLIONS
5he Southern States and tEIe Govern
mcnt Assessment for Garry Ing
on the Late Civil War.

Especial Dispatch to the Courier-Journal
A decision made by the Treasury De
rartment in favor of the State of Georgia.
W. O. TuggIe. agent. virtually releases
the Southern States from very heavy OBJ
LEGATIONS to the Government. 1t will be
remembered that, at the beginning OF the
war. the General Government LEVEL an
assessment Of $40 COO, 600 upon the Safes
for the purpose of conducting the war
The seeded States were regularly charG-
ed with thoir proportion, which. IN the
case of Georgia, amounted to S0olOOO.
aud about the same for Kentucky, Ten
nessee. Virginia. etc. Six per cent IN
terest was charged to this amount for
each year from this assessment. After
the war special agents were sent into the
various States 90 collect it. These agents
| took the ax-b0oks and proceeded directly
against the tax payers. In Georgia ssh
/ 500 was collected in one year. Ia South
/ Carolina the whole amount due was col
( lected, enough lan1s being sold to have
/ paid four times the amount. The Airing
/ ton estate was sold under the operation
! of this levy. The tax payers OF every
( southern State Except, for some uneX-
/ planned reason, Alabama have heen fore
/ ed to pay something on this claim. About
J ten years ago the collection of the tax was
J
been revived But the Government has
been holding the State governments liable
{ for the amount. Texas tried TO settle her
/ Indebtedness by assuming il for the dis
! count that had been given the Northern
/ States, but her plan was rejected All
claims Of the States against the Govern
ment, when allowed By Congress, have
been credited against this Indebtedness,
and sixteen southern States claims or
appropriations, amounting to nearly 81
0,000, are now being held up under this
claim. Col. Tuggle, as special agent OF
I Georgia, secured an appropriation a short
time since for So 600 dollars due to Geor-
gia on the old Greek war account. The
| Secretary of the Treasury ordered this
amount credited on Georgia indebted =
ness of S5S4 600, with interest for eight
| cen years, or over 81 600 600. Col. Tug
| gle thereupon prepared argument on
/ direct taxes, holding that a State could not
/ be assessed or taxed in its sovereign ca =
/ pacity, but that all assessments must lie
! against the individual tax payers. The
/ argument was very elaborate, and review
/ ed the history of direct taxes, making IL
! book of two hundred pages-the first
( printed compilation on the subject. I'M
der this argument, Judge Porter, Secre-
/ tary Sherman and others of the Treasury.
( reversed their ruling and paid Colonel
/ Tuggle the money which was this day de
J posted in the State Treasury. They also
/ marked of from the books the charges of
( over 100000 against Georgia. This
decision will effect nearly every Southern
! State, all of them having delayed claipa>
/ against the Government. Judge F0rter
/ says that lie will decide the case Of a
/ heavy amount due Tennessee neXe week,
( in accordance with the new ruliOg. The
papers in the Georgia case will be called
/ for in the Senate next week.