Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-13
wEDNEsDAY......MAY Is, 1885.
Buy,np a Suit.


co. are very hard upon Virginia. il
their latest circular, so we are told
Nevertheless. they offer to serve any
person who wishes to pay his taxes in
coupons---espccially corporations. We
suspect that our Baltimore friends are
not familiar with oil the legislation oil
Virginia on this subject. Let us look
into the matter.
On the 18th Of March, 1884, the
Governor approved an act of the Gen
ersl Assembly, in which IT is provided
that in oil proceedings in any court Of
The Commonwealth under the act APP
proyed January IA, 1882, entitled 8" An
act to prevent frauds on the Common
wealth." &c. tCoupon-Killer No. II, il
shall be the duty Of the attorney for the
Commonwealth to defend the suits, and
II case be decided against the Com
monwealth Il shall be his duty to APP
peal to the court above and such APP
peal shall be . matter OF right. In
such cases as can be taken only to- the
Circuit Court, the cases will end there
In. In such cases as can be taken to
the Court Of Appeals, the State requires
the Commonwealth attorney to appeal
to this court.
In all cases arising under said acts
in the lower Federal courts the Attor-
new General Of Virginia is required to
appear for the Commonwealth. and il
the judgment be against the Common
wealth or the collectors Of taxes, to APP
peal to the Supreme Court Of the United
States.
Any Commonwealth attorney fail
ing to carry out the provisions of this
law ia TO be fined not less than fifty nor
more than one hundred dollars.
In word, the man who buys cou-
pons whsrewith to pay his taxes buys a
suit.
Another law Of Virginia seems to
have escaped the attention Of Messrs.
JoHNA. HAMILTON & Co. We mean
the "act to regulate the granting Of
licenses for the exercise Of any privi-
lege." That act requires all such
licenses to be paid for in money. No
application for license can even be con-
sidered unless made in writing and
accompanied by the money. The law
IL 80 worded as to accomplish the OBJ
ject for which it was passed. off it
shall appear that all the provisions OF
this act shall have been complied with,
then the court or person having au-
thority to grant or issue such license
may hear the application, and if in due
form may grant such license"
Any person, firm, association, joint
stock company, or corporation, which
may obtain license in violation Of the
provisions Of this law, and attempt to
do business under it, shall be deemed
to have violated the law, and shall be
liable to oil the forfeitures, pains, and
penalties for such violation, and in the
same manner as il no such license hsd
been obtained, and in addition shall bt
fined not less than fifty nor more thar
five hundred dollars. Any State Off
Ger violating this law shall pay like
fine.
What corporation will run the risk o
forfsiting its charter, besides having t.
prove to be genuine the coupons i
offers in payment Of its taxes?
How many taxpayers will attemp
to prove to be genuine, coupons whicl
no mortal man can conscientiously swea
to be genuine unless attached to genuin
bondss How many persons take
amount to 9 sum sufficient to justif,
diem in buying suit and employing
a1awyer FIRST in the County or Corpo
ration Court, and then in the Circui
Court, in order to save the difference
between the face value and the sellin
psics Of coupons
The Virginia license law will brin
about nine hundred thousand dollars i
nonsy into the treasury. The othe
tax-payers viii almost all, we trust
ehoose to pay in money rather than i
coupons.
What Is to the collecting officers
Tbs Supreme Court Of the United State
has told them in plain terms that it Ia
70 pcvsrto compel them to accept cou
pans IN payment Of taxes. Let Their
I'll, without exception, refuse, therefore
- tsse them. The voters Of Virgin
must beas IN mind the fact We hay
just stated--namely, that the Suprem
Court itsslf admits that il has no powe
y compel any officer in virgiui