Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-19
A STRONG APPEAL
TO VIRGINIA LEGISLATORS.

To The Editor cfthe Dispdtch'
The proposed sale Of lands for delin.
ouent taxes is producing widespread
alarm among our people. Including
farms and town lots, there are eleven
hundred returns Of delinquent real es-
tate in this county. The aggregate
amount Of the tax is $4,000. Add to
this s900 commissions 10 the treasurer
"a gentleman from New Hampshlre) Tor
collection, and moderate sum for the
making and recording Of deeds, and 1t
will be at least 100000.
Should the Legislature not interpose
TO prevent it, a fragrant and great wrong
and one which will result in far-reachlng
distress, is to be inflicted upon US. There
are patent reasons why the collection
Of this tax in this county will operate
more harshly, perhaps, than in any
other county in the State. What Is
now known as " the Black Belt was
as result OF the war. left in a condi-
ton Of general bankruptcy, aud 1t Is
conceded by those familiar with this
and contiguous counties that the IN
solvency Of the people OF Meckien-
burg was much more universal tnan
that of any other people OF
this section. 4 large number OF
farms and town lots as well were, soon
after the war, sold by assignees IN bank
ruptcy, others by commissioners under
DEGREES Of the State Court, and others
still by trustees under deeds OF trust.
As a general rule neither the assignee
the commissioner, nor the trustee gave
any thought or attention to the pay
ment Of any tax. The property was
sold, title conveyed, and the purchase
money disposed of, leaving the tax, as
q rule, unpaid. In addition to this, Tor
the past twenty years our county OIL
cials, with very few honorable excep-
tons. have been aliens and strangers
or natiye-bOrn apostates. whose sole
object has been to destroy and devour
our substance, and official sccounta-
biIity has been almost unknown.
Every thing connected with the ad-
ministration of our county affairs has
been during the period referred to, and
still is, literally " confusion worse
COMPOUNDED" and | respectfully sub
NIT that people who have so suffered,
and who are Still suffering, should be
treated with great forbearance and con-
sideration by the law-making power.
Certainly all innocent purchasers OF de-
lineuent lands, where the party prlmari-
" responsible for the tax is insolvent,
should be relieved from the payment oil
it.
If / understand the relief bill now
before the Legislature, it empowers the
county courts to give relief to the hold
ers of real estate returned delinquent
upon satisfactory proof Of the payment
of the tax, and 10 innocent purchasers
prior to the year 1875, but with pro-
yiso that the applicant in each case
without reference to the success OF his
application shall pay the clerks cost
and a fee Of two dollars and fifty cents
to the attorney for the Commonwealth.
With regard to the exemption Of inno-
cent purchasers, why should the line Of
exemption be drawn at 1875? or why
indeed should such q line be drawn at
ali? The principle upon which the
innocent purchaser is protected is that he
can not in the forum Of conscience be
held responsible and this principle, it
would seem, should apply with equal
force to the purchaser Of 1875 and of
1885. The enforcement Of the deliu-
quent-tax law among this people at this
time is at the best to subject them to
vexatious and oppressive litigation un'
precedented.
Many of the lands returned delin-
quent have changed hands half dozen
times. and, Of course, each successive
owner becomes interested. l think 1t
moderate estimate that from fifteen
hundred to two thousand people will be
in some way involved by it. With the
attorney for the Commonwealth repre-
septing the Commonwealth, counsel for
the defense in each case will become a
necessity. The inevitable result will
be that when the amount of alleged de
linauent tax does not exceed $40 or 81
the defendant will probably find it t.
his interest to submit to wrong rather
than make a contest in the courts. The
fees, of counsel for tie defense in thes
cases must aggregate some thousand
Of dollars.
But upon what principle is the liti
CANT, if successful, to be subjected t
the payment of clerks, fees and Spe
cial tax of $3.50 in each case to tn
Commonwealth attorney. In litlga
ton between private parties the sue
cessful litigant, whether plaintiff or de
PENDANT, RECEIVERS his costs against hi
adversary. Yet, in the case Of IN
Commonwealth against citizen thu
equitable principle is not only to be re
yersed, but the Commonwealth is to re
cover costs against the citizen where
fails to make out claim against him
A party defendant may show TO Ia
satisfaction Of the court that the Ia
claim against him has been discharged
or that he was an innocent purchase
but he cannotcome out Of court unscatt
ed. lie must pay to the Commonwealth
attorney ease for his effort TO sustai
AN unfounded claim against him, an
the fees of the clerk amounting probi
bly, to as much more. GEs-e is n
equity in this proposition, nor is theI
any, think, in any special proyisio
for compensation to these officers
such cases. Both Of these officers
this county are receiving much large
compensation than was paid 20 the il
cumbeats Of the same offices in iS6(
when we were a s.ch people. The a
torney for the Commonwealth receive
from the county s900; for services
the Circuit Court, $500 and his fees ,
Office may be fairly estimated, | thial
at from $500 to s60G additional. III
clerk of the County Court Ia genS,ems
from the State of Ohio receives, en- a
dition to his regular fees Of office, sa
airy ofsG00 per annum ergeneral serrio'
10 the county. Why should tie
gentlemen--well paid as they unqre
tionsbly are--not be repaired to rend'
the necessary service in sGoh cases witt
ont additional compensation? III tk