The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-03
A PATHETIC Wall
IN CHARIOT TE.
Citizens of That County Send a
Unique Petition to the LegisIa-
tire for a Dog Tax Law,

The shecp-raiscrs of Virginia have
always wanted State tax Oh doSs. bue
a majority of the voters DO mol Idase
sheep. Hence. thcrcfis not on the statute
books law imposing upon CANNES a tax
to be used TO reimburse the owners Oh
sheep killed by dogs, such as has nech
passed by the 1egislatu OF many
States. Such laws are in operation IN a
very few of the counties OF Virginia.
In many instances public sentiment
against such laws has compelled their
repeal in vcr- short order. 1t. has conc
to be a worn saying among legislators
that the author of Il dog law stands
with one foot in his political grave.
WANT a DOG LAW.
Twcntv-one citizens OF Charlotte
county. residing in the ncishborhood Of
, INcysvillc, want q dog law badly MI.
Jack Phillips received yesterday pcti-
ton from them, asking the General AS
semblv to pass uniform law imposing
:, tax upon dogs CT every character ana
description The petition arrived TOO
late. the General Assembly having ao-
journed.
The petition indicates that the Char-
.1o:tc citizens have a very clear idea Oh
the need of a dog law. 1t is as follows:
THE PETITION.
..Tr the Honorable. The Members OF the
Virginia Legislature, Richmond. Va:
I'VE. the undersigned sheep-raiSiilS
citizens of the county OF Charlotte, mum
bly, pray and petition your most honor
able body in view of the fact mat our
sheep are nightly slaughtered D? me
mongrelc and ours OF this county, ana III
further view of the fact that before the
war between the States it was conceded
everywhere Except in ohio that sheep
meat was too good for niGgar and that
Tow niggar's dogs get the first fruits oil
our focks and do Kill. tear TO pieces.
destroy and swallow not only the most OIL
our lambs and small sheep-but, also TIE
old lady sheer and frequently our dlSnl-
fed rams-which last. have been in many
cases imported at heavy cost,
..,rheretore. we humbly ask that you
give us the only relief that can be given
under the circumstances and enact q dos
law which will cause a tax to be lain Oh
every dog living in this county and doing
business in the same. which tax shall be
not less than one dollar and fifty cents
on each male dog and two dollars ana
fifty cents on each female dog, to be paid
by the first day of December each year
by the owner of such dog. and failing 10
pay the collector must hang. shoot or Kill
the dog or dogs at once or be made to
pay the tax himself We would remind
your honorable body that we are fully
aware of the spirit of fear that has here
toforc possessed our lawmakers and pre-
vented them from doing their duty to
their constituents, but the mighty
man of God. spoken of in the Bible. once
had his hands and arms raised up toward
Heaven and held there until he saw MS
enemies overcome. so will we. YOUR num-
bic petitioners forevermore hold you up
to the gaze of the world as Just and true
men who do your duty without fear or
favor if YOU pass this og law, and we
will see to it that the last one of YOU is
again elected and kept IL office (till Of
fees go out of fashion,, even if 1t takes
the full half of our sheep crop to buy up
the Judges of election-Selah!
Moreover and Furthermore. we also
codicii this document with the futher
offer of Il standing disia-with, which to
serve your honorable hody-'the best
cooked lamb and peas throughout the
whole spring season. and if all this does
not fetch YOU to Il proper regard for our
rights. then we will pray to a higher
power. and pray God that your dishonor-
able carca SSeS' may never again be seen
in a hall of Justice and that the Good
Shepherd in the Great Day may stand
YOU over on the left side with the
goats, .and may niggars' dogs take you
for the black sheep you are and devour
You as they have done our sheep and
Iiary's little lamb Amen.'