Year: 1861

rOI INC leneHt al our CtlzepS generally,
we give the following from the Richmond
Dispatch: :


CoLLECrlNs OFFionRs OF 1nR Con-
FEDEATE TAx.--Assa matter Of interest 10
the people and 70, the revenue officers OF
the different counties, it may be we'll for us
to state the determination Of The Seerc
tary of the Treasury in regard 10 the
agents who will be appointed for making
tho assessments and collecting the taxes Of
the Confederate Government. 1t is known
that under provision of the Confederate
law levying direct tax, any State which
shall pay its quota Of the same into tho
Confederate Treasury by the first day in
April next, willbe entitled to a diseouu. Of
tell per cent on the amount assessed
against it. This discount is probably ratl,.
er moro than tho expense which will attend
the collection Of the taxyfroma the people,
and tl'efefore any State paying in its quota


by the date specified may save small per
centage OF the amount to its people.


AS tAlssaxipg, however, cannot be great
enough to afford much temptation to the
States to undertake, the collection Of the
Confederate tax, the Government will
doubtlesshave to appoint assessors and col.
lectors of its own in many Of the States
for, tho purpose. Looking to this proba-
bllity, we understand that the Secretary of
the Tressurysis maturing instructions to


the Confederate Marshals on this subject.


We understand, that an important feature
OF these Instructions will be requirement.
upon the Marshals to appoint for the as.
sessment and collection Of the Confederate
tax tho Same oflicors in all tho counties
which perform similar duties for. the State
Governments. We understand that these
instructions will be mandatory and that
the Marshals will be left no option in the


matter.


We throw out this piece of information
in order to relieve tho Department here,
and the Marshals in all the Districts of the
Souths from the swarm of applicants for
appointments in tile Excise with which
thoy would other wise he overwhelmed.
The measure resolved on by Mr.. Memmin
ger takes away from this prolific source OF
patronage every feature OF partisanship :;
and, considering the immense patronage
thus voluntarily relinquisled by tho Con-
iedorate Government reflects great credit
upon tho President and Secretary of the
Treasury.


While the policy thus resolved upon
avoids the invocation of countless swarm
OF oiilce.scekers throughout the land, it re
moves IN great measure the most odious
features of direct taxation, in relieving
the people from the annoyance OF two sets
of tax gathercrs dinning their demands in.
to each ear at the 'samc time. In the na.
jority Of cases tho officers who will assess
and collect the Confederate tax, will be
men OF the peoples own selection; anG,
whenever not of their own choosing, they
sill be the appoiBtees of their own coun-
ty courts. We look upon this determi,
nation Of, the President and Secretary o
the Treasury as one Of tho most important
and happy that has attended the adfiinis-
sratioiE Dr. our now Government,


1nr regard to Virginia, We suppose that
the late period al which our Legislature
meets will preclude any effort on the part
OF the'state to collect this tax ITSELF; and
that instructions -aih have gone out from
the Confederate Government and tie work
OF collection entered upon before the Leg.
islature will meet.