Year: 1861

will endeavor to simplify the matter.
Su6eaS Of tdrdtiOn-1he following is taken from
instructions issued by tie chief tax collector of the
State to bis deputies the several countless and will
answer very well a classification of property to be
listed


/, Real Estate including all land and estate therein
and all interest gro wing thereont, including ferries
bridges, mines, &c


2. Slaves.


}. Merchandise embracing all goods, wares, and
merchandise held Tor sale on the lst of October 1861
! except the agricultural products of the country.
4. Bank stock.


5. Railroad and other corporation stock


6. Money at interest, including the principal sums Of
all money belonging TO any person other than Bank
upon which interest is paid be paid by the debt
or, the stood the lst Of October 1851 and
all money invested by individuals in the purchase of
bills notes and other securities for money excepting
all cases, the bonds of the Confederate States.


{. Cash on hand deposit in Bank or elsewhere


$. Cattle, horses and mules raised for sale not u-
cludng such raised merely Tor food or work on
the plantation.


9. Gold Watches.


TO- Gold and Silver Plate.
II. Pianos


T. Pleasure Carriages.


49, Bank or Corporation stock not duly returned by
the Bank or Corporation.


The property returned must be such owned or
possessed on the first day of October next.
What persons and property are eGemp.-When the
taxable property above enumerated of any head OF
family is of less value than five hundred dollars such
taxable property shall be exempt from taxation" 1t
will be seen that the act only gives the exemption in
such case to the head of family Persons not at the
head of a family, therefore, who taxable property
however small In value are bound to give it in tor tax
alton. be question is often asked whether person
owning than five hundred dollars in value of tax
able property is not entitled to have deduction made
for that amount 1t is very plain from the act that he
is not, but is bound for tbe tax upon the whole
| The act exempts all property of colleges, schools,
psfoI
uay used for the purposes for which such institutions
were established


This exemption, it is ct nceived not only extends to
the necessary buildings occupied for such purposes but
to other property, as bank and other stocks invest
ments from which is derived and used for the
proper support of all such institutions.


al public lands and property owned by the State for
public purposes are expressly exempt and in this we
take it that the bank and railroad stocks belonging to
the Literary and Sinking Fund included and not to
be returned by the several corporations in which the
stock is held


Real estate beld by any corporation and used in con-
Quoting its business as a banking house, a railroad
warehouse or shop is not subject to separate tax-it
is held to be part OF the capital stock of the company
pany which is subject to the tax.


Who to list and rChere.-E7ery one must return list
of his taxable property in the collection district in which
1t is situate 1T he resides in another district or county
he may do 1t by agent Persons having property of
others in possession executors administrators guar





turn and all corporations bound to make returns by
their officers of their taxable property and Of the Capt.
tai stock held by individuals other corporations in
the same


| HosC and TO uh0m lists TO be gire,h and hoU The
property IS to be 0SSessedIhe list must be in writing
and must set forth the quantity of taxable property
owned according to the classification above given and
must be submitted to the for the district and
sworn to- 1t is required TO be to by regulation
issued by the Secretary of the Treasury be being au.
Nv n max nd
uatioDs to carry out its purposes.


We suppose that individuals will not give in stocks
held in corporate bodies, the law expressly makes it
tie duty of all such bodies make return to the as
sessor collector OF their capital stock aud pay the
tax, and IL such exempts Individual stockholders


The law makes it the duty OF the assessors to assess
all property for taxation at its actual marketable value
on the first day OF October last To aid assessors In
doing so would suggest that not only the number
but the and probable ages of slaves be returned
Again do BOT see how merchandise large portion
OF which has BEEN sold since the first Of October last
can be valued by the In all e,ch cases it
would be well for the merchant 10 return the value Of
his stock on that day


Open accounts are not money at interest aud not
TO be returned Nor it is supposed notes of in
solvent persons The aggregate amount at interest Or
used In the manner specified in classification e, above
given, should be returned State bonds subject to
the tax and must be relurned-t is not yet settled
whether Tor the tu amount according TO their
ketabe value. Confederate bonds are excepted.
/ The act provides that the term "bOrseS, cattle and
muits stall include all such animals rUised for
SALT and not such used merely for food and work
on The plantation or farm where they held. All such
surplus stock, therefore, Of whatever kind, and
above what is to be kept for plantation home use
subject to |he tax.


We think, also, it would very much aid assessors il
the in returning gold watches gold and silver
plate, pan0S and pleasure carriages, would air
value TO the These articles subject to State
taxaOn and 10 mcSt Instances have heretofore been
given in at fair values doubt. 1t is true the asses
sors may if they choose examine aud value them, bat
we apprehend it will be found very inconvenent il
practice.


False and Fraudulent Lists, 6c-Any person render
ipg false fraudulent list, with intent TO defeat oil
evade the proper enumeration valuation Of his pro
perty, is liable to be fined not exceeding FIVE hun
dred dollars to be recovered in any of competent


jurisdiction, and any person who shall fail to render


list OF his taxable property to the collector or assessor
at the time prescribed by him. is liable to double ta1
2 upon all his taxable property.
Over Valuations and Double Tqres-The assessments
made by the assessors to be returned to the tax col
ecors before the first of December next aud fo
twentyone days next ensuing be may hear and deter
mine all appeals from assessments we'll applica
tions for the reduction of double tax to Il single tax
His determination in all such cases is final.


Two OF very ordinary Occurrance and sccming,
:, of great hardship present themselves i.
6 When A buys land of B., paying in notes, and per
Hdps giving oFSdSe VI tue Iduu as coiideIal security
A is Obliged to return he land and B. the notes as tax
= able property.


And where A. holds BIS notes for any amount-o
instance, thousand dollars, and the same time,
holds AS note for like amount, yet A. is responsible
for tax BIS notes in his hand though if his debt
: were paid A. would, in fact be worth nothing. Thi
seeming hardship, but such is the provision of th
.. .. law.


The foregoing the provisions which at present in
medatey concern our people. There are others hghl
important but which We need not refer to now.
e A SPANISH STEAMER IN DIsTRESs.-The late Soutt
gale has done considerable DAMAGE the coast