The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, December 30, 1840, Image 2
REPORT
Of the Committee of Ways and Means,11|
upon so much of the Comptroller Gener-jj
al's Report as relates to the Taxes. v
The Committee of ways and Means,! *
to whom was referred the Report of the!
Comptroller General, as to so much there- 0
of as relates to the Taxes of the Slate, 0
respectfully Report: ?
That they have carefully considered ^
the various documents submitted to them,
and find that on the 1st day of October
'--1 .
last, trie wnoic uuiuuct; m iuu oiaivj iii/u- |
sury was $G2,42G 00 ,
At whicli time there were undrawn ap- ,
propriations yet to be paid, of G8,803 00 }
? j
Thus leaving a balance against the
Treasury of $6,467 00 J
The State, therefore begins the fiscal :
year with a balance against her upon her
past transactions whenever these arc do- ,
sed. This balance would have been in- (
creased considerably but for the adventi- 1
tious aid of Bank Bonus, and other con- j
tingencies, which came in last year, and ,
which cannot be expected during die current
year.
In making an estimate for the payments
of the ensuinsr vear, if nothing be expend
ed but what is necessary for the ordinary
expenses of the Government, without including
a single dollar for repairs of.
buildings, public works, or any expense
other than the annual charges, the amount
of money required will be S27G,911 00 ,
To which must be added J,
the balance of appropriations (!
to be paid as above, 0,107 00 j |
!,
8283,378 00 j
To meet this, if the taxes
For the ensuing year be the t
same as last year, there
would realise $283,425 00 (
The result of which would be, that r
there would be nothing left to cover, any ?
expenditure other than as above stated, f
But experience has proved that such a | ^
state of things cannot possibly exist.? r
Every year considerable amounts are re- ^
quired for indispensable expenses, which ^
under some form or other, recur as regu- .
lady as the ordinary expenses. Thus, to j!
take last year, the ordinary expenses ^
would have required, as above stated, ?
1 ?oirtf Ol 1 no
oniy i * i uu | ^
But the Legislature had to ^
make appropriations for 203,397 00 J n
Making for these items, be- . j ^
vend the usual current expen- | 'j
ses, the sum of 81G,LSG 00 t.
It is presumable that this sum was as i y
small as it could possibly have been made,* c
because the Legislature was apprised of
the extreme necessity of economy, and
knew that there would be a probable de- ^
ficiency in the Treasury, from the Report 0
of its Committee. Indeed, the rigor with i p
which they pursued the system of ccono-!
my, is tested by the fact that while the (j(
balances in the Treasury had previously ^
decreased at the rate of 880,000 per an- t|
num, in the last year it decreased only e
$50,000. If, therefore, we should take t|
as an approximate estimate, the appropriations
of last year, the Legislature
must now provide for ?
The balances against the a
Treasury, 8G,1G7 00 r(
And the usual appropri- a
ations, 293,397 00 !..
!tl
Making. ' 1 ~ $299,864 00!^
Tne Taxes of last year L,
realised, s 289,425 00; ^
Leaving a deficiency of 10,439 00 Qj
to be made up by Taxes, 0)
But this estimate cannot be taken as a |}|
basis for any series of years. Accordi"? ^
to the statement above made, the balan- i gj
ccs in the Treasury have diminished, in fc
the last four or five years, at the rate of s(
830,000 per annum; and during the
year, the actual payments from the Trea- ^
suit, over the actual receipts amounted (j
to ' 800,295 00, C(
These overpayments were made up j a,
from large surplus balances which had q
accumulated in the Treasury, from the ^
avails of Loans, Bank Bonuses, and other i e)
contingent sources of revenue. These ^
sources have now failed, and there art-; n
no longer any balances in the Treasury ;'
to draw upon. The consequence neces-' t(
s-;rj!. w:'! be, tliat the State must involve! ir
;? debt to meet her ordinary ex- a
p-or consume the income of the a
Ba;.k of the State, and thereby leave the t,
public ! bt totally unprovided for?are- c*
suit . iueh would involve a forfeiture of ,1
?..i:> .1 i _r rnu.
tuu ciuuu tuiu nonor ox uie ouue. me (j
only alternative presented, is to raise the
Tales. Your Committee cannot believe u
thai in a choice between such alternatives, t|
there can be any hesitation; and they a
therefore proceed to consider to what ex- <
tent, and in what manner the Taxes p
should be raised.
According to the above statement, it v
will be perceived that the actual deficien- *
cy which must be in the Treasury, at the
end of the year will be $1G,439 00
And if the difference between actual
receipts and expenditures, should coniinue
the same as in the last year, there
. wotjld arise a demand against the Trea- j
ury, at the expiration of two years, of t
; etween fifty and eighty thousand dollars ?
?from the accumulation of appropria- J y
) asi^n any reason for his ^abrupt depar-.
J re during the progress of his recent presndcd
treaty. The Interpreters- are all
bsent from Fort King, which may, in a
nanner, account for the meagre news
hey have communicated. An opress
las been despatched to the General, who
s now at Tampa.
^ J C
ons, and the absence of any balance to |t<
icet them in the Treasury'?a state of . ti
lings which would require Taxes'sud- j ti
enly and greatly to be accumulated next. a
ear. Your Committee think it would be. r
nore prudent to diffuse such a demand t
>vcr at least two years, and to be^in now i
i system which would act more mildly i
md slowly upon the people. They,
imount to ^therefore, think the proper ]
vhich the Taxes should be raised, should j t
iroducc about $30,000 ' i1
To raise this sum, your Committee 11
iave examined the various sources of re- j
ir'cnue, with a view to ascertain upon
A*hich it should in justice be laid. The
-eturn which has been throughout the
State, of the real value of lands; has en- .
lbled tliein to act understandingly in the
matter. By comparing the various subectsof
taxation, it appeal's that the lands
in the State pay a tax of only G3 cents j;
jpon each thousand dollars in value; ne- ,
jjroes (valued at $350 each,) pay a tax of :
171 cents on each thousand dollars in va- j i
luc; lots in towns and villages, pay on the j
same value, 300 cents; and professions [
and stock in trade, pay on the same va- j
lue, GOO cents.
TABLE.
Lands pay per $1000 03
Negroes, do. do. 1 71
Lots, do. do. 3 00
Professions,do. do. 0 00
Stock in trade, do. G 00 i
This result shows that the lands arc i
taxed far belowr every other species of ;
property. Negroes are the next in order, 1
md are taxed less than half as much as <
town and village lots. These last are I
taxed five times higher than lands; and i
professions and stock in trade, are taxed (
en times higher than lands, and more I
han five times higher than negroes.
It is obvious, therefore, that the great i
lisproportion in favor of lands and ne- (
Croes, renders it but an act of justice that <
he increase should be cast on them. In i
act, it would seem but just that the whole 1
lurthcn should be cast upon the lands,
nore particularly, as a tax upon negroes i
vould operate also upon those interests r
vhich arc already so heavily taxed. But. 1
"our Committee, considering the small r
clative amount of additional tax, which, t
f laid on negroes, would be required; t
md desiring also to relieve the landed in- s
crest from a larger relative increase, f
nre rnmnrnmised the increase, as Well
s they have been able to do, among these j g
iterests, and have divided the same t
qually between the land and negroes.? I
"hey have, therefore, n commended a a
ix of 45 cents on every hundred dollars s
aluc of according to the existing classifi- ti
ation, and 05 cents on each negro. r
There still remains another subject of
reat importance, upon which your Com- I
littee arc required t.o report. The Bank o
f the State, it will appear, both from the n
leport of its President and the Comp- p
'oiler General, is very much embarrassed t;
1 its operations by the condition of the it
Yeasurv. Under the existing state of it
lings, the Treasury becomes entirely b
mpty in the month of January and from a
tat period until June, when the taxes arc b
aid to the Bank, that institution has to h
dvance the whole expenditures of the b
Government, Last year, these advances
mounted to $121,210, and for the cur- a
int year, they will rea^ii the ?um of a
214.485. In ordinarv t :i; . tilts ad
ancc would only cflcct, to that extent, A
ic profits of the Bank; but in the present
ate of things it affects very seriously,
ren the power of the Bank to keep open
s doors, and pay specie. This demand j I'
;curs at a most trying season, and not *?
aly criplcs the resources of the Bank, j a
ut renders -her incapable of meeting the 0
rants of the community, from the nece.s- r<
ty of preparing for these demands be- tl
>re they arise. Your Committee can i si
;e no necessity for oxp'?sm>? the Bank to
lis evil, when by simply calling in the ic:
'axes a few months earlier, the whole;0
ifficulty could be relieved. The people',r
Duld as well pay the Taxes in February ft
3 in April, and by requiring the Tax t<
lollectors to be more prompt in their set- j 0
emcnts, their balances could be deposit- iSl
rl in Hank, in March instead of June.? ;tc
rour Committee would therefore, recom- j h
lend an alteration of the law accordingly.: c
Your Committee would also direct at- j11
sr.tionto the tax as now levied on stock ;S1
i trade. The tax is now laid upon the jc
mount of stock on hand on a given (lay, j
nd this mode gives an opportunity to theIr(
ix payer to adjust his stock for the parti- Si
idar purpose in view. Your Committee
re, therefore, inclined to the opinion, ?
lata tax "i> 'he sales of the merchant
ro'iM I>< m"re uk< iy to operate equally
pon the citizen, and to the advantage of
lie State. Willi a view to produce more ^
ccurate information on the subject, your 11
Committee would recommend a similar ^
revision to be made in the tax Bill on this Si
abject. as was inserted in that of last s<
ear, ac ' 1 the va'ii" or lands. . ^
All w! oh s esnectfullv submitted. 11
C. G. ' 'KMMINGER, Chairman. li
/
IV an Out Correspondent. C
Florida, Dec. 9. v
Sin?Thve warriors came :ri at Fort b
C o a f?:v. and agreeably to 11
he General's orders have ceen put under ri
fnaid. They say that Hallecktustenuggc si
vill return in a few days, but arc unable
1'. s.?ine express jusi nrrivcu irom
Port King says that 13 Indians came in
his morning and delivered up their arms
o Col. Riley. They state there are ma-:
ny more to come in a few days. I will
jive you particulars by next express.
Savanah Georgian
LAWS OF OUTII-CAROLINA.
An ACT to alter and amend the Militia
Laws of this State, passed 18th
Dec. 1810. -!
Sec. J. Beit enacted by the Senate
and House of Reprdsentatives, now met
and sitting in General "Assembly, and by
the authority of the same, that the 27th
section of an act entitled "an act to provide
for the Militia organization of this
State," passed the 19th day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1833, together
with all_sections_and clauses of said
act relating to .Brigade Encampments,and
all acts since passed, regulating Brigade
Encampments, be and the same are hereby
repealed.
Sec. 2. That Company Courts Martial
shall hereafter be holden as was practised
in this State anterior to the year 1833,
and each Court Martial shall semi-annually
make returns to the colonel or officer
commanding a regiment, of the result of
;he decisions of said Court Martial, and
each company shall have a Judge Advocate,
whose duty it shall be to attend such
Uompany Courts Martial.
See. 3. That it shall hereafter be the
duty of each Court Martial to appoint a
collector of fines imposed by them, whose
duty it shall be to collect the same and
oake a return thereof, as now required by
law.
Sec. 4. That it shall be the duty of the
Major General of the second Division, to
>rganize the cavalry now and hereafter to
>e raised in that division, into two Regincnts
and one Brigade, without reference
o the territorial limits of the Brigades of
his division?provided that neither of
;uch Regiments shall consist of Jess than
bur, nor more than eight companies.
Sec. 5. That the Regiments to be organized
in the Second Division, consising
of the companies now in the Fourth
brigade, and such companies as shall be
ittaclied thereto from the Third Brigade,
hall take the number, rank and designaion
of the Fourth Regiment of CavalSec.
0. It shall be the (toty of the
Jrigadier General of the Third Brigade
f Infantry, to appoint a Board of Commissioners,
consisting of not less than five
arsons from the Trio Beat Company atachcd
to the 1.3th Regiment, whose duty
; shall be to divide the said Trio Company
lto two convenient Beats, with such new
oundaries as to them may seem proper,
nd the report of the said commissioners
eing confirmed by the Brigadier General,
e shall cause the two new companies to
e organized agreeable to law.
C!a>* ^ oil or?f 3 firifl
tjvju# ? jl licit an aisio auu ui
cts, repugnant to this act, be andlhe same
re hereby repealed.
in) ACT to alter the liability of Sheriffs,
and for other purposes; passed Dee. 18,
1840.
Sec. 1. Tic it enacted by the Senate and
louse of Representatives, now met [and
\tling in General Assembly, and by the
uthority of the same, That the liability
f the Sheriffs for the solvency of thesu- !
. ties to Prison Bound Bonds, shall be
le same with that for the solvency of the
ircties to Bail Bonds and no other.
Sec. 2. That in case any Prisoner in
xccution on final process, shall neglect ,
r refuse, for the space of ten days, to ,
lake an assignment of the estate and ef- i
jets embraced in his schedule, according ;
> the order of the Judge, Clerk, Com- <
ussioiier of Special Bail, or Magistrate, <
.ich Prisoner shall no longer be entitled '
) the.benefit of the prison rules, bonds or '
mits, but shall be recommited to close '
onfinement by the Sheriff, and so kept (
ntil such Prisoner shall duly make the as- 1
gnment aforesaid, or pay die debt and
osts for which he is imprisoned.
Sec. 3. That all acts and parts of acts
cpugnant to this act, shall be and the (
line are hereby repealed.
Extracts from An ACT to Incorporate (
certain Societies, and for other purpo- f
S3s passed December 18, 18 40. (
Sec. 1. Be it enacted, by the Honora- ?
le the Senate and House of Rcprcscnta- i
ves, now met, and sitting in General I
assembly, and by the authority of the I
ame,That the followingSocieticsaud As- *
relations, to wit: The DeKalb Ritle '
iuards, of Kershaw District; the Bap- !
st Church at Sccona, in Pickens District;
:ic Baptist Church at Plat Rock, in
Lnderson District; the Baptist Gapway 1
1 mrch, in Marion District; the Ifoperell
Baptist Church, in Chesterfield Dis- 1
rict; the Tiustces of the Furman Insti- '
ite, near Winsboro'; be bodies corpoate
and politic, by the name to thcin repectivcly
assigned.
occ. v. l iw said societies and A^js.oqi- >
ations, shall, by their respective* names,1
have succession of officers-'and members I
to be chosen according to their respective
bylaws ;and shall have power to make
bye' laws, not repugnant to the laws of
the land; to have, keep and use, a common
seal, and the same to alter at will: to
use and be used,plead and be impleaded,
in any Court of this State, to have and
enjoy every right incident to incorporation.
,
Sec. 3. They are also empowered; se
verally to retain, hold, possess, and enjoy,
ail such property as they may now
be respectively possessed of or entitled to,
or which shall hereafter be given, bequeathed
to, or in any wise acquired by
them, and sell, alien, or in any way trans*
fer the same, or any part thereof: Provided,
the amount so" held shall in no case
exceed twenty thousand dollars, r?. 'i
Sec. 5. That the Town Council of
Camden be, and they are hereby authorized,
to lay a capitation tax, on each person
in said town," liable to perform patrol
duty which, shall not exceed four dollars
on each person so liable, and to collect
the same, which fund, with other perquisites
incident to their office, shall be paid
to one or more persons, who, with, such
! citizens as do not nnv this commutation.
shall constitute the Town Guard.
Sec. 7. This act shall continue of force
for the term of 14 years, and from thence
until the adjournment of the next ensuing
session of the Legislature.
Union of the Protestant Episcopal with
the Methodist Episcopal Churches in the
United Slates.?The acting Bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Dio-i
sese of Kentucky has written a ictter of
some considerable length to the Kentucky
Annual Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in which he suggests
the propriety of a union of the two churches,
and treats largely of the many ad-1
vantages that would result from such a
measure. The suggestions have been
very kindly received by the papers under
the control of the Methodist Church?
What the final result may be, we do not
pretend to say.?Highland Messenger.
A DREADFUL STORY.
Abduction of White Girls from New
York.
The New York Sun contains the particulars
of a most painful rumor in relation
to the kidnapping of some fifteen or
twenty young white women from that I
city, and of their captivity among the J
native duels ol llic stare coast o( Africa.
Tlie Sun says:
M For the last two or three years, several
vessels have left this port whose appearance
was any thing but mercantile,
and general rumor called them pirates?
some came nearer the truth, and rightly
called them slavers. It is said that one
of these vessels assumed the character of
a passenger packet, bound to New Orleans
and Ilavanna, and the captain, by
the aid of a person well known in this
city, went to the Points, and also to the
other infected districts of our city, and
addressing themselves to the best looking
girls, tendered them a free passage, and
even went so far as to gire them new
dresses, trinkets, &e. The poor girls
were taken on board in the stream, in detachments,
and every thing was given to
them to render their position comfortable,
and committed to the rare of a matron,
who assumed the character of the captain's
wife. Thus freighted, the vessel
left our waters and reached Havana, in a
few days. There the unsuspecting girls
were informed that they could not land,
because the authorities of the island had
ordered the vessel to be quarantined at
Malanzas. In a few days site sailed apparently
bound to Malanzas, but in truth
Iter sails were spicad for the coast of
A Tviao An ft c If* ! ?? ? re a vn/nlltlnn
The length of the voyage created some
uneasiness, which however, was quieted
by the good usage and continued frolic of
the whole party. On their reaching the
coast, preparations having been made for
their arrival, they were sent on shore
ind, as the painful rumor savs, they were
exchanged by these abductors, with the
chiefs, for slaves, and one young woman
tvas exchanged for 50 primenegroes.?
rhc whole party was thus instantly sent
into the interior of Africa, as the slaves
af the chiefs, perhaps never to hear from
dtcir own land again. The account is
said to have reached this.city by the caplure
of one Of the war parties, in '.vbich
:wo of the white girls were, who were
:>wr.ed by the chief, and Who gave a letter
.0 be sent to the coast, narrating the raauler
of their abduction and captivity. We <
rust that this letter may turn out a fabri- j
cation, because wc would hope that the (
tccurscd lore of gold has not driven any
)f our sailors to such an infamous and dt- 1
ibolical traffic as that of poor unfortunate I
ivomcn. At the time these vessels were j
caving, a rumor of the kind was afloat,
but it was thought rather idle, and Wfc
sincerely trust that this whole P'attcr may
jr. only one of Madam Rumor's brood. "
A ^^1 ?
Jt-X' 'JiJUtX null
DEKALB RIFLE & II ARBS!
rflpilE town members of the Company
JL will hereafter parade promptly at
their rendezvous at any and evciy alarm
af lire, or other nature, armed and equipped
according to the constitution.
By older of
J. P. DICKINSON, Capt. <
W. D. JOHNSTON, 0. S. ,
Dec. S3. ' I
WEDNESDAY ItfOBNING, DEC. 30, 1840:
We are indebted to the Hon. T. D."
Sumter, and the HohJ % ~t?' CALit(%r&,
I for public docnments- t-- tnr.* .*>
FIRE. < ' '
About ten o'clock ion the morning of
Christmas Day, the house of Mrs. Warben,
on Broad-street, closely surrounded
by a large number of wooden buildings,
was discovered to be on fire. It origins- ted,
no doubt, from a spark which had Ihlr
len on the roof from ?the chimney. The
shingles aroond the chimney. were blazing-,
to a considerable heightwhen the fire was-:
discovered, and the alarm giv6n. Ourfire
.ilt :--i ' -J*
men, wun weir usual energy, wore early
on the spot. The fire, however, wm subdued
before the Engines were ready for
work, by handing water op on a ladder,
which fortunately was on the spot.'
Had this fire originated in the night, or
had it progressed a little farther before, it
was discovered, the loss of pruperty must
have been immense. The vtHufthleptifr
pose which a ladder, in the pr^srfhfin*stance,
was found to serve, suggests tnc
propriety of our citizens supplying thornsolves
with this useful article: Each house
snouiu nave one?at nil events, if this plan
was not adopted, some three or four persons,
whose houses were in the same neighborhood
might have one among them, placed
where il could be easily had by any
of the partios who might wnnl it.
Murrbl Men.?We ask the atlentfrfh
of our Western readers to the advertise-'
-4* #
ment, under this head, in another column.
These marauders, it seems arc again
engaged in threir vocation. Mr. Harrell
passed through this place on Thursday'
last, on the track of the thief. He received
such information at the Camden
Bridge, as leave no doubt but the villain,
in company with the negro, had passed
there on their way to the Wesitho day
previous. Mr. Harrell continued the
i pcrsui', and we trust he mav be success
ful in recovering his property, and brioiging
the rogue to justice.
A 31ERRY CHRISTMAS!
'This has been no empty salutation with
a large portion, if r.ot all, of our community
during the festivities of the present
season. On Thursday afternoon, Christmas
Eve, the Di-Kalb Rifle Guardsi by
invitation, marched up to live residence of
Brigadier Gen. Cantey, on Hobkirk Hill,
where they met a moit cordial reception,
and were treated tfilh that generons hospitality
for whieh the General is sp well
known. After some time had been spent
in doingjusticc to the politeness of the
Brigadier, the Guards, with a number of
invited goests retnrned to the Planters*
(late Davis') Hotel, and partook of a splendid
supper. The new proprietors of litis
establishment, Messrs. Hague &GiFroft?,
deserve great credit for the despatch with
which this elegant entertainment was gotten
up, and the flue style in which the
whole was arranged. There did not seem
to be any thing wanting to gratify the most
fastidious ta3le. After supper the Guards,
with theirguesls repaired to.thqjr place of
n. ? t? 11 - n_?1 - .
i.tmirtnius, vimmus rinji, wiicre t>KC,
Wine, Fruits and other refreshments
were furnished in abundant and elegant
profusion* A number of toasts and senliments'closed
the festivities of the day.
The Hall together with tho entire front
of Mr. GiFFORrs' fine building, was tastgfully
and brilliantly illuminated,, and pre*
sen ted a most imposing and beautiful appearance.
i : ?ci
The company dispersed about iiine
o'clock, all, we believe, perfectly satis- *
fied and delighted with the enjoyments of
the evening.
We haye never seen so lsrge a number
Df persons together on such an occasion^
iround the festive board, when all seccuedt
lo enjoy themselves so much, without a
single instancy of excess, on the part of
any. The DeKalb Rifle, ?trards, in ail
their entertainments, have,thus far set an
example of temperance moderation
which we trust, anil doubt not: will <oa?
linue to mark their careeri' j?i <
The sncceeding day? Christmas, waa
spent by our citizens partly in religjoos
exercises, and the interchange social hospitality.
May we have many similar returns
of the season. ' ll
\ . ; ; 5;!
Wc clip the following from an exchange 'paper*,
"A man named Chakj.ey Bajeac, a baker, at N:
Orleans, committed suicide 011 the 2d instant, by
shooting business." Rather a qmyjr way ef doing
bufinesi; we think.