Increase of

valuation.

Taxes of county or state districts, containing more than one assessment district to be equalized.

Principal assessors to form a board for the despatch of business.

A clerk or clerks to bo appointed by the board, who shall be sworn or affirmed.

Duties of the clerks prescribed. Attendance of the assessors to be noted by them, &c.

of, be, or be not, in a just relation or proportion to other valuations in the same assessment district . And all appeals to the principal assessors as aforesaid, shall be made in writing, and shall specify the particular cause, matter or thing, respecting which a decision is requested; and shall moreover state the ground or principal of inequality or error complained of. And the principal assessor shall have power to re-examine and equalize the valuations as shall appear just and equitable; but no valuation shall be increased, without a previous notice of at least five days to the party interested, to appear and object to the same, if he judge proper; which notice shall be given by a note in writing, to be left at the dwelling house of the party by such assessor, as the principal assessor shall designate for that purpose.

Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That whenever a county or state district shall contain more than one assessment district, the principal assessor shall have power, on examination of the lists rendered by the assistant assessors, according to the provisions of this act, to revise, adjust and equalize, the valuation of lands and lots of ground, with their improvements, dwelling houses, and slaves, between such assessment district, by deducting from, or adding to, either, such a rate, per centum, as shall appear just and equitable.

Sec. 16. And be it further enacted, That the principal assessors shall, immediately after the expiration of the time for hearing and deciding appeals, make out correct lists of the valuation and enumeration in each assessment district, and deliver the same to the board of principal assessors hereinafter constituted, in and for the states respectively. And it shall be the duty of the principal assessors, in each state, to convene, in general meeting, at such time and place as shall be appointed and directed by the Secretary of the Treasury. And the said principal assessors, or a majority of them, so convened, shall constitute, and they are hereby constituted a board of principal assessors for the purposes of this act, and shall make and establish such rules and regulations, as to them shall appear necessary for carrying such purposes into effect, not being inconsistent with this act, or the laws of the United States.

Sec. 17. And be it further enacted, That the said board of principal assessors, convened and organized as aforesaid, shall and may appoint a suitable person or persons, to be their clerk or clerks, who shall hold his or their office, or offices, at the pleasure of the said board of principal assessors, and whose duty it shall be to receive, record, and preserve all tax lists, returns and other documents delivered and made to the said board of principal assessors, and who shall take an oath or affirmation, (if conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath,) faithfully to discharge his or their trust; and in default of taking such oath or affirmation, previous to entering on the duties of such appointment, or on failure to perform any part of the duties enjoined on him or them respectively by this act, he or they shall respectively forfeit and pay the sum of two hundred dollars, for the use of the United States, to be recovered in any court having competent jurisdiction, and shall also be removed from office.

Sec. 18. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the said clerks to record the proceedings of the said board of principal assessors, and to enter on the record the names of such of the principal assessors, as shall attend any general meeting of the board of principal assessors for the purposes of this act. And if any principal assessor shall fail to attend such general meeting, his absence shall be noted on the said record, and he shall, for every day he may be absent therefrom, forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars for the use of the United States. And if any principal assessor shall fail or neglect to furnish the said board of principal assessors, with the lists of valuation and enumeration of each assessment district within his collection district, within three days after the time appointed as aforesaid, for such general meeting of the said board of principal assessors, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars for the use of the United States, and moreover shall forfeit his compensation as principal assessor. And it shall be the duty of the clerks of the said board of principal assessors, to certify to the Secretary of the Treasury, an extract of the minutes of the board, showing such failures or neglect, which shall be sufficient evidence of the forfeiture of such compensation, to all intents and purposes: Provided always, That it shall be in the power of the Secretary of the Treasury to exonerate such principal assessor or assessors from the forfeiture of the said compensation, in whole or in part, as to him shall appear just and equitable.

Sec. 19. And be it further enacted, That if the said board of principal assessors shall not, within three days after the first meeting thereof as aforesaid, be furnished with all the lists of valuation of the several counties and state districts of any state or states, they shall, nevertheless, proceed to make out the equalization and apportionment by this act directed, and they shall assign to such counties and state districts, the valuation lists of which shall not have been furnished, such valuation as they shall deem just and right, and the valuation thus made to such counties and state districts by the board of principal assessors, shall be final, and the proper quota of direct tax shall be, and is hereby declared to be imposed thereon accordingly.

Sec. 20. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the said board of principal assessors, diligerilly and carefully to consider and examine the said lists of valuation, as well in relation to the states which have been heretofore assessed, as in relation to the states which have not been heretofore assessed, for the direct tax for the year one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, and they shall have power to revise, adjust and equalize the valuation of property in any county or state district, by adding thereto or deducting therefrom such a rate per centum, as shall render the valuation of the several counties and state districts just and equitable: Provided, The relative valuation of property in the same county shall not be changed, unless manifest error or imperfection shall appear in any of the lists of valuation, in which case the said board of principal assessors shall have power to correct the same, as to them shall appear just and right. And if in consequence of any revisal, change, and alteration of the said valuation, any inequality shall be produced in the apportionment of the said direct tax to the several states as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to report the same to Congress, to the intent that provision may be made by law for rectifying such inequality.

Sec 21. And be it further enacted, That as soon as the said board of principal assessors shall have completed the adjustment and equalization of the valuation aforesaid, they shall proceed to apportion to each county and state district its proper quota of direct tax, and they shall lay the same upon all the subjects of direct taxation herein prescribed within their respective counties and state districts, according to the provisions of this act, so as to raise upon each county or state district, a quota of taxes bearing the same proportion to the whole direct tax imposed on the state, as the valuation of such county or state district bears to the valuation of the state. And the said board of principal assessors shall, within twenty days after the time appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury for their first meeting, complete the said apportionment, and shall record the same ; they shall thereupon further deliver to each principal assessor a certificate of such apportionment, together with the general lists by the principal assess'irs respectively presented to the board as aforesaid, and transmit to the Secretary of the Treasury a certificate of the apportionment by them made as aforesaid; and the principal assessors respectively shall thereupon proceed to revise their respective lists, and alter and make the same

Board of principal assessors to assign to certain counties and state districts such valuation as they may deem right and proper if not furnished with lists.

Board of principal assessors may equalize the rates of taxes for certain districts.

Proviso.

Taxes to be apportioned by the board of principal assessors.

Collectors to execute receipts for taxable lists received from principal assessors.

Collectors to give bonds, &c.

Proviso.

Amount of taxes as assessed to remain as * lien upon the property.

in all respects conformable to the apportionment aforesaid by the said board of principal assessors; and the said principal assessors respectively shall make out lists containing the sums payable according to the provisions of this act, upon every object of taxation in and for each collection district; which lists shall contain the name of each person residing within the said district, owning or having the care or superintendence of property lying within the said district, which is liable to the said tax, when such person or persons are known, together with the sums payable by each; and where there is any property within any collection district, liable to the payment of the sa id tax, not owned or occupied by or under the superintendence of any person resident therein, there shall be a separate list of such property, specifying the sum payable, and the names of the respective proprietors, where known. And the said principal assessors shall furnish to the collector of the several collection districts respectively, within thirty-five days after the apportionment is completed as aforesaid, a certified copy of such list or lists for their proper collection districts, and in default of performance of the duties enjoined on the board of assessors and principal assessors respectively by this section, they shall severally and individually forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars to the use of the United States, to be recovered in any court having competent jurisdiction: And it is hereby enacted and declared, That the valuation, assessment, equalization, and apportionment made by the said board of principal assessors as aforesaid, shall be and remain in full force and operation for laying, levying, and collecting, yearly and every year, the annual direct tax by this act laid and imposed, until altered, modified or abolished by law.

Sec. 22. And be it further enacted, That each collector, on receiving a list as aforesaid from the said principal assessors respectively, shall subscribe three receipts, one of which shall be given on a full and correct copy of such list, which list shall be delivered by him to, and shall remain with, the principal assessor of his collection district, and shall be open to the inspection of any person who may apply to inspect the same, and the other two receipts shall be given on aggregate statements of the lists aforesaid, exhibiting the gross amount of taxes to be collected in each county or state district contained in the collection district, one of which aggregate statements and receipts shall be transmitted to the Secretary, and the other to the comptroller of the Treasury.

Sec. 23. And be it further enacted, That each collector, before receiving any list as aforesaid for collection, shall give bond with one or more good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the comptroller of the treasury, in the amount of the taxes assessed in the collection district, for which he has been or may be appointed, which bond shall be payable to the United States with condition for the true and faithful discharge of the duties of his office according to law, and particularly for the due collection and payment of all moneys assessed upon such district, and the said bond shall be transmitted to, and deposited in the office of the comptroller of the treasury: Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall be deemed to annul, or in any wise to impair, the obligation of the bond heretofore given by any collector: but the same shall be and remain in full force and virtue, any thing in this act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

Sec. 24. And be it further enacted, That the annual amount of the taxes so assessed, shall be and remain a lien upon all lands and other real estate, and all slaves of the individuals who may be assessed for the same, during two years after the time it shall annually become due and payable, and the said lien shall extend to each and every part of all tracta or lots of land, or dwelling houses, notwithstanding the same may have been divided or alienated in part.

Sec. 26. And be it further enacted, That each collector shall be authorized to appoint, by an instrument of writing under his hand and seal, Collectors as many deputies as he may think proper, assigning to each deputy, by m!1? a3PPj°'.nt that instrument of writing, such portion of Iris collection district as he may think proper, and also to revoke the powers of any deputy, giving public notice thereof in that portion of the district assigned to such deputy; and each such deputy shall have, the like authority in every respect to collect the direct tax so assessed within the portion of the district assigned to him, which is by this act vested in the collector himself; but each collector shall, in every respect be responsible, both to the United States and to individuals, as the case may be, for all moneys collected, and for every act done as deputy collector by any of his deputies whilst acting as such: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall prevent any collector from pr0vi«o. collecting himself, the whole or any part of the tax so assessed, and payable in his district.

Sec. 26. And be it further enacted, That each of the said collec- Collectors to tors, or his deputies, shall, within ten days after receiving his collection Kive P"!j nolist from the principal assessors respectively as aforesaid, and annually nssessed. within ten days after he shall be so required by the Secretary of the Treasury, advertise in one newspaper printed in his collection district, if any there be, and by notifications to be posted up in at least four public places in his collection district, that the said tax has become due and payable, and state the times and places, at which he or they will attend to receive the same, which shall be within twenty days after such notification; and with respect to persons who shall not attend, according to such notifications, it shaTl be the duty of each collector, in person or by deputy, to apply once at their respective dwellings within such district, and there demand the taxes payable by such persons, which application _ shall be made within sixty days after the receipt of the collection lists as aforesaid, or after the receipt of the requisition of the Secretary of the Treasury, as aforesaid, by the collectors; and if the said taxes shall not be then paid, or within twenty days thereafter, it shall be lawful for such collector, or his deputies, to proceed to collect the said taxes by distress and saleof the goods, chatteIs,oreffects,of the persons delinquent as aforesaid. And in case of such distress, it shall be the duty of the officer charged with the collection, to make, or cause to be made, an account of the goods or chattels which may be distrained, a copy of which, signed by the officer making such distress, shall be left with the owner or possessor of such goods, chattels, or effects, or at his or her dwelling, with a note of the sum demanded, and the time and place of sale; and the said officer shall forthwith cause a notification to be publicly posted up at two of the taverns nearest to the residence of the person whose property shall be distrained, or at the courthouse of the same county, if not . Pr0<=eedm8 i -li- i . i • i ii .*» i • i T to sell goods

more than ten miles distant, which notice shall specify the articles dis- distrained.

trained, and the time and place proposed for the sale thereof, which time shall not be less than ten days from the date of such notification, and the place proposed for sale not more than five miles distant from the place of making such distress: Provided, That in any case of distress, for the payment of the duties aforesaid, the goods, chattels, or effects, so distrained, shall and may be restored to the owner or possessor, if, prior to the sale thereof, payment or tender thereof shall be made to the proper officer charged with die collection, of the full amount demanded, together with such fee for levying, and such sum for the necessary and reasonable expense of removing and keeping the goods, chattels, or effects, so distrained, as may be allowed in like cases by the laws or practice of the state wherein the distress shall have been made; but in case of nonpayment or tender as aforesaid, the said officers shall proceed to sell the said goods, chattels, or effects, at public auction, and shall and may retain from the proceeds of such sale, the amount demandable for the use of the United States, with the necessary and reasonable expenses of distress