286 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Feb. '24,

This law should provide, exclusive of legal fees, for the pay-
ment of a twenty per cent, commission on collections made
from arrearages which accrued anterior to 1851 ; of a ten per
cent commission on those which accrued from the 31st day of
December 1851, to the 1st day of January 1861, and of a
five per cent, commission on those which accrued between the
31st day of December 1861, and the 1st day of January
1866. They should be empowered to compromise on all
claims due the State before the 1st day of January 1866, for
release of a part or the whole of the interest on payment of
the principal, or for a release of the interest and a portion of
the principal on the payment of the balance, their acts under
this power being placed under the review of the Governor and
Comptroller, and made subject to their confirmation or rejec-
tion.

The taxable basis under the last assessment has been
nearly doubled ; and your committee feel safe in recom-
mending a reduction in the direct tax from five to three
cents in the hundred dollars ; iu the school tax, from fifteen
to twelve cents in the hundred dollars ; in the bounty tax,
from ten cents (as authorized in the Act of 1865, chapter
33, which was repealed, or intended to be repealed by the
Act of 1867, chapter 156, and which your Committee suggest
should be re-enacted) to five and one-half cents in the hun-
dred dollars, and in the Southern Relief Fund tax, from one
cent to one-half cent in the hundred dollars.

Your Committee are of opinion, after very mature reflection,
that laws predicated on these views, will lead to a prompt
adjustment of the balances due the Treasury, and supply it
with means to meet all the requirements likely to be made
upon it.

JAMES T. EARLE, Chairman.
HENRY SNYDER,
JOHN M. MILLER,
ALFRED SPATES,
ORMOND HAMMOND.