ix

other member of the Bar; otherwise the State's Attorneys
may nullify the laws, in this particular, with impunity.

REPEAL OF THE STAMP DUTIES.

The law imposing Stamp Duties having answered the pur-
pose for which it was designed, by assisting to relieve the
State of her embarrassments, and having become an inexcu-
sable burthen upon the business enterprise of her citizens,
was at the Legislative session of 1856, wisely and properly
repealed. At the same time the great Landed Interest of the
State was considered and respected in the reduction of the
Direct Tax from 15 to 10 cents in the $100. The whole
amount of revenue derived from the sale of stamps from the
passage of the Law to the date of its repeal (March 10th,
1856) was $765,707.94, of which the sum of $148,351.34 was
for Stamps on Lottery tickets.

It will be necessary for the Legislature at its present ses-
sion to make an appropriation for the redemption at the Trea-
sury of Stamps remaining on hand at the time of the repeal
of the law. This was contemplated in the original enactment,
but was omitted in the repealing act, and thus the Treasury
Department was left without the authority to afford the re-
quisite relief.

REVENUE FROM REGISTERS OF WILLS.

The receipts into the Treasury from the Registers of Wills
in the year have been $68,877.28, which is an increase of
$1,599.24, upon the year preceding.

Of the amount received $37,745.19 was for tax on the
Commissions of Executors and Administrators, and $31,-
075.74 was on account of the tax on Collateral Inheritances.

These officers, almost without exception, have made their
payments into the Treasury with commendable punctuality.