LAWS

OF THE

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

CHAPTER 1.

AN ACT to provide for the Revenue of the State.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Mississippi, That the following taxes shall be assessed and collected within this state, viz: an ad valorem tax what proof one-fourth of one per cent. on all lands pertine in this state not exempted by the ordinance admitting the state into the Union, or specially exempted by the provisions of this act, on all money loaned at interest by individuals, or employed by them in the purchase of notes, bonds, checks or bills of credit of any description, whatever, as security for money advanced, on all goods, wares and merchandize, sold by regular merchants, on all bank stock subscribed for in any incorporated bank in this state, which shall not have paid a bonus for its charter, or have been exempted by the provisions thereof, except stock subscribed for and

Property exempt

tion,

owned by the state, or some incorporated literary or charitable institution. An ad valorem tax of two and one-half per cent. on all merchandize sold by an auctioneer or transient vender of goods, an ad valorem tax of one per cent. on each pleasure carriage, watch and clock, kept for use, and one dollar on each and every Bowie Knife; a tax of one cent upon each head of cattle over the number of twenty, owned by any one individual; a tax of five hundred dollars on each billiard table set up or kept for public use; a poll tax of fifty cents on every free white male between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years; of five dollars on each and every free colored male between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years, and of seventy-five cents on each and every slave between the ages of five and sixty.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all from taxa-land appropriated to the use of any incorporated college, or other seminary of learning, or occupied by any church for public worship, or by any school house, court house or jail, or appropriated to the use of any poor house or house of correction, or belonging to to any public library or incorporated charitable institution, shall be exempt from taxation.

Fiscal year when to commence.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the fiscal year shall commence on the first day of March, and all taxable property brought into this state, or acquired by any individual between the first day of January, and the first day of March of each year, shall be subject to be taxed for that year, in the county in which the same may be situated. Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That be

sessors,

tween the first day of March and the first Duty of asday of July of each and every year, the tax assessor shall assess all the polls and all the property, real or personal subject to taxation in their respective counties; they shall each prepare an assessment roll in which they shall set down in separate columns the names of all the taxable inhabitants of the county, and each item of taxation with the value thereof, on which an ad valorem tax has been provided for in the first section of this act.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That within the time specified in the fourth section of Duty of asthis act, it shall be the duty of the assessor of each county in this state, to call upon each taxable inhabitant of his county, for a list of his or her taxable property, either in person or by leaving a written notice at his or her usual place of abode. And it shall be the duty of each taxable inhabitant within said time, to make out and deliver to the assessor a list of his or her taxable property, specifying particularly, the quality of land and its value per acre, the number of slaves above the age of five and below the age of sixty, the value of each, the number and value of all pleasure carriages, the amount of sales of merchandize for the year ending on the first day of March preceding, the amount of money loaned on interest or advanced on the security of bills, notes, bonds or checks at that time or during the preceding year, the number of clocks, watches, and their value, and all other property subject to taxation, owned or held by said inhabitants, which list, the assessor shall require the individual to verify by oath, which he is hereby authorized

Manner of

to administer; and if any one shall neglect or refuse to render to the assessor, when thus so required, a list of his or her taxable property, with the value thereof, verified by affidavit, the assessor shall make such list in valuation, and double taxes shall be charged against the person so neglecting or refusing to render a list; and if any assessor shall be of opinion that any property under the provisions of this act, subject to ad valorem taxation, or if the owner of property be a non-resident of this state, such assessor shall put a fair valuation on such property, and if any person shall feel himself, herself, or themselves aggrieved by the valuation of such assessor, they may refer the matter of valuation to the board of police of the proper county for adjustment, and it shall be the duty of any board of police of the proper county to which such valuation shall be referred to settle, and place a fair and just valuation on such property, which shall be final.

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That every person shall be assessed in the county in which he resides at the time of the assessment for all assessment, lands and personal property owned by him or her in said county, on the first of March, and for all money loaned at interest; and when the line between two counties divides a tract of land, it shall, if occupied, be assessed in the county in which the occupant resides; if unoccupied, each part shall be assessed in the county in which the same shall lie, and all property, both real or personal, owned by any person in any county other than that of his or her residence, shall be assessed in the county in which the same is situated, and if he or she have an agent in such county, the list thereof, may be

rendered by such agent, but if there be no agent of such in the county, the assessment list shall be made by the assessor.

companies

taxed.

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That all incorporated banking companies liable to taxa-Banking tion on their capital stock, shall be assessed in how to be the county where the principal office or place of transacting business is situated; but if they have no principal place or office for transacting business, then in the county or counties where the business of such company shall be conducted or carried on.

lice to

townships.

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the president of the board of police of each county in the state, to procure Board of po from the proper land office, a land book or cure a book book of maps, of all the townships or fraction-of maps of al townships in his county, designating and describing the date of the sale or entry of such and every tract, and by whom purchased, which book shall be neatly bound, and deposited in the office of the clerk of probates, as a book of reference and guide for the assessor of the county, and until such books can be procured, it shall be the duty of the assessors to ascertain from the records of their respective counties, and from the land office of the proper districts, all lands of non-residents.

roll to be

July.

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, That each assessor shall complete and certify the as-Assessment sessment roll of his county on or before the completed first day of July of every year, and shall of the first make three fair copies thereof, one of which he shall deliver to the tax collector, one he shall deposite in the office of the county treasurer, and the other he shall deposit in the office of the auditor of public accounts,

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