State v. Falkinburge

15 N.J.L. 320
CourtSupreme Court of New Jersey
DecidedMay 15, 1836
StatusPublished

This text of 15 N.J.L. 320 (State v. Falkinburge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Falkinburge, 15 N.J.L. 320 (N.J. 1836).

Opinion

Ryerson, J.

The defendant who prosecutes this writ, lives in Cape May, but owns land in Cumberland, on which he'grazes cattle. At the time of the annual assessment in the year 1834, and for some time before, he had feeding' on these lands ninety-nine cattle subject to taxation. An assessment on these cattle was made in Downe, from which the defendant appealed; but not obtaining the relief sought, he has sued out. this writ.

But we have been met in the threshold of this case, with the objection, that we have no jurisdiction. It is not indeed denied, that this court has a general, superintending controul by certiorari, over all inferior jurisdictions proceeding in a summary way, and over all Commissioners and officers appointed to execute a trust or power, general or special. It was contended however, that in this particular case, the jurisdiction is taken away by the words of the statute, Rev. Laws, 308, Section 3, which declares that the judgment of the Commissioners shall be final and conclusive. But I can find no case where such general words were allowed that potency. Rex v. Morely, 2 Burr. 1040, is a case to the contrary. It seems, nothing short of express words will deprive this court of jurisdiction. 1 Penn. 335, Vunck v. Whorl; 3 Hal. 305, Ackerman v. Taylor. In the well known case of The State v. Wilson, 1 Penn. 300, this objection was not taken.— Pennington, Justice, expressed a doubt about the regularity of the proceeding, but wherefore, he does not say. And in New York, Lawton v. Comrs. of Highways, 2 Caines’ Rep. 179, the Supreme Court held proceedings reviewable, although the statute declared them conclusive. It would seem from consulting the cases referred to above, that nothing short of express [323]*323words will deprive this court of its jurisdiction. But I am far from thinking it would be an unreasonable exercise of discretion, to refuse the writ, whenever the exigency of the public affairs, would not tolerate an interference with the prompt collection of taxes.

The principal point sought to be settled, is, whether these cattle are liable to be taxed out of the township where the owner has his domicil. For the defendant it was contended, that the general rule of law is, that personal property follows the owner, and is subject to the law and burdens of his domicil, unless some law of the place where it is situate, conflict with the law ot domicil. And for the proof of this proposition his counsel cited 1 Green, 326, Varnum v. Camp. But let us test this proposition by applying it to a few cases. A man in New York,' or Philadelphia, thinks proper to open in this State, a store or shop for the sale of merchandize. Which has the right to tax the capital of that store, or the business there carried on, New Jersey, or a neighbouring State? Or suppose he establishes a tannery, or carriage making establishment, a manufactory of clothing, of harness, or sadlery. Who would think of taxing the capital employed in this various business, out of this State, where the owner may happen to live ? Or, to put a stronger case, suppose a Bank established here, with a capital of half a million, nine-tenths of which was owned by 11011-residents. Which would have a right to tax the stock, this State, or another ? And yet this capital is peculiarly afloat, both as respects the ownership and employment. The truth is, that personal, as well as real estate, has a locality, although not so permanent, nor always ascertained with so much certainty. It appears to me therefore, that the counsel for the defendant has laid down his premises with too much latitude. Personal property would not seem to be subject to the burdens incident to the owner’s residence. Nor does the case cited, support the position assumed, or go beyond prescribing a rule for ascertaining the true owner, in law or equity. Neither is the position reasonable. A man’s personal property, his choses in action, his trade and business, need and receive the protection of the laws of that country, where they are situate, accruing, or carried [324]*324on. They have all the benefit resulting from the society in whose midst they are, without regard to the owner’s residence. They should therefore pay their part of the expense of maintaining and administering those laws, and supporting that society. It appears to me selfevident, that if an inhabitant of Philadelphia, thinks proper to own land, and carry on the business of a grazier in New Jersey, all the capital invested in that business, whether in lands or cattle, should assist to bear the expenses of those institutions by which the owner’s property is protected. For his personal protection, he may be personally taxed, (in contradistinction to an assessment on his estate,) where that personal protection is enjoyed.

If I am correct in this principle, as applied to States or nations, it seems, equally to extend to the subdivisions of any particular State. Those subdivisions may have, and in our State, actually have, their peculiar burdens and expenses, advantages or disadvantages. I can perceive no reason therefore, why the owner of cattle with which, grazing lands are stocked, should not be taxed, where the owner’s profit on those cattle is made, or accrués. Just asa tannery, or store are assessed as such, independent of the tax on the lands.

It has been supposed that the 1st Section of the act, of 1833-4, Pamphlet Laws, 169, militates against this conclusion. But all the inference which can be legitimately drawn from that act is, that the Legislature did not think proper to subject nonresident owners of mere chattels, to that particular tax. And it was also said, that the 3d Section prescribed a rule with regard to dogs, and a particular kind of horses, which were exceptions to the general rule of law, and as such, proved the truth of the rule, as the prosecutor claims it. But with regard to dogs, the departure from the established rule is to show the person who is to pay; that is he who harbours, and not the owner : but does not intimate where he (the man who harbours) is to be assessed, leaving that to be settled by other principles, or enactments. And with regard to the horses, they were likely to be out of the very place, where, in justice, and upon the general principles on which I insist, they should be taxed, before the assessment could be made: and to prevent their [325]*325escape altogether from taxation, or being subject to it in a wrong place, and to remove all difficulty in so peculiar a case, the enactment was made in affirmance, and not as an exception to the general principle, which ought to prevail.

Again: It was insisted that the general scope and import of the provisions of our general law respecting taxes, Rev. Laws, 465, is against the conclusion to which I have come. But no such hostility can be found in the act. It is true, a man’s personal property subject to taxation by our law, will generally be found within the bounds of the township where he resides. And upon that general basis, the law is framed. But it is equally clear, that the Legislature by that very act, (see Section 13th,) contemplated casos where the persons against whom the assessment was made, were not to be found in the township, and other persons too, than mere non-resident landholders. The section just referred to, has no particular reference to landholders, as such merely: Nor is it in my opinion, confined to the single case of a removal after the assessment, and before the payment of the taxes.

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Bluebook (online)
15 N.J.L. 320, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-falkinburge-nj-1836.