The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-30
TO The Tar Payers of the City, and especially Of III,
Second Hard

Second Ward.
FELLOW CITIZENS: The following communica-
ton is submitted to your consideration with equal
regret and reluctance, but from a sense of i'm
perous duty with some little knowledge of the
truths asserted and which the writer thinks of quite
sufficient importance to engage your serious atten-
ton for a few days, until the approaching munich
pal election takes place. From several causes OF
dissatisfaction with city Legislation and admin
istraton, two only will be here presented to your
notice. most appropriate, at the present moment,
acts of your public servants, now enjoying
piring TO popular preferment. ] presume il is
known to all of you that by provisory clause in
the act passed at the end Of the last Council, pro-
viding for the general assessment of taxable prop
erty under the charter, it ordained that
after the year lS49 tax should be laid and col
lected at a higher rate than sixty cents per one
hundred dollars-a proviso moved by the writer.
strenuously opposed in both boards, but, by un-
wavering perseverance, finally agreed to in a com
mittee of conference, and adopted part of the
law referred TO. This was justified by full
knowledge of the sufficiency of the resources Of
the corporation, for all Legitimate demands upon
its treasury, if regularly collected and properly
applied; and but for entire confidence in this know
ledge, founded on some eight ten years of Off
ciaI connexion with that particular branch Of
poration affairs, the author would have been the
last in either board of that day 10 offer such pro-
position.
What, then, fellow citizens and fellow tax-pay-
ers must be common surprise TO learn that there
men bill imposing taxes for the year 1850, de-
signed TO re-esablish the old rate Of taxation, rs
cents per 800, the maximum authorized by the
old and the new charters; and, no doubt, If more
were allowed, more would be exactcd. The writer
hestacs not TO assert that the rate fixed by law,
short year ago, and now is amply sufficient for
all useful purposes of city expenditure. Ii may
truly be said to be ample, because there then
largely upwards of Sl00, 900 Of arrearages Of col
lectabe taxes due which, with the facilities under
the new charter ofevying and collecting the taxes
within the current year, with increasing assess
ments, establishes the fact beyond all controversy,
and all aspirants after popular favor challenged
to refutation Of this truth, if they The wri-
ter has been careful 20 ascertain II possible the
sons, if reasons there be- Of this logged necessity
for keeping up this onerous burden upon the pock-
cts of the Taxpayers, TO the last mill allowed by the
charter, in the face of existing law, and OF justice
too.
And, fellow citizens, if you startled at the
wisdom OF returning TO the old and highest rate Of
taxation as being necessary 10 the support Of the
corporation you will be scarcely less astonished If
you not disgtsted, at of the Of this
dire necessity of calling upon us for twenty per
cent more than VIC ought 10 pay assess
mcnts for this year lSo0-and how many future
years many of US may not hive to know-when you
are informed that one, at least and that probably
plausible some others, is the doubling Of Ds
compensation Of the members Of the too Boards by a
gerry act Of their oton thereby increasing that item
of expense some seventeen or eighteen hundred dol
lars year, in the opinion Of the writer, without
shadow Of reason justification, but, AZ is rather
apprehended, greatly TO the prejudice Of the true
interests Of the city. Two dollars for an hour
or two Of an evening once week, being much
moro likely TO excite the cupidity ofthe dema gogue
and the loafer-classcs OF men possessing easier
TO the popular with universal suffragethan
the proper class of citizens those who could really
feel the effects Of their acts, who alone ought
70 be entrusted with the high function Of Legislation
for this growing community. Under the circum-
stances thus crudely stated, it is earnestly recon-
mcnded TO the voters 10 vote for no candidate who
will not publicly pledge himself TO use every exer-
ton 10 keep the rate OF taxation down sixty cents
in the hundred dollars and TO repeal the section in
recent law doubling the pay Of the members.
SECOND WARD.