New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-05-10

Mr.. Claiborne left the chair, when the above
ordinance was taken up for consideration, and
exposed his reasons for voting against the same,
as we'll as against the subscription by the city
to the stock Of the NewOrleans, Opelousas and
Great Western Railroad Company. His grounds
of opposition were ordered to be spread on the
minutes. -ll-..a. .- tl.T iee7l. IS s. q
against this ordinance and any other involving
similar consequences upon the following grounds
Those of my constituents Of the Third District whom
it mainly that is those of them who
the tax which it involves and who alone called upon
to vote on this question: opposed to 1t because they
have already suffered much from taxation and they
have much more in perspective for ordinary
debts for which their property is made liable by law that
they cannot bear any additional
too when the projected railroads likely to terminate
SO far from their district that they expect from them
but little advantage to their property whilst they
to be taxed heavily those about whose
erty the said railroads terminate and who derive from
them the main benefit and whilst too. that property
through which railroads to pass in different parishes
Of the State establishing their stations and bestowng
This species of special and heavy taxation would
therefore be Of most unequal and oppressive character
upon those OF constituents who would have to meet
and would under existing circumstances probably result
with many of them in eventual appropriation
q believe that the NewOreans and jackson, and the
Great North Western Railroads projected
more and that their YIELD long time least
viii be less than the estimates made. As enterprises
however of general benefit to the State at large should
rying them which unjust in more than one
point of view 1t is not fair that NewOrleans alone should
be- made to bear the burthen and then that only in
erest in New0reans should be taxed for it, viz the land
ed deny the argument that real estate alone is
benefited by railroad enterprises the merchant the bank
er the trader the manufacturer the politician, the spec
uator and all who have occasion to travel for business
pleasure equally benefited by the facilities and rapid
iy of communication which they afford and their execu-
tion when it is proposed to carry out by compulsory
process should be made at least to bear equally
sbe upon all interests in society The only just and
proximafively equal mode in my humble opinion Of Of
feong undertakings of such magnitude those in
question: is that the State should contribute proper
subscription by issuing her bonds. it be
constutionay done. or by levying special tax for
certain number of years upon the whole property of hs
Statehen with the aid of the voluntary subscription
Of those most immediately Interested let the city whel
she has restored her financial position and credit contrib
her share to these enterprises in her bonds ssuet
in their favor to such amount may be thought prudent
and payable in long term of years Thus the addtiona
taxation which these far reaching railroads would entail
would be but little felt and would be equal for iI
the long of years which the bonds would have tt
that property which would be found to have proet
most Of them would greater proportion of the tax
its valuations would be accordingly increased upon h
| assessment rolls.
B. do not believe that any considerable portion
OF NewOreans will be much benefited under the pro
posed plans is anticipated by many. 1t must be re
membered that the landed estate within the city Of NeV