Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-17

which was agreed to, and Messrs. Lloyd, Albert,
and McCutchen were appointed the conferees on
the para Of this Board. n
Mr. McCutchen submitted decentralization from
J. w. Owen proposing to furnish lightning rods
for the City Hall: which was referred TO the Com
mttee on Improvements.
z Mr. Albert, from the Committee Of Ways and
Means, 70 which the Mayors communication in re-
laton to the subject had been referred. and also
the communication Of ]. l.. Henshaw, Esq, late
Tax Clerk, made a written report, accompanied by
bill entitled " An act TO allow additional aid IN
the office of the Tax Clerk, and fixing the com
pensation;" which was read three times and passed
On motion Of Mr.. Venable, the report was Or
dered to be printed With the proceedings OF the
Board, and is as follows:
The Committee Of Ways and Means, to whom
was referred the communication OF the Mayor OF
the Esd ultimo in relation TO the tax books, and
asking additional aid temporarily, for the neces-
sary preparation of said books and also the COM
munication Of the late Tax Clerk, J. L. Henshaw,
ESQ, in reply TO implied charges against him con-
tanned in the Mayors communication, report First,
that they baye examined the books of the office,
and, after due consideration, have concluded that
the assistance asked for should be granted, and
report bill accordingly; second in relation to
the implied charge of dereicton of duty on the
part of the late Tax Clerk, your committee re-
port that, besides an examination of the books,
they have conferred with Mr.. Henshaw, and find
that, while he had not commenced upon the nep
tax books as stated by the Mayor, the work, as
far as it could be done up to the passage Of the
annual tax bill, was found made up in the books
Of last year, and ready to be transcribed into the
new books.
| Your committee would further state that the
failure to have tho tax books made out and ready
for the Collector, required by the sixth section
of the "act prescribing the duties of the Collector
of Taxes, and fixing compensation" approved
June 3, 1853, has, as we are informed, repeatedly
occurred in former years, and is rather owing to
impracticability in the law than any fault in the
late Tax Clerk or his predecessor.
Mr.. Walker, on leave, presented the petition of
Robert Downing, asking to be refunded certain
taxes enormously paid; which was referred TO the
Committee of Claims.
Mr. Lloyd, on leave, introduced bill entitled
An act for the purpose of preventing the over
drawal of appropriations, and for other purposes
which was referred to the Committee Of Ways and
Means.
On motion, the Board then took up for conside-
ration the bill from the Board oil Aldermen to pay
John Wheeler for services rendered the Commit
tee on Police.
Mr.. McCutchen moved to amend the bill by adj
ding thereto the following provso, which was
agreed to;
:" Provided, That in future no clerk shall be en-
ployed by any committee of either Board without
law being passed before his appointment author
izing the same"
The bill, as amended, was read a third time and
passed.
Mr. Lloyd, from the Committee of Ways and
Means, on leave, reported bill entitled An act
making appropriations to defray the general ex-
penses of the Corporation for the year ending 30th
June, 1857" which was laid on the table and or
dered to be printed in bill form.
On motion, the Board took a recess of fifteen
minutes.
The Board having resumed its session
A message was received from the Board of Al
dermen informing this Board that it had agreed to
n committee of conference on the disagreement of
the two Boards to the bill imposing taxes for the
year 1856, and had appointed as conferees Messrs.
Riggs, Houston, and Ruff.
After short absence, Mr.. Lloyd, from the Com
mittee of Conference on the bill above indicated,
reported that the committee had discharged the
duty assigned them, and had concluded to recon-
mend to the respective Boards the sum of sixty
five cents as the rate Of assessment; which was
agreed to.
The Board then adjourned