Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-07-12
X CHI Nj OND WHIG.
To THE PEOPLE or RICHMOND


| to yona plain narrative OF facts
! Although Ar. : speaks Oi the adoption OF tb. neu
Constitution IN the wear 1880, the people Of Rchmon,
"r'ay, SUPPOSE, must be that the new Co,sti.
'u't1n ~s bt rOmplcte by the Convention until Au,u
S5l. and wa not ratified b, the voter until October sb
II va put into operation by Legislature which afr
-'''g ia 1872 itom January to June adjourned to DE.
Sthoer aid closed IT. session ia April 1855 after adopt
us permanent provisions OF the laws 20 conform,
, 10 the ne" Constitution. resigned place n a merr-
Der OF the Council before taking in that lie islatur
aud although the voters Madison Ward ap,iu ,.rt
me, the state U my health Gid JUSTIFY ,. i'm Iaho,;,
much longer Ia the Council. and hualv whdre~ from
~ The early part Vi 1855 ami IA ide rp abroad since
"a' peiiOd nave drawn no ordinance tine subject of
aNaiion until the ordnance of Sth January ls56 an.
circumstances leading ~hic, will nos advert TO
Although the Council adopted Il resolution requesting
e 10 complete the revision Oi tile City ordinance wa
reluctant To- undertake the work, without at - -oue
arrangement ~ TO the manner Oi carrying u aud some
iets'AndnS a. to what was desired U definite
than would gather FROM the the resolution and
d nothing towards the ~otk until April 1855 when .d-
dressed the Council notwithstanding than they .oud
lave 20 do they really wished the revision 10 on ON
Among other things, alluded the great of the
City debt and the Importance o considering whether taxa
ton should not be upon the ad raiorea princip. and
suggested the prophet. OF appontinga committee to eo-
et Win me- The Council forthwith, (Nithout believe
dissenting voice. adopted resolutions Tor an ordinance
on the at Galore" principle and Tor the appointment OF
of that committee, Messrs Mills and Mctanca mar.
han any other conferred with told at the out.
et that they could get any to DO tie would
i bc equally acceptable TO thcm and the word
rcer to be relieved from ii. They advered however 10
he part lad performed IN revising the State laws and
what had done when in the Counci about the City Or
iieances, and expressed strong desire TO have the benz
hi Of conference with legal principles as wei, a.
my aid as craftsman ia Carrying what might oe con.
cuded on In the hope that the work might
way that would be useful the City as well as cred.
table to those connected with agreed make be.
ginning towards il.
The subject OF taxation first engaged the attention of the
Committee. The ordinance OF January l3 ls5l "conc.rn
ulput of taNe-
heard the views OF the Committee read them the clan
es oi the new constitution the subject taxation and
gave them my impression the bearing OF these cau.
Oh the Cy powers This full and free conference result
ii IA the ordnance OF the Sth January 1856 defining
the powers aud prescribing the duties and compensation
., the Of the City taxes which was followed nv
the ordnance OF the 10th Jar dary 1856 concerning wac
pn dIays, and carriages. After these ordinances n
contemplated there would be a short ordnance 6xnp
the per centum bc collected for assessed taxes
Alter the new Council came into office Mr. Saunder.
apped to- and obtained from the such an ordi
nance few lines sutced for it. since its purpose was
merely hx the pr sum laid As taxes ON the
persons and subjects ascertaned and entered on the As
ssors book under the ordinance OF the sth of January
sJo TO wit on real estate, Tree male Inhabitants above
e age OF 81 year, slaves over the age oi IL years and
lther personal estate The paper thus drawn by me was
afterwards brought back by Mr. :. with emoranda i'm
porting tat besides such pr cfla or sum, desired
70 ay very considerable additional taxes on u.rsons in
certain branches Of business thought these aditiou
lakes could not properly bc Laid in the way proposed and
declined drawing the ordinance in that way Such addi
uua taxes were not consistent with the al lIore pri,
cple contemplated by the ordinance of the st of
1896 aud there not in that ordinance anv proper h
SIS for them Ii it desired to Law thes, additional
- the proper mode vi doing lay them as taxes
pn the license tor the business and exenpt from ,ax the
capital invested in such business / understood Mr. :
alter hearing my objections that he would convene
| Ihe Committee again. Being under all engagement to
ave Richmond next morning To attend the Supreme
Court AZ Washington, would offer to meet the Com
mtee, but suggested to him get Messr Mill. and Nc
ihcc 10 attend, aud explain 20 the Committee the views
| Nks4UIu fl...a .f.r 1T. II.
rII,,,, ,y s.,,S,, -. ~. .'. li ai'd Tue
Vas not procured On my return from Washington /
promptly called on DIR. Dove the Chairman of the Com
m'ee on revision stated objections the
proposed by Mr. $. and remarked that il when one Conn
c had, so late January carefully considered and re-
lSed all ordnance another should soon as April e..
to work making material changes should feel dsbeat
ened For il the time oi the Council was now 20 be Ia
Nen up with such changes, should despair OF its getting
through in short period with the other subjects TO b.
embraced in the revision. learnt then from Dr. Dove
with much concern that the ordinance to which had sta
| ted such objections, already passed.
After this, the Council passed various ordinances impo
sing taxes, without communication between them ard
mysel, on the subject, until the fooSing note
10 DR. joins DOVE Charm Of the COMMITTEES on Revision
DEAR SIESOme OF the auctoneers of this CITY having
applied to me, TO act as their counsel in testing the ega
y OF the taxes imposed them by an ordinance of the
city, have asked them show me the ordinance of which
they complain aud they have produced To me neusn,
per copy OF one which, if it be rightly printed certainly
liable TO exception Before taking any active part in oo
position to the City Council in respect 10 the eaty OF
he
tee on Revision whether they desire aid from me i'm
drawing an ordinance the subject You can show this
note to the other members OF the Committee and if thcv
wish my aid they can, the first afternoon that suits them
| meet at my house at o'clock
Let 1t not be supposed that in meeting me- the
COMMITTEE would meet one who would be biased
oy any lee as counsel to promote the interests
| OF the auctOneers. 30 far from it, my pecunarv
interest " have any, would be the other way have
received from the auconeers fee counsel and mean
TO receive from them none the Council should pass AT
OrfIu phV afturf fft.4 obi.
question. My wish il, that such conclusion may be ar
rived at, under all the circumstances NAV be most
proper.
You will please let hear from you after communiea
ting with other members Of the Committee
Respectfully. yours
CONWAY ROBINSON
Messrs. Dove, Saunders and Richardson having called
70 me, pointed out TO them numerous defects in the
ordinance referred TO- besides the objection to t as uncon
ssituuonaand it understood that remedy those
detects, and remove the objection would draw a new
ordnance concerning the taxes upon licenses to aucto
aud other sg ts' did So but the 9th section be-
ing struck out in the Council consider that the o5iec
ton Of uuconstitutionality still lies.
While the president Of the Council was 10 NV Office con-
ferrng about this ordinance gentleman called and stated
his purpose to contest the validity of much Of the per
ceioa laid on personal estate as exceeded the r e,
real estate and the president asking NV opinion of thai
matter At stated Being afterwards told that the
president expected my views of this matter TO be before
the Council, addressed him a letter presenting them
which remains filed, suppose with the clerk Of the Coun.
| ell.
The course taken with that letter. along with other cr.
curnstances, brought TO the conclusion that might
With propney, resign The post had occupied and that
after the original letter Of resignation lodged with the
clerk Of the Council copies might be furnished the
newspapers for publication. Nothing in the article Of Mr.
saunders has made doubt IN either cpec the sound
ness OF this conclusion: certainly his remark that was
employed aud paid II eHpoyed 10 act in the revision
OF The ordinances. Il i very cersin that have not been
pad Tor The services performed For hose services have
never received cent This mention in no spirit Of
complaint against the Council generally for have never
vet applied 10 them for compensation aud do not know
| that ever shall.
Wy fow-citizens generally will think agree with me-
that after rendering services In the vav have done At
great personal sacrifice, IL y unreasonable that nv
time should Pc taken up with newspaper controversy
con. ROBINSON.
| Richmond, J,iy 10. 1856.
Nrssrs Fprross I am .orrv d, h,v. a., ,o,, .,,, Len ,,