The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-01-29
Meeting al Clinton,

and Marion townships, held at the tow
of Clinton on this the 18th day of January
A. D. 1859, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the subject of paying the
taxes for the present fiscal year, on mo.
ton, E. BoND was called to the chair and
A. CURTrss appointed Secretary.
On motion, the following gentlemen
were appointed committee to iutroduc.
resolutions expressive Of the sense Of th,
meeting J. A. BEAM, HENRY HIATT, G,
W. UMBARGER.
The committee submitted the followin,
report:
WHEREAS, An effort is now being mad,
to collect taxes in this vicinity, and
WHEREAS, A general dissatisfaction
amounting to open rebellion and repudia.
ton of said tax, is everywhere expressed;
therefore
Resolved, That we, the citizens Of Gin.
ton and Marion townships, in the COUNTY
of Douglas, K T., in mass convention nov
assembled, are unanimously in favor Of !
having bad laws repealed instead of opea
rebellion against them, as such course
would have a deleterious and injurious
tendency against the enforcement Of jua
and equal laws.
RESOLVED, That we are perfectly willing
to pay annually a reasonable and equal
tax on property fairly assessed, but we are
unitedly unicilling to pay noio and torers
the partial, unequal and enormously high
tax which is demanded by the End Of Nay
next, or our property will be sold for the
payment of said tax.
Resolved, That real estate should always
be assessed with due discrimination and
Judgment in reference to its locality, the
amount of improvements, &c. Instead Of
this, unimproved land in the remote cor.
ner of the county is assessed at four do.
lars per acre, which is double its real value
while land we'll improved, in the central
or North eastern parts ofthe county, which
would readily command rs and 80 dollan
per acre, is assessed at only five dollaH
per acre, which makes the former pay ten
times as much tax in proportion to his
real capital as the latter.
Resolved, That further objections are
urged against the payment of this tax be.
cause large amount of taxable property
is not assessed. Consequently while one
man is required to pay the enormous de.
mand, his neighbor, equally taxable, Ia;
nothing to pay.
Resolued, That high taxes being always
Objectionable, we think it exceedingly bad
policy and unwise to lay the tax higher
than one-fourth to one-third per cent, as
anything above this will have delete.
rious and injurious tendency against the
agricultural interest which should allOdy'
be protected and encouraged.
Resolved, That the affairs Of our county
have been badly managed, the county be-
ing required to pay five hundred dollars
for building for the purpose Of Jail,
which was entirely worthless for said pur-
pose, and was never worth over one hun.
dred and fifty dollars, and further by
paying rents extravagantly high for offices
for county purposes.
Resolved, That committee of three be
appointed to wait upon the Legislature
now in session at Lawrence and demand
that they, the peoples servants, shall re-
peal the law by which the collection Of
said tax is proposed to be enforced. and
give us instead, tax. law which an honest
and industrious community will submit
to, without the necessity of its being en-.
forced.
On motion the report of the committee
was accepted.
On motion the resolutions were adopted.
On motion,
Resolved, That committee of four DO
appointed to draft aud circulate petition
praying the Legislature for redress oil
our grievances.
j. A. BEAM, II. BURsoE, II. HIATT and
A. HAsKINs were appointed said com.
mittee.
On motion,
Resolued, That the proceedings OF this
meeting be published in the Herald Of
Freedom and Lawrence Republican.
ELLIS BOND, President
A. CURTIss, Secretary.
Mr.. Curtiss and d. G. Peabody, ESQ,
protested against the proceedings Of this
meeting. on the ground that this is not the
proper remedy for our grievances.