New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-06-04
CORRECTIONS.

Il
1t Is annoying to be forced into controversy with
ont having any arguments to reply to hut when, II
addition to this one Is obliged to follow an unargu
mentative opponent through the mazes Of his owl
contradiction and correct the numerous errors Of fac
he falls into, the thing becomes almost insnferabl!
disagreeable Particularly is this the case in the pre-
sent instance, where all the opposing parties con
cerned are gentlemen for whom we entertain higf
personal regard.
| We wish the Delta would argue, or stop using tn,
word We wish II would state facts, shut up shoI
90 far as the fact business is concerned. This thin9
Of being compelled to correct its socalled facts con
tinualy and to reply to its socaled arguments ever
lastingy, when its facts and arguments are. alik,
lusory and unsubstantial- we have to furnish
everything, and get nothing in return-s calculated
TO make us waste time that could find under othe
circumstances, better employment for.
The correction Of errors is always disagreeabe
From the commencement, up to the present moment
Of the municipal controversy now drawing to close
we have been obliged to correct the Delta. Excep
rectifying the mistakes it would commit semi. diurn
ally, 1t has left us little or nothing to do So far
argument was concerned it would afford us no chance
for it very wisely declined reply to webased ar
guments and our incontrovertible facts.
The Delta, Of Thursday evening, had q long article
headed City Administration and Taxation" Some
Of the errors therein made have already exposed
We now propose noticing others, for the purpose Of
correcting blanders Of the most glaring and unjust
description.
Here is error number one The Delta charges the
Council with extravagance in "buying coal at sew
enty cents bnshel." Thisis not So In pursuance Of
law, advertisement for proposals to supply the city
with coal, from the lowest bidders, was made The
lowest bid, after fair and public competition, was
seventy-fve cents per bushel. This bid the Council
rejected and other proposals are now duly advertised
for. In the name Of common decency, is there any
ground Of objection in this? Yet, without inquiry
we are sure the Delta proceeds to state as fact thai
which, if as true as it is absolutely untrue would be
a just cause of complaint against. the Council Is
there any justice in this Assuredly not.
Here is error number two: The Delta says, speak.
ing Of the taxes on corporations:
The Banks pay q tax on their income, and the
stockholders in the same institutions pay on their
stock.
How our neighbors could have fallen into such an
abyss Of unmitigated error is actually astonishing
However, it is but on par with their whole course
in this independent" controversy. Error has fol-
lowed mistake-and blunder error, from the begin.
ming. Now for the truth. The Banks are not taxed
on their income and the stockholders are not taxed
on their stock By State law both are exempted
from municipal taxation The stockholders pay
tax on the income derived from their stocks.
Here is error number three, and it is an abomina-
bly, atrocious Of which neighbors should
be heartily ashamed-and thank the stars for their
good fortune if anybody believes word they say for
fho he To c4r
ineficiency and extravaganza brought against the
present excellent Common Council a long article is
thus extraordinarily wound up:
But besides the enormous revenues of the corpora.
ton derived from this excessive and multiform taxa
tion the city treasury has received great relief from
extraordinary The sale of the batture alone
has poured into their Golfers over half million,
and that OF the citys interest in McDonoghs estate
another half million. And yet, with all these re-
sources, where are the great works, the improve.
mens, the thousand and facilities for trade for
comfortable residence, for health and cleanliness
which the corporation established to secure for
the people?
Now what is the truth--what are the facts? Let
US see The Delta speaks of revenues derived from
g the sale of the batture property. The American
party has not been in existence but little over four
years, and American Councils have not held sway
all that time by long shot. The last great sale of
inc the Democratic Council then in existence made
short work Of the proceeds for when their American
successors went into office, they found the city labor
ing under the disgrace Of innumerabe protests and
over half million Of cash warrants in circulation
Then again. the other only legitimate inference to be
drawn from the Deltas statement is utterly erroneous
The batture has proved source of loss, instead of
revenue, to the American Councils. Instead of hay
ing received anything from that quarter within the
last two or three years. they have been obliged to pay
out of the general treasury of the corporation, from
$4,000 to 100000, in accordance with the decis.
ions of our courts Instead Of having been assisted
by the great sale of 1855 they have been positively
hampered. In the case of the heirs of Delord Sarpy
vs.. The City Of New Orleans, for batture property
decided to have been Illegally sold by said city, the
Common Council refunded the Hon. John Slidel, on
the 18th Of May last, the large sum of $l9s29 So.
The error In regard to the citys interest in the
McDonogh estate" is, if possible, more horribly
atrocious than that in relation to the batture bust
ness. The Delta says that this fund is worth at
least half million dollars, and that it has been
poured iato the Golfers of the corporation, and
then asks, where are the great works. ETC., which
should flow from the possession and expenditure of
such enormous resources?
Now, again, what are the facts? Precisely oppo.
site to the differences drawn by the Delta The
funds derived from the sales of the McDonogh prop.
erty are dedicated to the cause Of educationare sac
red trust funds-and cannot be diverted from that
channel by the Common Council, or anybody else.
But, we weary of correcting the Delta, and having
exposed portion of its most material bunders will
draw this article to close. We have said enough,
we think, to open the eyes of the public.
THE CLAY MONUMENT.
The following letter from Mr. Joel T. Hart, the
artist at Florence, addressed to Ed. Parmele Esq,
Chairman Of Committee of Clay Monumental Assoca.
lion of New Orleans, makes a gratifying report of
progress and will certainly be read with interest.
The statue to be cast at Munich, Bavaria in the