Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-09
CITY Council.

TUESDAY EVENING, March
Council met in special session pursuant to adj
journment.
The Committee on Accounts reported as to
Pest House claims. Allowed.
The Committee on Fire Department reported
in favor OF erecting sheds in various localities.
Tabled.
sundry gas post estimates were read and
tabled.
The Fire Engineer reported with reference to
the sale Of the old engines Friendship" and
"Conqueror. Respectfully submitted. Adopt
ed
Mr. Brown submitted the following report on
the subject of bounties, which was concurred in:
INDIANAPOLIS, March 8. 1864
Mr. President-The special committee to
whom was referred the subject of appropriating
money TO pay bountes TO such of the re enlisted
soldiers OF the 18th Regiment Indiana Volun-
teers as have been credired to indianapolis upon
their muster-in rolls, and to levy a special tax to
raise revenue 10 meet such appropriation, beg
leave TO make the following report:
The Legislature OF 1861 passed an act author
izing incorporated cities TO appropriate out of
their treasures such sums as they may deem
proper for the protection and maintenance of the
families Of volunteers and Ito levy each rear n
special tax upon all the taxable property and polls
within their respective jurisdictions, for the pur
pose of paving the said appropriations the inter
est thereon" This power does not, in the opin-
ion of your committee, authorize a special levy
to be made at any other time than that fixed by
law for making the general levy, which is within
one month after the selection of the Assessor
The act referred to does not authorize the issuing
of bonds upon which to borrow money to meet
expenses Incurred in protecting ana maintaining
the families of volunteers. .
The act of 1881, governing incorporated cities,
provides that "lOans may be made by vote Of
two thirds of the Common Council in anticpa-
ton OF the revenue Of the current and following
year. and payable within that period; but the
aggregate amount of such loan shall not exceed
the levy and tax authorized by this act for mu
nIcipa expenses for the same year" 1t is also
provided that ono incorporated city, under this
act, shall have power TO borrow money except in
the execution of the powers herein expressly
granted. unless three fourths of the resident tax
payers shall petition the Common Council TO
contract such a debt or Loan" and that a levy
may be made sufficient to pay the interest on
such loan, with an addition OF not less than five
cents on the hundred dollars TO create sinking
fund to liquidate the principal The powers
pressly granted in 1851 do not embrace the add
tional powers granted in 1861, TO appropriate
money for the benefit of the families of volun
teers, and TO levy special taxes TO meet such ap-
preparations Therefore it follows that such in
utOttNit>c must bt w SptIiAi ItAdtiOU,
that such revenue, so created cannot be antici-
pated by loans upon bonds.
Again. the amount OF any such loan, If it
could be legally made, cannot exceed the levy
and tax authorized for municipal expenses for the
same year, and must only be in anticipation of
the revenue OF the current and following year.
The current year is the fiscal year from Nav,
1863, to May, 1864, and the following year that
from May, 1864, to May, 1865 1t is known that
the for the ,lv
exhausted. but the amount of outstanding in
debtedness, added to a reasonable expenditure
tor the year following. for needed municipal pur
poses, will greatly exceed the revenue to be col
lected between now and MAY. 1865. without tax
ing into account our bonded debt OF S25 900.
Therefore loan cannot be egitmately made in
anticipation OF revenues already anticipated.
Your committee, in view of the limited pow
ers granted the Council. cannot recommend that
money be borrowed or bonds be issued to pay the
4 bounties allowed.
| The committee do not consider that faith has
been violated by refusal to make the appropria
! ton asked. Nor do we concur in the belief that
but for the re enlistment and credit 10 this city of
the veterans of the 9TH regiment, our CITY
would not have filled lis quota The first call
was filed by home enistments, and the second
call has been nearly filled by the same class Of
recruits enlisted since the 9Th of January, with
out counting the veterans. II is certain, too.
that over $50 veterans have been credited to this
county in regiments and batteries without count
/ ing those of the 18th regiment And all of these
/ $50 are residents of this county.
Your committee would suggest that expert
| ence has laugh, that the local bounty system
is at best not the surest way TO encourage enlist
ments and we recommend that in fnture. we
husband our resources and devote what can be
spared to liberal appropriations for the benefit Of
the hundreds of families OF soldiers in our midst
indianapolis has, far, done well in this regard
and should continue in well doing If the gov
eminent bounties not sufficiently large, lie,
them be increased and let the tax levies be made
by United States officials in sufficient amounts to
meet all expenditures necessary to recruit the
armies of the Union to what is required
Your committee would add that conference
was had with the County Commissioners and thai
they declined to make any further appropriation:
to pay bouniies.
AUSTIN II BRowS
L. II. JAMESON.
i ) A. FLETCHER.