The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-09-07
- o.
ICOMMUNICATED.


gioe Company No. l.
COMMUNICATED.
To TIE ELECTcRs OF THE ToWN OF
MANITowoC. 1T is well known to you,
that We the undersigned, by causing to be
levied tax on your property of $50 600,
to be expended in the construction or i'm
provement of your harbor, have affected
ourselves to the imputation Of wanton
violation Of the duties Of our Office and
to reckless disregard Of your interests.
Though ignorance Of the law excuseth
no man, yet in order 10 disabuse your
minds Of all misapprehensions, or of l'ur-
posed or innocent perversiors of the pro-
visions of she law under which we as your
representatives have acted, ard to quiet
or ailay if possible the present excitement
in the public mind produced by these
imputations upon our official conduct aud
originating either in ignorance or malice.
we submit to your consideration a state
nen; Of tie substance of the provisions Of
the law by Which our official action thus
far has been governed.
Section one, Of tie harbor act Of last
winter as amended provides, that the
supervisors " are authorized and directed
to levy tax on all the taxable property
III said town, IN addition TO the taxes for
state, county and town purposes, for each
Of the years 1866 1867 aud 1868, TO the
amount of twenty thousand dollars
annually x to be expended in
and about the construction or improve
ment Of The halbor, &c"
Could We, under this provision Of the
law sanctioned by the almost unanimous
vote Of our citizers, do otherwise than
levy this tax Of 81 1000, as we have done,
without ihcurrlng the guilt of a most
paIpable violation OF the law and the
sanctity Of our official oaths? We have
done no more nor no less than the law
directed, and our oaths bound US to do.
l. NAV here be said tha, many of yon
demonstrated against our doing the act
which we have done, and that We should
have obeyed the wishes OF ihe remon>
strance, and disregarded the Injunction
and solemn obligations imposed upon US
bv the law. We could not do this, with
out losing our own self respect and justly
forfei,ing yours.
Again, it is said that it was not your
design in voting this harbor tax to have
it levied in the event Congress made any
appropriation for that object, and that
such appropriation having been made, the
necessity of the levying of this tax has
been obviated Admitting this to be
true, how could that relieve US from the
responsibility of performing the acts tie
law required Of US. The law has not con
stitutcd us the judges of your designs il
the vote you have given, nor does it con,
fer upon US any Discretionary power tc
determine the necessities in the case
Section second of the act provides, lha,
the tax authorized and directed by this
act, shall be levied, assessed and collected
in sald town, and shall when collected
be paid over bv the town treasurer, &c .
Shall be leUied by whom7 Why the
Supervisors. What amount of tax shall
be levied in the year 1866? Why
$50 600. We have followed this plain
direction of the law, and leoed the tax
and we should have failed if We hal
| attempted to find any construction OF
inter pretation Of the law by which we
could with any propriety or Jecency have
avoided the act We have already mos
conscientiouslv performed, and we believe
that this will te accorded to us by you al
whenever your minds shall become posses
sed by sober, second thoughts upor
| this subject.
Though they may have but little if any
weight with you under your present stat,
Of excitement, we beg leave to submit
some opinions and suggestions upon tht
important subject upon your harbor i'm
provements. Mani;owoc county with it
population OF thirty thousand inhabitant,
is crippled 10 its energies and retarded il
the growth OF its resources and tht
advancement Of lis wealth, By the want 0
safe and commodious harbor at lht
mouth Of its main river, and this became
SO apparent TO the citizens of our town
that las, year they almost unanimousl,
came TO the resolve that with or without
al appropriation bv Congress for tina