New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-07

ALFRED kEARNY.
NEW ORLEANS, June /, 1868.
Brevst Major General Robert G. Buchanan, Com.
handing Fifth Military District;
At the last sitting of the Boards of Alder
men and Assistant Aldermen the following
preamble and resolution was unanimously
adopted;
WHEREAS, Grave doubts exist as to the
power OF the city of New Orleans to enforce
the payment of the unpaid taxes due this
city for the years 1861 1862, 1868, 1864, and
1865 until the first of January, 1870 in con
sequence of the various acts of the Legis
lature postponing the collection OF State
and paroChia taxes due until that period,
which acts of the Legislature are construed
by many persons to include the city taxes
for those years; and
Whereas, One of the great sources of en-
barrassment of the city corporation arises
from the non-coleCtion of the taxes due the
city for those years, amounting as they do
to over three millions of dollars therefore
" ResolUed, That ioint committee, consist
ing of three members of dashboard and two
members of the Board of Aldermen, be APP
pointed to memorialize Brevet Major Gen.
eral r. G. Buchanan, commanding this mil
itary district, to order the collection of the
taxes in arrears to this city for said years
immediately
And your petitioners were appointed to
act as said committee.
The city of New Orleans has less debt in
proportion to the inhabitants and wealth,
and a smaller rate oftaXation, than any other
large city in the Union.
In 1852 when many of our citizens were
absent, the unpaid taxes were funded by the
issuing of currency, equal to the amount of
said taxes, which currency was to be de-
stroyed upon the payment Of the taxes upon
which it was based. This rule, at first, we
believe, was generally followed but in after
years, when other hen filled the offices, the
issue of currency was largely increased, and
soon ceased to represent that for which it
was originally intended, In the meantime
the expenses of the city went on.
The exact condition of affairs at present
is that we have circulation of something
less than four millions of dollars, which is
the property of our citizens, while on the
other hand the citizens owe to the city in
the shape of unpaid taxes nearly the same
amount.
After the cessation of hostilities and at
the next session of our Legislature bill was
purpose of relmbursing parties who had
paid their taxes See acts Of Louisiana,
1866, p. II, chap, Ga.
In the same year another act was also
passed eXempting property which had been
seized by the Federal government from tax
aLlUu lUI Lu5 Nbdlb lOOlt 1000, lODAt ANU 1000.
See act of Louisiana, for 1866, p. 2S4, chaps.
l2l and l22.
The last two acts did not receive the sig
nature of the Governor.
On the 10th day of February, 1866 by an
act of the Legislature (see act of 1866, page
A, chapter 245) all State and parish taxes
were suspended till January l, 1868, and on
March g. 1867 (see acts of 1867, page rs,
chapter 47l) this act was extended to jan
uary, 1870. And by an act OF 1857, chapter
lac page 1885, all costs and interest on taxes
| were . fered TO be refunded.
The act OF 1866, chapter 12l, page 234,
| says; "That all seizures for city taxes for
1861 1852, 1853 and 1864 be and are hereby
postponed until the reorganization of the
civil municipal government"
A city government, so far as the people of
the city Of New Orleans were concerned, was
elected and organized about the first of April,
| 1866. That city government has since been
superseded, aud one in its place appointed
| by the military power. Now, it appears to
your petitioners, after a careful examination
of all the foregoing acts, that the last cited
is the only one which applies directly TO the
unpaid taxes due the city of New Orleans;
still there are those who hold to the contra
ry. Whether this be SO or not one thing Is
1 certain. that a fair and equitable
construction of the acts will show that the
citizens of New Orleans can not well COM
forced to pay up their taxes, and particu-
| larly as they can do so at this time with the
city money at almost forty per cent dis
count, which discount will far exceed the
back interest and costs which may have
accrued.
The citizens of New Orleans who remain
ed ut home hive paid their saxes as they
were assessed, but those who were away are
4 permitted By the Legislature an exemption
| Till 1870. This is doing injustice, and is
special legislation in favor Of one portion Of
our citizens and agaLnst the other, and any
i State or city which sanctions such legisla-
tion must inevitably become inaOtyent.
Your petitioners respectfully ask your At.
I tention to the said acts, and shat after due
consideration you viii be pleased to
issue an order setting aside all Of said acts,
or so much OF them az will permit the city
Of New ORLEANS to collect at once all taxes
due to It, believing as we do that such an
order at this time will work for the general
/ good of both CITY and citizens.
e. w. BURBANK,
Chairman on part of Board of Aldermen
J. 2. SULLIVAN,
Chairman on part of Board Of Assistant Al.
JOHN 3. SCOTT,
i .t.-.a N5EE Al FpEFf II Ia QAfE i