Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1868-03-12
Important Order to Tax-Payers.
Head Quarters Fifth Military District, !
New Orleans, La, Feb %, 1868.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. lao.

Head quarters FDth MAltdTy DiStTsCf, I
New Orleans La, Feb. %, 1868. {
SPECIAL ORDERS No. lao.
Eztrdet.1
n he Auditor and treasurer of the State of LOU
4 isiana have officially represented to the Com
manding General of the Fifth Military District
that .'the Indebtedness Of the state is such, that
under the present revenue laws the debt cannot be
paid" and the Governor of the State has in an
official communication to the Commanding Gen
eral, dsclared that the Gtate Treasury is totally
bankrupt, that the Judges and all other officers of
the State cannot be paid, and that unless some
remedy be applied the machinery of civil govern
ment in the State must stop. The collection of
arrear taxes for four years, was, by Act Of the
Legislature suspended until the year $40, and the
appropriation Act of the State passed on the
25th March, 1867, to meet the current expenses OF
the State expired on the 3lst December, 1867. so
that no adequate provision, for the current year
now exists, and no payments can be made by the
Treasurer. The emergency of the case is so
pressing and immediate and prompt action SO in
dispensable to present anarchy and confusion and
the loss of all semblance of civil law, that the
Commanding General feels it his duty to use his
authority for the relief of the State in this exgen
cy. Upen the recommendation of his Exceency
Gov Baker, it is therefore ordered
/. That from aud after this day all the licenses
on trades, professions and occupations, the reve-
nues, dues and taxes of the State of Louisiana
shall be payable and collectable in United States
Legal Tender Treasury Notes. 1t is made the
sons charged with these collections to exact pay
ment as above.
ii. The Auditor and Treasurer of the State
shall be required to keep O special and separate
account of all dues, taxes, funds other public
moneys which shall be received by them hereafter
from any and all Collectors of Taxes or from other
sources, and it shall be their duty to appropriate
the same to the payment of the salaries of the
Judicial, Executive and Civil Officers of the
State aud to pay and discharge all the appropria-
~, rnft ha
the Free Public Schools; for the rent of the Me
chancs Institute and for the support of the State
convicts. The Act of the Legislature making
appropriations for the general expenses of the
State ending the 3lst of December, 1867, so AR
as the appropriations therein set forth apply to
the above enumerated officers and ms itutOns will
be adopted by the said Treasurer and Auditor and
other officers if the said Legislature had passed
the same Act providing for the year 1868, making
appropriations for the objects hereinbefore spec-
fled in this order for the sums contained in said
Act; provided, however, that the Treasurer of the
State shall not pay any other outstanding war
rants other obligations of the State than those
that are issued against appropriations for the last
quarter Of the year 1867, restricting himself in
the payment of these last mentioned obligations
to those applicable to and issued in favor of the
officers and institutions herein before referred to
in this order, and for whose special benefit and
protection this order provides. dnd.shr no others.
Ill. For the purpose of carrying out this order
without delay, the Tax Collectors throughout the
State of Louisiana will report Immediately under
oath, to the State Treasurer the kinds and amounts
of funds and moneys collected by them up to this
date.
w. For the purpose of avoiding expenses
throughout the State, the Assessments which have
been made for the year 1867 are adopted as If the
same had been made for the year 1868, and the
Collectors will be required to perform their duties
under existing laws
BY command of Major General Hancock:
GEO. L. HARTsUFF,
Assistant Adjutant Ganeral.
Taxpayers will comply with the above order.
j. e. HUGHES.
March 4, 1868. Sheriff & Collector.