Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-21

ment is sensibly, and more and more
growing strong against such short
sighted legislation. A few may ind
individual profit in the oppression OF
their neighbors, and so consent to it,
bat the great heart Of the people is
right, they do not desire injustice to
any, and will not sanction it, even to
put money into their own pockets.
To say less, would be TO come short Of
doing them justice.
But the feature Of the city charter
Of which our correspondent speaks, is
abominable, even beyond all this!
Not only does it violate the fair and
equitable provision Of the Constitu-
ton, which is intended to secure equal
taxation and perfectly equal rights in
the ownership Of property Of all
kinds, but it goes further; and worse
still, having selected its victims TO be
inundated for the benefit of all the
rest, carries out the same deteStable
inequality in dealing with them, and
taxes some a thousand per cent. more
than Others, and even exOnerates from
taxation a portion Of the selected class
itself, so as to make the blow still
heavier and more crushing on those
who pay! VIII it be believed abroad,
when we state the unparalleled fact,
that the representatives of a people
clamorous for justice, equality, liberty
and a fair field for all, has levied, for
improvement of the public streets,
half a million taxes by the front foot,
without reference TO improvements or
value, leaving the owners of property
on the rear scot free, and taking from
those on the front in some instances
the whole value Of their property,
which is made less valuable or even
unsuitable by that very tax? VIII it
be believed that the property least
valuable pays the highest tax by this
arrangement, that a considerable por-
ton of the real estate taxed escapes
altogether by the express provision OF
the law itself, and that some Of the
real estate Of the city is taxed to an
amount greater than it VIII command
in the market for the full and fee sim-1
pie title to the whole property itself?
That is the strange truth. And yet
still stranger to say, there are those,
who, without arguments to defend, 1
still favor such a course Of mOnstr0us
legislation. We are glad to say they
are very few. There are many in
stances Of such oppression resulting
from this Law, which we believe with
out parallel in the world. We can
ute them by the dozen. Let one suhce.
A widow lady Of the city, the owner
Of a vacant lot, which was assessed on
-he books of the city at $1,000, was
.axed for the pavement in its front
$500. Willing, On the easiest possible
lerns, to get rid Of lawsuits and
rouble, which she supposed none
.oUid escape in the face OF a plain law
If the Legislature, she sent up her pc
itiOn to the city fathers 20 release her
or the extra two hundred and take
Ter lot! We suppose she may have
lad some others, and feared they
g too! But suppose that was
II she had and that, being unable to
the tax, her lot and perhaps her
tide sheltering home also, to be taken
rom herl Is it worth while to have
Constitution, laws and liberty so
allied, on such terms as that? Our
have only to make particular
to see the enormous oppression s
f this law in many cases, and its inc
and injustice in all. We ask
hem to examine this subject. We T,
invite communications. The subject ]
hall be ventilated. And we trust to I
ee at an early day such a unanimity ,
f public sentiment on this subject r
mong U citizens as we are assured .
be members Of the Legislature mot /
attending any iniustice) are willing to I