, 1870-02-17
CITY, 1own, AND COUNTY DEBTS
The Power Of Public Corporations to
Lend Their Credit to. Private
Corporations,

Remarks OF Hon. W. F. Cool"
baurh in the Constitutional
Convention, February
IA, 1870.
III. Coo11ACd8. 2rs c"d""a": 1ae aeep
,nfr,,.. tnh, l feel In this question has induced
~ oonsrsry TO The prevsons Custom ct my Lie, 70
nrersre In wiling. , lee rcuuks saas have
IN N .xe upon hla question, In ordef that uJ po-
.,tton may Do no1e plainly understood, and be In
20 way susceptible Of ntscopsi1nct,on-
rhe subject now under confederation u one IN
solvllr qaesllpas Of aathollt1 and OF policy q
the most rzat atscetdeni importance 10 tho people
Of lpe hole State Tha section reported by tho
committee, which desire 10 SEQ inostpafstea in-
to. srd uads part Of, tue organic law, denies,
IN tne clca1esS and platne&s tetn1E The right OF
sny CITY, county. to snthp. or political eor2orl-
uon 70 become stock1oldes ID, Ok lend It's AID
10, any COOPERATION wnateEas. ..
do rot for one, Nr. Chairman, belteve thss
they Moud hare that right, OF ths; they could le~
RalIJ exercise the privilege OF DONG 80, esea u
THIS section. or any oshef containing na express
DEL Il, OF suen power, .houio tau TO become Ut
OF tic CONSTITUTION. DO Lot believe snst. onoef
lie pIezeuI cotsuslttou, which Neither dehles nor
strna the power, -, sucn .ntnoss', leg1tMa:s.y a
tnn logical seqnetce Of my potllon. tnAs
tuch i piosls cn u unnecessary. de-
sst ~ p IL out,oo Il
Is clear ana explicit Il se recosl,zs IL. IL should
ana An ount, ald securing the people ana tax
pa, e1s sgA't.t The Itautls which afu almost In
Itpar1ple tfom inc tIetc.se Of any such power. As
d, rsseod, rs.a % present : ie1 fsa,oas: In1ae
mt ptAce, Hhy oeny lae existence Of this Etxht.
excsp II be esptcn4 recognized Ard provided
reA&urs roy tie exercise OF any sucn power, even
Il II were COZ teIIcd o. the CONSTITUTION IN clear
plr tse 10 policy, EEznfnt SiIn dlAaste5 10
re p op.e. UIcet.5ttK this ~nlle question, nad
Eee1sl ent1lelJ upon u =, Of course, the power
use II the right would b v&uetts. Tn,s
II tqulIy, 1nertioae. a. oLce presents lt.elf. Hta
| The L-Rlsstafe the constitutional po~er
| 10 TAX or nuttorze 10 b raIed the p1op!o
sucn purpose ss IN cunle p.ated BY those VINO ID.
yocAte Vie right 10 na Ii ta,s manner RAILROAD en-.
10 an.weE tateAlgen.l, this question. lot u, lee
Hnat s. afsntees the oots!ltntton has thfa ~
AlouDa prtvtte property, AID whether any NUits
utna are Gsde npon the antnotisJ Of thu taxing
| power 10 &hs IeSasa:
tuition ss9s: 1t That ali cea are born equally tfe.
| AID 1Luepenuent, Ard have certsla inalrtAole aof
tnceteaaioe 1tzn:s, an,otE which ats tnose Of en-
OUR g. pefseeslnR and p.o'ec'ng property, anu o
purtn:nR their o. n tapp,uess''
ssct on 'sJs {ootfo wing the substance Of ou'
shAl oe imprisoned OF ois.eizsd OF his free
bod. liberties, pt''ileGes. or oui a.td or e1Msd
Of II ahJ nAsner dip1ived Of his life. liberty G.
| inv u .Le ls,d"
secnon II 4a,s + Nor shall Auy mat s propest, b,
tat Ell tr applied 10 eub1c ute v,tnout the cunseu
| CT biz teprt euta.tres IL the GtEefht Assembly
| him.
csEtsu remedy In tie lA2A Tor sll 1t jurlea o
vIonGs sn'cn be nay receive Ia hts person
Is ihesssc1e a1parent 10 every one that tn
r'Rht Of a al 10 his nforefry Is ptotec:ed By a
mAtJ AND ss ni2n suatansees - A!s rlRns 10 ht
lotty q nis nts In Lex ~ o.e y ~ muco 81 o.
e1es lest illustrates ous time, to the conv'etto
lnat rflsate proper Is stcLre- N0w, ho1 IA
can Ine Legislature coa'tol my p'iSas
.n,Ser this ln ,hs language q enc Of 70 u
States outi, ~ one ol its Circuit JucEts, u
n!trR les IN onlai to his learning. mt gf1.y. an
nroie.si9,n,a4 ,,. 1epu'sson. mean me lass g cn.t
Of the supreme Court OF that Stale on this puEt
| Of iA1a'!or, recently announced. u q uodel {
| 1t: FIst. II maj authorize tt to te tofie.ted Il
cE.ne Or sold fer the owrer'a debts judicial
es1ao!shtd. or IL pureuance OF lud!cnl .oeeet
iIg. SecoLd- 1t Hhy tAke II for public use, urd!
the poser OF eut ent domain: bat only on cond
ton Q! u nak,s 1asr CON pen ss'ion IN moIey. Fl
an5 rf1tste nc the Lex!.sature canbos touch II
proper OF the c:tzen, eyln Il 1t does MAKE cor
Tn:s doc r,ne Ia established. and the sutho,,.
| when dectste 2ua sustain It WITH be fouLd +
felred To 10 the recen: case OF Bankhcnl I
b!owr, dtcldtd oJ this court
Third, II msJ under plcuIiar circumstances CO.
| d TCn II ntdtr tHc police power Enen tue pro
cry, or Its ute or situation ID such as TO endane
i | the public health. Welfare, os safety. sab
fourin. II nsJ be taken by vtr:ue OF the t.xs,
| CLRfr. Except ID Ibese D9ies ana Tor these r1
poses pr,ystc psopetry Il lusio!ane-,s oeyond II
TIL. bl,tRs rs to examine the extent OF Il
power TO taI, al the question. Rh1s are fazts: l.
Of e % rte Isained % JntSe @ from xnsm M nave il il
! quoted, anu nrst ask the attention Of my leg
ttteIdsto the oenDi Ton Of what are taxes
: *A.as'a q portson q the property Of ind
, s.n1a!s which u AIKEN from them ~ the Rover1
me"t =. d disposed Of ~ IT," g E-y, bIett. q
The csc o: the nation CT ) ate. Web. ptc}
Taxes a1e eont',nu, ,ou. paid !. b, tbs ,lnae 3 :
tSe AIN. EncT., so- Is, p s0l." -..
"a iax il eeprral!y Understood 10 mean Il
iapvs!s,on q ae1, o. lnp9st ~ ne sspGo
: "Tn1es arc burdens or cnarges imposed " Il
! 1eRslatu1e upon PERSONS Or properly 70 1a, ~!
mons, iGr pans sno pa1pofst cooe' On con''
'u sSa:n % TdEe Cooley e: M fsm.rss {s. 4s1, "Ta1
Ito. having tor IL only Legitimate ohjecs The "a
! neecs oi gote1lmeLt, /, the exac ioa Of money 1to
i the clnz.n Ios otnet pufpo.es. IL Lot proper e
etcise Of ine poFer, ano mnst, therefore, b ma
/ a isx Wa aIcien,ly defined to be = certain a
Z subtioy, or tupplJ granted ~ tts Commons
: 4Wnt, as6-2.s, a. the name iEpor's iTon II. de
: yat.on, It meats tribute, and eetocReh 70 k'pt
Il treasury, ana shiuE the connon mind has eFel
J. where taken IN tno ding tnas taxes hlt
C | public IN pos1uou, levied pJ aatnak1ts q the g
Il eIbnens IN all is machinery AM, opesstloas: u
1bey are ipPose, ios 1aS!s pGf9o:s; p! G. Coz!
{ Tasaaoa W @ i The nods or raising money foz p'
. sistteF Of N&yor OF New YORK, st. john II, a
Il authorities ciitd.
IA lyx Ii an sntost Levied b aotnnr1ty OF q
j. en- mt nj upon 1T zeas or saoIscs ioE ne II
% port Vt rte safe II u Eot fculded upos cootr
~ | cY 1eftenent. It o1efhteA IN fnrifHp- Per ca
N Jus lce Gr cen: Can den "a Alien, Dutc7. 3
l. "Wnat are rs1t. I" I ~ the lauGu.Fe Of at
~ ~ Of iaw3eir, juoEes le1icossaphers aud po Ill
er ecoronnts. ~ veil as BY ine general and popu
er unoerstarttt &, taxes are burdens or charges
"a poeet By II gala 1fe upou peraoLa or prope
er 10 saIie noLeJ for pubic purposes OF to ac:o
ne | pi:tn tOrut governmental ED.
eoss even ~ t,ctum i e.n be iould .h.cn ssser1s i
ne there can be my legitimate taxation when
noIeJ 10 b raised dos not 60 lnto tae Ra'
government, or kome Ct the governmental
S,,iorA tt theSta;e. In other words. . pu'
SoTtlnEeu'4l uSe or putEoAc II lnFplFeA 10.
IN aa,s sIac1, {. j., IL s1afale.s case ri r. s.
Iii D. 1911, "tnst a law au.hossz.n9 1s1acon f3T
u u,Gtr Than pCbiic purposes Ia sos,f.' Again
70, says: "a lax Ios pirate rate po'pose - unc
u ptpuc o.1cersn THIS II undouoteo tue.
p 5ea:sns Hh5 .uch legislation Ia 7o'd VIII p'ete'
d. Ato1 for private purpose l., to use tae III
I'd jet spt exrresftcr Ct Lowe, J IN the " "aP
~ Count! cast, "a 1"s4, Al P. ~. 40 ec1sn
al. | IAIiGtst." llAl taxation ulusL have refefe
ke- 10 Ine ralttuX OF eJ lor public IS dtst1uSus
nj. from prs te nseA and eL d, appears from Tue
toF tire Of the power aid the manner which It IL
nal e1cned. osnrr iAxs ase oasea o. consen'ei
! I .ecss.Ip; for. without leseLue iaera can b
ark regular government, A-h, wlthtut taxes, 10 r
Ird nLe In insusJ, The taxpayer rtceITes c
ell ret teaton for the ta1es pad II tue pro ecaon
IN government sneros h,u1. Tbs u theosrtlc
ar true; bus stll the fnuEdAuoo Of the taxing 20
IN 10 pottita! Lece t4,.y, AID ss1ea atr, In eEec;
sre MI. Mi 0. tel d.. kRc1 tceR made for The PC
-Rt- good. "E9ta!ls, Of tac1lnec = tstnH the rale
I'd. | lnted bJ IGa.lce. Il poi. Ecao so. ss9,
ian It's ihe elrcunst Al ce that ta1es II. contr
ho, EoLs cenat ded for ine use OF the goverau
;er- aeu MT Tor pirate 1+es, rsat co.fefa upon
but pow ct to fhl Ut pecuIisr cnarsc er.
are II t1tencR 10 ~ rhe property and all the
tnis aoIA With:n the juItsctcsiun OF the S:AtA-
one For The 1oo. pas Utn: u \ lawius tax, the p
NIL. e1tf Of TIE ctzen n'r5. Tltbout anJ 11d.c;Al
l:er cetcIG ind %ittou. p.Fss raj notice to nlu
M sod 10 ray II PTlcesdsIEs 20 tzt rous are II
lie, a.ucA IL Law AID Jus ~ the remark Of toe
tt8 | preNe CcAtt RI PentsjlIAb!1, that the div
be- tsre O! owrt1slIp ~ sa1 taws and tale tnes
VIM der t1b,hus the Instance IL wa:cn corf
nes t,ona! RoseIcntnt approaches nost uess'y I
nl1s*t1atsta s,1ana,, :tesuits Appeal, 8:
I'm eni, teca1te taxes are for the rse o
'>Ss pua1e, OF the government, o. soUe OF Its Ar
iaIMs-,b4t there aegere snt Stringent laws
tare ~ rrxI SefH H&AtS tBr o731