Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-25
THE ISSUE UPON US.

squarely. The last legal hope Of the
people of Iowa County to avoid wholly
the payment of the Ubiquitous Railroad
bond debt has been dashed to the ground
by an act Of the legislature last winter
the collection of taxes in Iowa County
for 1870 was postponed until June, 1871,
in order that the attorneys Of the county
might make an effort to get overrulel the
mandamuses compelling the collection of
the railroad bond judgments at the same
time, in the same manner, and from the
samo rolls, with ordinary state and mu,
nicipal taxes This effort has been made
and failed; the mandamuses are re of
frmed, and the situation is now precisely
the same as it was in December last--no
taxes, for schools or other purposes, can
be collected in Iowa County without be-
ing accompanied by the railroad tax
These are the facts Now, as rational
people it is becoming in US to consider
the future, and deter mine as to what is
our best course to pursue. Of course
our local officers cannot collect the tax
There are several ways in which they
can avoid making themselves the instru-
ments Of tho bondhoders in prosecuting
their fellow citizens, friends and neigh>
bors, and they will surely avail them-
cal officers failing to collect the tax, and
the judgments remaining unsatisiied it
is within tho power--nay more, IL be-
comes the duW--of the conrt making she
decree, to employ some other power to
insure the satisfaction of its judgments
The first power to BIO thus employed is
the u. $. Marshal That officer may,
and it is thought undoubtedly will. un-
loss some settlement or compromise is
soon made, be directed to come to Iowa
County and collect tho tax. His first
duty will be to try by ordinary means to
collect from tho individuals their proper
ton in accordance with assessment
Failing in this he has authority-.accord
ing to the best legal talent Of the country
aud the rulings Of tho highest courts Of
the nation--to levy upon personal prop
erty wherever found, and need not re-
strict himself to taking from any citizen
sufficient merely to cover that citizens
proportion; but may take at pleasure
every dollars worth the man has. For
instance: To satisfy the judgment Of
thirty odd thousand dollars against the
town and city of Mineral Point, the Mar
shall might levy upon the entire stock Of
any ono or any number Of our merchants
pack and ship the goods to Milwaukee,
and there sell them to whoever will pur-
chase.
This, in the opinion of the highes,
courts and abest lawyers, the Marshal
way DO ,mder the law but we DO not
wish to be understood as saying that it is
likely to be done at present There are
no doubt many avenues OF temporary
escape; we only suggest the uttimaism
in case no settlement is arrived at and
tho course of the law is not stayed
There seems little prospect of escape by
continuation of litigation. We have
tested the matter in all tho courts, anG
in each been beaten What other re-
course have We None, save to cornpro
mise with our enemies or rebel agains
the government Winch shall we do
70 pay what we all feel to be an unlus
debt is great wrons. Yet it is prefer
able to the alternative of becoming Law
breakers and rioters. A man wonlt
know it to be un just to be compelled b,
highwaymen to surrender his purse bu
with great Odds against hun, it would b,
the part Of wisdom for him to surrende,
with as good grace as possible. Just s.
we regard tho dilcma of the people o
Iowa County. They are being robbed
but they are in the power of the robbers
and arc likely to suffer greater injnrie
by refusing to comply with their de
mauds, than the cash stolen would rec
ompenso for.
Thus far the most equitable PROPOSE
ton under which we are invited to set
.lc this matter amicably, is that of Gee
w Cobb, Esq, to,wit 10 accept as
compromise the extension Of the Minera