New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-05

BY Mr.. Remick
ReSotred That pursuant to ordinance No,
So, Administration series, the Office Of as
aistaDt city attorney, of which Rufus
NAPLES is the incumbent, be and is dis
pensed with from this date.
Mr.. Bonzano seconded the motion as a
matter Of courtesy.
Mr.. Lewis moved to postpone, which Mr..
Shaw seconded.
MIR. Remick claimed the floor and said:
introduce the resolution because the name
of the assistant city attorney, whom it is
proposed to dispossess from Office, appears
among the list Of city tax resisters as a delin-
quent tax payer, to the extent Of $1,000 or
more. Last year, according to the report
of the Administrator Of Finance, Mr. NAPLES
also refused to pay his park and police
tax, thus presenting the spectacle Of a legal
officer Of the city himself resisting the laws
and city ordinances. Inasmuch as there
has been an affoIt made by Administrators
to reduce the expenditures by discharging
poor laborers, getting their two dollars
day or less, ii seems to me that the Council
can well dispense with legal officer who
is receiving his $500 month and
ia resisting the law, If this resolution is
not passed to-day, propose to iterate and
re-iterate as long as I remain in the Council,
my protest against his continuing to hold
this office and if / know that my advo
eating his removal would cause avacancy n
my own Office tomorrow, / would not ahate
one jot or one title Of my efforts to have
him removed. He ought to be an example
OF obedience to law, and instead Of that be
10 an example Of resistance to law. If in
view Of these facts, the Council should re
fuse TO pass this resolution, it will appear
somewhat extraordinary if they insist upon
removing two dollar day men, while re-
tanning an officer who is paid $500 a month, |
and for whom there is nothing to do as the |
courts are not in session, and who has |
means enough to take himself and his whole !
family North, but refuses to pay his taxes.
Mr. Lewis said he did not agree with the
Administrator Of Commerce The papers
were filed with the names of persons who
had not paid their taxes, and there was one
Administrator among them. The Council
should begin here. 1t seemed to him there
was something lying behind this cry for
economy and rttrenchment. If the gues-
ton OF Mr. NAPLES removal were sub
mitted to the citizens, he believed they
would he in favor of retaining him as a
faithful officer, which he lMr Lewis be-
ieved lie had always been. There were many
more besides Mr. NAPLES who had not paid
heir taxes, and while the Council tamely |
in the case of other people, he
Mr. Lewis was unwilling to use the whip
over one Of the city's employees simply be-
,ause he had the power.
Mr. Remick asked how city attorney
OuId prosecute tax suits with vigor when
lie himself was delinquent taxpayer7 How /
Fas IL the city tamely submitted" Oh the
administrator said Because they had not
he power to enforce the law, I
Mr. Walton-l agree with the Admins
rator of Commerce in what he says about :
ir. NAPLES not paying his taxes He takes :
the same ground as the tax d
esisters. Last year, he Disseminated and c
aid some taxes, but left the police and +
'alk taxes unpaid, stating they were I'M /
Constitutional. I think situated as Mr.. il
Naples is, he ought to waive his objections; | \
'ut ] do not think in the present positiomof !
Kings it would be wise policy to dismiss r
i'm. BE is engaged in some very important Q
uits, particularly the drainage suits upon Re
rhich he is better posted than any oue eIze s.
an be. n,
Mr. Shaw said he did not thiuk the rea- N
1ns assigned strong enough to justify the a
ouncil in making a removal. As for the II
lestion Of economy, there was no doubt Il
hateyer that all the employees Of the City 7
ttorneys Office we're needed, and were .;
lgaged all the time, although for purposes p
health some Of them had gone away for y
few weeks, as the Council itself would I +
Ike to do. He thought Mr. NAPLES being VI
way was enc reason for not proceeding &
sainst him at this time. He was engaged Is
the drainage suits-a very important Al
after; he had no charge over the tax suits
this city. he
Mr. Remick reminded the Administrator Sc
at under a recent ordinance all the en- 81
Dyes Of the City Attorneys Office we're Ca
leed under The direction Of the City At
,ney, and were required to attend to pa
latever duties he assigned them to. If ioI
Q City Attorney choose to assign Mr.. be
aples to take charge of the tax suits he
I'D do it.
f. Shaw said if such thing should Va
Ut it would then be time to inquire into NE