New Orleans Republican., 1873-03-11
development brought about by the needs
of the country and the general progress
of society.
TEMPERATE,

lnauSdraIe SIretL wal, can uOl pe odld,
but certainly its paragraphs are not as
highly peppered with such applied cpl
thets as liar, ''thief," slave etc, as re-
Gently. Nor does that journal recommend
with the same distinctness the capture OF
the State offices by violence. The ad-
dress of Mr.. McEnery and others to the
people is tempered with a similar discre-
ton. 1t abstains from any call to arms or
specific advice to overthrow the city gov
eminent. suspend the public charities and
leave the public without protection from
the police, schools for the children or light
for the streets. There is, it is true, an ad-
vertisment that all persons who are op-
posed to the Kellogg government will be
requested to sign and procure sigma
lures" to certain anonymous resolutions
inviting a league to resist fraud and usur-
patton, and to support the constitution OF
the United States" in the bargain, all OF
which is very well. The resolutions,
however, assume that the government OF
Mr.. Kellogg ''has no authority to do any
legal act which this people are bound to
obey or respect, and 'all good citizens
who regard the Kellogg government as a
''usurpation are requested to unite i'll all
honorable and manly resistance to every
attempt to collect taxes or licenses, to re-
fuse all sanction of and acquiescence in
the rightful authority of such govern
ment. and that they bind themselves by
solemn pledges Of honor and duty to
stand together in perfect union and resolu-
ton in such a course. so imperatively de-
manded of all honorable men and patriots.
to save the State and people from ruin"
No one has any right to object to any
meeting or association of American citi-
zens for any purpose whatever. II the
legality of the present government be an
issue, let it be discussed to tatters. If it
be not right it should not stand. If it be
right government it assuredly will We
would despise government which could
be talked down. So we do not object to
associated discussions When, however,
an association is intended to resist ''every
attempt to collect taxes or licenses" it
must be remarked that such leagues be-
come "a combination to defeat the execu-
ton of the laws" and pass out of the
category for civil, social or religious pur-
poses into that of insurrection. It is OBJ
served that this request to resist the law
is not brought forward by any one
The Journal in which it is published does
not indorse it editorially. The re-
quest may have been a proper
corollary to the address of Mr..
McEnery and others, but if it were. it
has been amputated. If it were the cut
off tail of that address it is thrown out to
wriggle ia an evanescent vitality. It is cut
off, discarded and disowned. So let it be.
The REPUBLICAN has heretofore explained
in detail to our citizens and the members
of the city government what would have
been the effect of the restoration Of the
last Governor and Mayor with their civil
and military staff respectively. The effect
of turning out Mr.. Wilt and the Admin
istrators, with the whole personnel of
clerks, weighers, gaugers, street sweepers
and contractors-the suspension Of all tis-
cal arrangements, based on the collection
Of the city licenses. These practical views
have been read and hearkened to. and
have had, as we have reason to know.
their effect in repressing the late mad at
tempt to enlist the city authorities. the
men Of business and property in the over
throw Of civic order and the prostration
of trade and industry.
We now address ourselves especially to
our fellow citizens of the country and city
who are owners of real estate subject to
taxation. The State revenue law is like
that Of other States, indulgent to the tax
debtor. 1t imposes on him penalty suf-
fcient to make it his interest to pay the
State treasury, but reinstates him in his
title upon compliance with certain reason
able conditions. The tax debtor, then,
who is unable to pay may readily relieve
himself from a legal penalty which may be
met without a serious sacrifice. In case
of refusal or neglect to pay taxes the col
lector must give notice to the party in de-
fault. He shall proceed, according to law.
to obtain judgment, and shall seize and
sell any property belonging to such tax
debtor. The tax collector is authorized
to make title in the name Of tie State to
the purchasers Of such property. The tax
defaulter may within two years repay the
purchase price of his property sold. with
fifty per cent additional and all costs, and
so obtain 3 reconyeyance from the
purchaser. If this. however. be not done
the tax collector shall return to the Au-
ditor list of all delinquent tax debtors.
and this list duly recorded becomes
mortgage lien on behalf Of the State
Now. while the way Of the taxpayer, de-
linquent from inability is made plain. the
course of the real estate taxpayer. delin-
quent on the principle Of resistance to
every attempt to collect taxes or licenses"
is faught in some cases with absolute
ruin. A tax resistant in the parish of St.
Mary refuses to pay. is noticed BY the
collector and his land and home is adver-
tised for sale under judgment for taxes.
He refuses to pay, and his neighbor re-
fuses to bid for his land. There IS no
provision for adjourning this sale for want