The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-07-10
Tax Meeting in
Calhoun.

] At a public meeting of the citizens OF
| Calhoun county, held in the town OF Ban
| ncr, on SATURDAY., the nth OF June, 1873, for
! the purpose of expressing the sentiments OF
| the people in reference To the railroad tax
| propose to be assessed levied amt collected
| from the tax payers OF Calhoun county,
| Miss, for the benefit OF the NiCksburg and
| Nashville Railroad Company, the following
| proceedings were had tO-WIt:
On motion of Dr. j. y. Baker, Mr.. Z. Il.
1 Thornton was called 10 the chair, aud Nj.
| VI. Tankersly To act a. secretary. The
| chairman i'll Il short address explained the
| object OF the meeting.
| On motion OF Dr. j. y. Baker. the follow
ing named gentlemen were appointed by
the chairman a committee To draft 3csOlu-
lions expressive OF the sense OF the meet
ing To the said proposed tax, to-wt:
DR.. j. A. Baker, j. {. Page. IL &. Lemar,
Mr.. Denton. and {. j. ROttcHberry.
The committee retired, and alter brief
absence reported the following resolutions
Resolved, That the railroad tax proposed
To be assessed, levied aud collected from
the people OF Calhoun county, Miss, for the
benefit OF the NicksburS and Nashville
Railroad Company Is illegal and.u just, and
ought not to be levied upon collected
from the aX-paycrS OF said county, be-
cause the pretended railroad election upon
which said railroad tax Is based was he Il
without the proper notice being given to
the voters of the county a. required by law,
and for that reason the said election and
tax based thereon is void; and that the SAID
election at the time it was held, nor since
for the want OF said proper notice being
given did not, and does NOT. reflect the will
Of the people of said county, and that tor
the want of said proper notice, but little
over half of the voters of the county voted |
at the election, and OF the votes polled the
tax was carried by bnt II small majority
Resolved, That the said railroad tax Is il |
legal and unjust, and ought not TO be levied
or collected, because the said county of Cal |
houn has never become Il stakeholder, or lie |
gallV subscribed for capital stock in the !
said Vicksburg and Nashville railroad Com |
pany, for the reason that at the time of said |
pretended subscription for capital stock in |
said Railroad Company, for or on behalf of
said county, one per cent. OF the capital |
stock subscribed was not paid at the time OF |
subscribing, as required ny law and the |
charter of said pany, authorizing said /
subscription, and the sand pretended sub |
Scrplion was made after the adoption OF !
the new constitution of the State OF Missis- |
Sippi in December a. ID. 1869, ut which |
time said subscription could only be made +
bY and with the consent OF two-thirdS of |
tile qualified voters OF said county of Cal |
houn, when the fact was, but little over one /
third of the Qualified voters OF said county |
ever voted for said tax or subScrip tion.
Resolved, That said pretended railroad |
tax ought lot to be levied or collected, be- !
cause even If said tax were just and legal, |
its levy and collection, at the present time,
would be very burdensome and oppressive |
poor. in debt and taXrilden, and THAT the
levy and collection of said unit and ILL.,
gal tax, under the present clrcum stanccs, |
would be to intlict Il great wrong and injury |
upon them. and that the same would be op |
pres>iVr and tyrannical.
Resolved, That said railroad tax ought |
not to be levied or collected; First, Because
the same is illegal and unjust as aforesaid;
Second, That the said railroad is not aud
will not be OF any Interest or benefit what
ever to at least one-third OF the inhabitants
Of the county, and the collection OF the tax
from them would be Il burden without amy
consideration whatever, and that it is the
sense of this meeting that at least two
thirds of the people are unalterabiy opposed
to the collection of said railroad tax.
Resolved, That the Board of Supervisors
of the county of Calhoun, and the Auditor
of Public Accounts of the S6ate of Missis-
sippi, are requested not to assess or levy
said railroad tax upon the people OF Call
houn county, Miss, To the end that the said
Railroad Com pany, II it seeks to enforce I
the collection of said tax, may be com PEELED [
to resort to its legal remedy to compel the
said Board of Supervisors or tue said Audi /
tor of Public Accounts TO assess and levy /
the said tax, and thereby test the legality /
aud validity of the same, hereby preserving
the cause of action entire; whereas, II said
tax is levied or assessed the cause OF actio
will be split into many suits a. there are
tax payers in the county.
Resolved, That the sheriff of Calhoun
county, Miss. in the event that the said
raj road tax is assessed or levied, either by
the Board of Supervisors or by the Auditor
of Public Accounts of the State OF MSsiS-
sippi is hereby requested not to collect, or
TO refuse to collect, said tax, To the end that
said Railroad Company may be com PEELED
to avail themselves OF their legal remedy To
test the validity of said tax, and compel
him 1.-THE sheriff. TO collect it, il the same
should be held legal and valid.
Resolved, That under the circumstances
above named the said Railroad Company
shonld be requested to establish the legal
inv business and validity OF the tax and
subscription before they shall call upon the
people to pay the SAME.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this
meeting be sent TO The CLARION, Mssissip
ri Central and Coffeeville Times, with the
request that they publish the same.
Resolved, That this meeting appoint Il
committee of three to wait on the Hon.
Board of Supervisors of Calhoun county
and present them with a copy of the pro-
ceediuQs of this meeting, to-wit: |. w.
Coouer. /. w. Lamar and the chairman;
Also. that the Auditor of Public Accounts
be furnished copy of the same.
L. R. THORNTON, Chairman.
Nm. TANKERsLKY. Sec'y.