Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-06
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Ts Ny Fellsw-Csi.eus OF shs Dissract
q Columbia;
However averse may be 70 any pablo state
ment OF Whatever injustice may have been Done
and transpirine in our midst, render such course
necessary, that my self-respect may be main
tanned. and that you may receive correct infor.
nation in regard TO certain charges made
within the past two weeks afixed my name
to a petition, couched in respectful terms and
containing no charges, alleging simply that
certain grave charges had been made, Of irreg-
ularities in our District government, which,
whether true or false, we're doing us great
declined to sign the petition first presented
to the Senate, by reason Of the fact that 1t con-
tanned charges the truth or falsity Of which I
would not assert in the absence Of the neces-
sary proofs, and which were not submitted to
The sequel you well know, and to have been
an actor In 1t 10 not to the credit of any jour
nalist who knows the proprieties Of his profess
sion, and has It's honor and well being at heart.
The abuse which has been heaped upon me
Sy the press OF this District has been such as it
has rarely fallen even to the lot of felon to re-
ceive, and not one Of them has even done me
the Kindness to ask suspension of public
opinion until l could be heard.
But with full chorus, and abuse of me when
1t does come, is about the only song in which
they heartily unite; they have, for more than
week, In the daily, as also the weekly issues,
ing the motives with which certain enter prises
have been undertaken by me, when these same
enterprises have received the endorsement of
the same press which now decries me for spend
Ing my money in way that seemed, after ad-
vice from safe councillors, proper, and for the
beauty and advantage of this District
Why l am selected for this work can't con-
signed the petition, when as many hundreds
could have been obtained, and if am guilty
others are certainly equally so.
But this Misrepresentation has not been con-
On Friday last there was presented to the
Senate memorial of the Governor OF this
officers of this District" had been arraigned on
payers"
That memorial it is not my purpose to notice
except so Tar as the statements made therein
may affect me. To show that am defiantly
refusing to pay my taxes, it is stated that /. as
one of the largest property holders, have per-
ments against which protest, in defiance Of the
law of Congress approved February II, 1871,
providing that upon the property ad joining aud
TO be especially benefited by the improvements
authorized by idW, there shall be assessed rea-
sonable proportion of the cost, not exceeding
one-third part thereof. To this document is
appended an exhibit of assessments imposed for
under said act, of S17 1926 AZ still due by me.
would state here that AM unequivocalIy in
favor of the real and substantial improvement
al n 1ni s,s ana every part thereof and that
huence in opposition thereto. But as en-
phatically decline to allow my honest cOnvic-
lions as to the manner in which the work has
been done in this District to be stihed by the
only reply that has as yet been attempted to be
made, and that the fiimsy one that no objection
or examination should be made on account of the
JedutU ying lrork that has been dOne and because
such course DiH defeat appropriations by Congress-
The act quoted by the official who presented
the memorial provides that q reasonable pro-
portion of the cost, not exceeding one-third,
~ nj MI
and especially benefited by the improvements
authorized by ldU. Under This act certain laws
have been passed by our local Legislature pro-
viding for improvements.
1t Is the opinion of many land no court, as
am advised, has as yet decided to the contrary
that the operations conduc ed hereunder have
not been in compliance with the organic act,
and one of the principal reasons that no such
decision has been made is that the law officers
Of our District have inter posed technical OBJ
lechons which have prevented full hearing
by the court.
Time alone can furnish the circumstances
upon which standing in court can be obtained
in many of these cases.
The mode in which this work has been done,
the absence of competition, the fact that the
prices were fixed by the Board OF Public Works,
and the work given to be done by persons OF its
own choosing; the large bills that have been
presented in all quarters for an inconsiderable
of the work done, give rise to a we'll
grounded suspicion, at least, that the assess
ment upon adjoining property has been upon
an excessive cost for the whole work. This
work has been in great degree improperly
done, the charge for the same often double its
value, and the system of assessment in a high
degree onerous, in some cases amounting to
more than the value of the property.
While the useless changes In the grades of
some OF the streets, and particularly In George
town and on its principal thOroughfares, where
in some places filling up and cutting down has
bee made to the extent Of almost thirteen or
fourteen feet, and that too against the almost
unanimous protest Of all interested, shows the
arbitrary conduct Of those under whose direc-
ton this work has been done.
The tax for this work Is a burden suffi GENTLY
onerOus, but when there Is added thereto the
much larger cost OF adapting the houses TO these
new grades, the wonder is how persons of mod
crate means will be able to meet these charges,
without relief from the courts, or assistance
rom congress In way that will provide for
he debt now existing. The home will IN many
cases have to be sold, and need not tell you
hat that work has even now begun.
Great odium has been attempted to be cast
upon me by this statement of the failure to pay
special taxes, and 1T is supposed, by some at
least, who cannot distinguish one tax collector
from another, under our present system that
am at this time entirely in default for all public
raded to the public gaze my indebtedness on
one account been prompted by the same dill
gence, tempered with a moderate degree of
fairness, he, could, by an inspection of the en-
tries made in the Office of the ''collector of gem
eral taxes" for this District, on the 10Th day of
November, 1873, have ascertained and informed
the public that there was paid by me S22 ,30l0 OF
in full of my individual and fduciary accounts
for general taxes for the year ending june 80,
1874.
This payment was made with my check, paw
able on the instant in current funds, and with
the allowance OF the then legal discount of six
per cent; and that too, after 1 had been ap-
proachedby an editor and pro prietor Of one of
the daily papers of this District and prominent
in the late assault upon me, with a request that
be be allowed to take my general tax bills, and
return them to me receipted, asking for that
generous and patriotic service the amount Of
the account, less sixteen per cent, when tax
payers were then, by law, only allowed sic per
cent. discount; and tender myself ready, lohen
properly called on, 20 name other cases in ,ohich
general tdres for The current year hare been paid
subject 10 this eIcessice discount. have no COM
ment to make upon this new way OF paying
taxes. / can only say that mine was paid in
full in currency, and ask no credit for doing
what was simply my duty.
And in regard to the charge that by this re-
fusal to pay special taxes so much distress has
been caused to the laborers Of the District 1T
Is certainly not the purpose OF those who make
that charge to divert the mind Of the public
from what we all know: the fact that certif.
Gates OF lien have been issued against nearly all
property upon which assessments have been
made, and which are unpaid within a certain
time; that the authorities have hypothecated or
sold these certificates, and received the money
therefore; that contractors have been settled
vii in renrr