The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-12-12


1ndlan Girl Cigar Store.
Musical Gift Books.
T.. Il. Heinitsh-Pure Extracts. etc.
HOTEL ARRIVALS. DECEMBER IL
lIentlric House-W II Jones. Sumter:
Z Il Hanes, Winston; G L Kennedy.
Charleston; W D Ingraham, Chester:
" Z Thompson, Blackstock; J 3
Towers, Rome; L " Dsnnick. N 81
Witt, Ii Z Wages, Lexingtou; s G
Brown. York; Fl " Desportes and
lady, Winnsboro; G p Holmes, Doko:
a u iBookman, Fairfield; DR. II W
KENNEDY, J j Hooker. Oran seburg; q
Gibson, Fairfield; c c Montgomery,
l. q Montgomery, Richland.
Mr.. EDITOR: The on.HeyaM in.
forms the citizens of Columbia "that an
application has been made by the Ca.
roiina National Bank to judge Car.
peuter for mdn1ansus. requiring the
CITY Council to levy special tax to
pay past due coupons on city bonds
held by that institution" II is fact
we'll known to the taxpayers of the
city, that special tax of eight mills
has been levied for the past two years
on the real and personal property of
the citizens for this purpose. The
reni and personal property within the
corporate limits, subject to taxation.
amounts to fully So, 5000 This. il
al collected, would realize S44, 900 per
annnm. Ii an allowance was made
Tor de'inGnents, (un!ess by favoritisu
OF the city fathers there should be no
delirq"ents.) this special tax should
realize $40. GOO per year. and would be
III excess OF the current interest.
Nov, while there must have been an
excess for specia! interest tax collected
Tor tho past two years, the money has
been diverted from it's proper course
hy the City Cou1cil and used for other
purposes, leaving the coupons unpaid;
aud now antnthinlus is threatened to
compel the Taxpayers to pay the inte.
rest second time This course will
no doubt meet tie approvalo Of Council,
AS /. will relieve them as inliyiduals
from the responsibility for misapplica.
tlon OF the special interest fund, which
has been placed in their hands for a
specific purpose. No doubt but they
viii acquIcsce in an order of Court
TO relieve them from this respo visibility.
Io the taxpayers, however, it is a
very grave question, and one which
| they should not permit to be decided
without hearing on their part. The
City Council have limited powers in
the matter Of taxation. The Lseisla.
tare prescribes limit to tho taxing
power, and limit to the debt of the
city. The latter they have already
greatly exceeded, and now that the
citizens take stand against this agres.
sion in taxation, the Carolina National
Bank comes to their aid and end eavors
to assist them by an order from Court,
to 90 that wi hich they are prohibited
by tho city charter to do. It is hoped
that the committee Of twenty take this
matter In hand, and see that the tax
pnyers be represented before Judge
Carpenter. If this principle be estab.
lished that. through Misrepresentation
OF the funds collected by Council, the
! citizens can be taxed twice to pay the
same debt, and an order of Court can
be got to compel levy for this pur-
pose, then any debt contracted by
Council, no matter how much in cx-
cess OF the power conferred on them,
IL lien on the property within the
city limits. Council can go on to con-
tract debts; County Commissioners
can do 80 likewise, and an order of
Court can compel or levy to pay a
claim contracted by fraud on the part
OF our representatives. The same prin.
ciple would compel special tax to pay
certificates issued by Moses, or the
debts of the Luuatic Asylum and the
State Penitcntiary, and would event
uall lead to contiscaton of the pro.
perty of tho tax payers. It is hoped
that the committee appointed to ex-
anime the legality of the late issue Of
bonds by the City Council, will aid in
this matter and determine prompt
" rs to their legality. 1t is
believed that this portion of the
city debt was illegally contracted,
the bonds not having been issued in
conformity with the ACT Of Legislature
authorizing their issue. II this belief
ia true, and these bonds should be de-
clnred invalid by the courts, then it
follows th@t the bonds held BY the
Cnrolina National Bank and the cou-
pons for which they ask an order O!
Conrt to compel Il tx levy to liquidatc
are invalid also, and no part of either
shonla be paid. The Carolina Ma
tional Bank hold these bonds as cola.
ter9l for money loaned. and as Council
| had r,n rDfIor,tx TO hronf 49,