The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-08-22

0XD00u6u In En0tT InVeT0SL6 tuhb tu0uy VI
them were incurred thronghthe agency of
bribery and corruption, many to subserve
private schemes, and very few for valid
considerations. Therefore, being in their
Judgment, in greater part, unjust, illegal
and all oppressive, they have appointed
committees to scrutinize and examine these
debts, the laws under which they were is
sued, and the ostensible purposes aud con-
siderations for which they were contracted,
so that our Legislature, at it's approaching
session, mag more readily repeal these mi
quities which have brought the people to
poverty. But as the public safety is the
| supreme law, the people must obtain rettef,
let the consequences be what they may.
The property holders recognize the truth,
wisdom and Justice of the maxim of the
most philosophical of statesmen, who says:
1t is to the property of the citizen and
not to the demands of the creditor Of the
State, that the first and original faith of
civil society is pledged the claim of the
citizen is prior in time, paramount in title
and superior in equity"
This Union will demand that the present
odious assessment laws, under which a sub
ordinate official possesses and exercises alb
solute power to copfiscate the property of
the citizen, shall be repealed, as a. mon
strous anomaly under constitutional gov
ernment-by which the greatest wrong can
be inflicted without the possibility of legal
redress. They demand that law shall
be enacte ed in protection OF citizens by which,
in the event of an erroneous assessment of
his property he can obtain justice by an
appeal to any judicial tribunal and jury
of his fellow citizens, without being forced
into a court created almost for the special
purpose of despoilipg the citizen of his
property.
The property holders are painfully sens.
ible of the fact established by political
economists, that of all the agencies by
which the value of property is destroyed,
tie most certain, permanent and demora-
liZipg in its effects, is exorbitant taxation.
AS the value of property has been destroy
ed by the absorption of it's revenue by ex-
of the public creditor, equally with that of
the property holder, is in the restoration
of the value of property, a low taxation,
by which it alone can be accomplished, is
just as essential to the public creditor as it
10 to the owner of property.
With low taxation. the interest on valid
debts may soouer OF later be paid, but with
the present or high rate of taxation it is
absolutely impossible that it can be, for
any length of time. The property holders,
although disclaiming any intention of dis
turbing property in bonds, are yet unable
to comprehend why this species of property
should be considered specially sacred, aud
that every other species of property and
every industry should be sacrificed in the
vain attempt to protect it.
As the first obligation of government is to
the people, and not to the creditors of the
State, the property holders demand that
the necessary current expenses of gov.
eminent shall have precedence over all
other claims upon the public treasury, and
that the residue shall be appropriated to
meet the demands of those holding evil
dences of valid debt.
An essential step to q wise and econo-
mical administration of public affairs is
= Ha- 60 fhn ne he S-l,
to govern Themselves, through the agency
of their chosen and Responsible servants
AS much as the greater part of the evils
inflicted upon the people has been caused
by the deprivation of local self government
which alone has the interest and knowl
demand that the fundamental principle of
self-goverpmens be restored to the people,
and applied to the city of New Orleans, SO
that our local public servants can be justly
held resposible for misgovernment and
that they shall be granted some power by
which the public may be benefited, instead
of being the mere creatures of an irres-
ponsible legislature. with scarcely any
power, except to extort exorbitant taxes
from an impOvished people.
The property holders, in furtherance of
the object of their association, will press
upon the Legislature, at its ensuing ses-
sion, the expediency of calling a State
needtul reforms, incorporate into the State
the above named rate rs the
extreme limit to taxation.
They will also advocate q constitutional
clause prohibiting State, cities, towns and
parishes from mourning debts for any pur-
pose whatever.
Encouraged by the late decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States, in the
case of the Savings and Loan Association
Of Cleveland %. the city Topeka, in which !
it was decided that all taxes not levied for |
strictly public purposes, had no standing |
in law or equity, and were, in consequence
null and void, and affirming that the Elk:
Pcutivc, in common with the Judicial and
departments of our Govern
nents, are invested with limited powers
only, and are not competent to confscate,
nnde or the name of taxation, the property.
shG Psep to- rep i0a G hs mop
oendious metbod-all special and private
legislative acts by which the public
credit" has been granted for other than
,tricflu hlic and fn nao1arP