Smyrna times., 1877-04-11
For the Smyrna Times
Colored School Tax.
April 5th. 1S7'

los H. HoFFECKER, EDITOR SMYRNA TIXEs-Dedr Sir:
in your issue of March % is article in reference
N the colored school fund.- charging the Levy Court
With sheer negligence inexcusable indifference, and
mrt mot guilty in single instance of indifference
~ this matter and it is only the great injustice of the
the want of knowledge of the law and the actions of
the Court that they are made; | cannot think you
facts If you will excuse me for troubling you this
time promise unless am personally assailed) not
should undertake to correct all the charges that
are made all of which have no more foundation in
facts than the present ones would take too much
of your time and the parties making them would not
enjoy the satisfaction of proving the Lew Court |
gnilfy of negligence in matters whereof they not
prepared to judge. Knowing as do all about this |
school fund and the acts Of the Levy Court will give
YOU the facts they exist after making some cOrrec
lion in your explanation, &c. You say:
ln,n Creek for instance Collector Weldon informs
ms that he has collected about 800 for the year 10,
which has been duly returned school tax, without
designating it, because he had no instructions to
do hence it all went into the general school fund.- and
was so accuOnted for to the Levy Court
Mr. Weldon had no warrant and was not Collector
in 10 This is only mistake as to the year II SlOO
ting it, and the proper credit should have been given
him in the County Treasurers books. As 10 his in
structions the warrants issued the collectors ater
naming the per cent as provided for by this law
pressly set forth and declare what this tax for c
and as to it going into the general school fund de-
ciared by you that was right for there is no other
school fund that the County Treasurer has anything
to do with, and so accounted for to the Levy
Court The only way it could be accounted for to the
Court is the filing of duplicate receipt from under
the hand of the County Treasurer with the Clerk of
the Peace to be entered as credit the collector
This was not DONE The Court has no showing
anything to do with any return unless it is made by
the filing of the receipts as provided for by law.
Neither can collector make a return in any other
full understanding as to the actions of the Court in
this school tax question, will sight you to what the
Court did. ON the first Tuesday in March, 90 was the
first return made (by return men delinquenD under
this law, and only one or two collectors made any.
cOntended that unless they did and received due
credit they would lose every dollar that they had
Some would not believe it until they con-
suited Messrs SmtherS and Massey, and the question
arose in the Court to what was the Courts duty in
this matter and there were different opinions.
entire morning session of the Court was taken up and
cOntended before the Court that unless the Court
made a full plain, simple showing of this whole
ter it would be charged with sheer negligence dis
elimination, &c. suggested to the Court (Which the
Court approved) that each member make out dupli-
cate list of all the asSeSsabes of the coored people
with their poll assessment in their respective Hun
dreds. This would give the gross assessment. Then
the application of the per cent as provided by law
collectors Then take the delinquents and per cent
for collecting, which would leave the net sum due
lists so prepared remained with the Clerk of the
Peace that the County Treasurer the Treasurer
of time get the sums due from the several Hundreds
or the gross due from the county Here the
whole duty of the Court ended. And if any will
take the law they will perhaps learn who has right
to make the demand or receive this money. If the
Court could go any further or make the matter palmer
then confess know nothing about Levy Court buS1-
And you say further:
its next session is TO fix up the account and separate
There is now in the hands of the Clerk of the Peace
duplicates made out and corrected for each Hundred
showing the several sums due as school tax for last
year. ready for the County Treasurer the Treasurer
of the Delaware Association at any time he or they
may lit to call. 1t done at the March session.
as il always has been since the law enacted. The
Court went further in thismatter than the law con-
templated and ii was done so that there might be
such plain and simple showing that one would
be able TO bring charges of neglect on the part OF
the Court. have in the charges made, proof as &c
what said in my letter of March the first that there
is disposition in the minds and hearts OF some tC
bring the Levy Court into dscredt and dishOnOr, anC
they do it without any effort their part to know
what the law is, or what the Court has done In th
case if the law had been consulted it shows that hC
Court must charge in the collectors warrants the q
per cent for coored schools and give the collector
credit for they collect This is all the Court ha
do with it. 1t is very plain be what GROUND
there for such gross and unjust charges agains
As to the almshouse, if there are those that ar
guilty, let them fight it out to suit themselves. an
not IN single instance and shall not meddle an
farther c. H. REGISTER.
Mr.. John O'Brien, the well-known Circu
Manager, has during the past winter pre-
pared an entirely new outfit at his head
quarters, in Philadelphia, and his big shoV
will appear III Smyrna, Wednesday, Apr
Is, exhibiting both afternoon and evening
His menagerie has been greatly enlarged b
the importation of many rare and valuabl
animals, making it equal in size to many
the geological gardens under royal patror
age abroad The circus company consist
almost entirely of new faces; the patio
pants in the sports of the arena, being a.
knowledged artistes, excellent in their Sc
eral specialties and engaged for their 81
perlative excellence in their exhibitions
physical perfection. The ring amusemen
are thrilling and marvellous, but in no il
stance exceeding the bounds of prophet
Mr.. OBrien aims to both amuse and i
III In, hiS nd
tents you can gaze upon unique curiosti
and mechanical marvels, propelled by
stationary steam engine, and wonder at Il
myraids of untamable beasts in their nati'
terocity, captive in on-girded ornate
decorated dens inscribed with heautif
scriptural paintings, in the highest style
art.
The entree of O'Brien's Six Shows is
event. A gorgeous pageant or dress para
OF the entire company, exhibiting its va
ness and wealth, and convincing the
holder of its magnitude-which is secol
to none in the country. The procession
headed by a squadron of mounted knigl
and ladies, followed by three golden CT
bearing therein three full bands richly u
formed and discoursing martial mus
Their coming announced by outride
heralds, trumpeters and banner beare
Fltty-three animal lairs bring up the re
while the great baggage train, drawn
two hundred Spanish mules, makes its "
to the place of exhibition with the or
IN canvas, seats, wardrobe and parapherna
belonging to the big show. Mr.. OBJ
estimes that the risk during the TWEEN
SIX weeks summer season is no less than
startling amount of 81, 100000 which
eheerfully puts at stake, relying on
size and merit of his united shows fc
Profitable return.
Moody IN BostoN.-Easter Sunday
the tenth week of Mr.. Moody's serv
IN the Boston Tabernacle with an
tendance of nearly 10000, besides el
nous daily meetings in other buildiI
The press notice with emphasis that 81