Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-18
50 East Twenty-frs street, n. Y
TAXING OF

New 0rk:
SRA letter addressed to John
w. Garrett 4 Sons, written by you.
and directed to Memphis, has fallen
into the hands of one of the same
name, and is herewith returned. The
gentleman with whom you wish to
communicate lives, | believe. in Bal
timore. Perhaps | should end here.
but as you have undertaken to read
Messrs. Garrett & Sons a lesson on
rebellion and reputation, it may be
that a few words of truth and sober
ness may not be entirely lost on your
most loyal and immaculate self. The
bonds you speak of were issued by this
city as you say, 20 years ago, and as
you know, were based principally upon
the slave property of her citizens.
property, [ need scarcely say, most
sacredly guaranteed to them by the
constitution of the United States. a
sectional war ensued, brought about
by designing politicians of both sides,
and the slaves were freed. As the
result most plainly showed, the heart
of the masses of the Southern people
was not in the war. /, with thousands
of others, opposed the war, did all [
could to prevent it, and after hostili-
ties were begun, neither by thought or
deed did anything to imperil the gov
eminent. Nevertheless, | was ruth
lessly stripped of my property. Not
one cent have | received, nor do |
ever expect to receive, for 80 valuable
slaves worth, at a low estimate, 100000.
AS | have said, mine is not an isolated
case there were thousands who suf-
fered more than l.. Put yourself in
our places. Suppose some fine night
Manhattan Island should be DESTROYED
by some CONFUSION of nature, and that
you and your virtuous nighbors were
allowed to reach the Jersey shore, and
that as you stood shivering in your
shirt-tails the holders of those valu-
able 6 per cent. bonds you speak of
should present you with a few bushels
! Of coupons due that day, and as you
pointed to your lost island should tell
you that earthquakes did not pay. :"
What, | say, would be your
opinion of such p%urse-proud in
science and arrogance =? From
your use Of nautical p~hraseology l
infer that you acquired your estate by
means of a naval contract during the
war, and from your mention Of the
cook as one of the chief persons con-
nected with a vessel, that it was a
bean contract. Ifsuch be the case |
cannot wonder at your indignant refer
ence to rebellion, for there is nothing
so conducive to undying loyalty as the
possession of a bean contract. But |
should like to inquire into hat state
ment of the amount of taxes paid on
that $4,000 house. The statement
may be literally true, but was it not
written with intent to deceive? In
other words, would you have taken
$4,000 for the property on the day of
assessment, and if that is now its full
value will you not see to it that at
the next assessment its value may be
placed much lower? To a spirit like
yours it will no doubt be gratifying
when | tell you that | heard this day
a merchant of Memphis refuse to pay
over $500 rent per annum for a house
that cost under the hammer S22, 900,
and is now in perfect repair, What
do you suppose is hat owners per
ccntage on his investment, taxes and
insurance deducted2
/ submit these few remarks, not in
defence of rebellion or reputation,
but il is wholesome now and then for
the truth to be told and heard. 1t is,
without doubt, hard lines that you
cannot collect your money promptly,
but l., at least, will do all in my power
for you. | had, when these bonds
were issued, two likely young men
slaves, worth at leastSl000 each. They
have married and have now some ten
children apiece. If you will call it
square, come down and l will give you
a bill of sale for the men and throw in
the twenty children for coupons. This
would be as just a settlement as any
deed you could make me to that Sl8,-
900 house, if you were indebted to me
in that sum. BY all the laws in the
land | have just as good q title, and it
may be a better one, to those negroes
as you have to your house.
The fire eaters of the South,
previous to the war, we're over
bearing, naughty and arrogant, but it
was toward a people more powerful
than they. They got their deserts,
but in their palmiest days never, never
did they assume such arrogance, such
insolence, as the coupon clippers Of
the North have shown toward a help
less people. And just so sure as their
day Of reckoning came so shall yours.