Thompson v. Allen County

115 U.S. 550, 6 S. Ct. 140, 29 L. Ed. 472, 1885 U.S. LEXIS 1867

• Court: Supreme Court of the United States
• Decided: December 7, 1885
• Status: Published

Opinions

Mr. Justice Miller

delivered .the opinion of the court. This was an appeal from a deeree of the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Kentucky, dismissing the bill of the appellant, who was plaintiff in that court.

The case was tried on bill, answer, exceptions to the answer, and a stipulation as to the facts.

The substance of the bill was, that plaintiff had obtained against Allen County, in that court, two judgments at law, amounting to over $27,000, on coupons for interest on bonds issued by the county to pay for subscription to the stuck of the ’ Cumberland and Ohio Railroad Company. That, after executions on these judgments had been duly returned “ no property found,” the court, at the instance of the plaintiff, issued writs of mandamus to the justices of the Allen County Court, under which they levied a tax of $2.08 on every hundred dollars’ worth of taxable property in the county to pay said judgments. That, at the same time, they elected- one J. T. .Stork collector of said tax levy, and made an order that he give bond with good security as such collector, and proceed to collect the levy and pay it over in satisfaction of the judgments. That Stork refused to give bond as required, and refused to accept and qualify as such collector; and that, by reason of the hostility of the citizens and tax-payers of Allen County, no one could be found in the county who would perform the duty of collector.

The bill then gave the names of about thirty.of the principal tax-payers of the county, with the value of the assessed property of each, and the amount of tax due from him under said .levy, alleging that the tax-payers were too numerous to be sued, and praying that these might be sued as defendants representing all others in like circumstances, and be required, with the county,' to answer the bill.

The prayer of the bill for relief was, that, inasmuch as the complainant was without remedy at law, the court sitting in chancery'would appoint a receiver, who should colleot these taxes, and that the money arising therefrom be from-time to time paid over in satisfaction of plaintiff’s judgments, and that the several tax-payers of said county, made-defendants, be required to pay into court, with like effect the sums due by them as alleged in the bill.

A joint answer was filed by Allen County and the other defendants who were served with process. They admitted the recovery of the judgments, the return of the executions “ nulla, bona” the issue of the writs of mandamus, and the levy of the tax by the County Court. They also admitted the election of Stork as collector and his refusal to serve, and they denied .everything else. They said that the bonds were procured by fraud and without consideration,- the road was never built, the tax Was unjust, and oppressive, and they denied the jurisdiction of the court, sitting as a court of equity, to collect these taxes, which could only be done by a collector of taxes for said county, appointed1 according to law, and not otherwise. Exceptions were filed to this answer, which were not passed upon, but vthe case was heard on bill, answer, exceptions, and the following stipulation :

“ By leave of the court the parties now stipulate of record in this cause:

“ 1. That the county court of Allen County -has in good faith and diligently endeavored to find a fit and proper person to act as collector of the railroad taxes in said county, and of -the special levies of taxes in the bilk of complaint set forth.

“ 2. That no such fit and proper person can be found who will undertake and perform the office and duty of such collector.

“ 3. That the complainant is without remedy for the collection of its debt1'herein, except through the aid of this court in the appointment of a receiver, as prayed for in the bill, or other appropriate order of the court.”

The hearing was had before the circuit justice and the circuit judge, who certified that they were opposed in opinion on the follQwing questions-occurring in the progress of the case:

“1. Whether taxes levied under judicial direction can be collected through a receiver appointed by the court of chancery, if there is no public officer with authority from the legislature to perform the duty.

“2. Whether taxes levied by State officers under judicial direction can be collected through a receiver appointed by the United States court, where the legislature has provided an officer to dbllect, but there is a vacancy in office and no one can be found who is willing to accept the office.

“ 3. Whether a court of chancery can grant any relief to complainant upon the facts recited in the bill, answer, and stipulation, as presented in this record.”

A decree was rendered in accordance with the view of Presiding Justice Matthews, whose opinion is found in the record, by which the bill was dismissed. 13 Fed. Rep. 97. An appeal was taken to this court.

The questions on which the judges of the Circuit Court divided are not new in this court, for, while the subject, in the precise form presented in the first and second questions, may not have been decided, the whole subject has been often before us, and the principles which govern it have been well considered.

The cases in which it has been held that a court of equity cannot enforce the levy and collection of taxes to pay the debts of municipal corporations began with Walkley v. City of Muscatine, 6 Wall. 481.

In that case, the complainant Walkley had procured judgments against the city of Muscatine for interest on bonds of. the city, executions had been returned “nulla bona” the mayor and aldermen had refused to levy a tax for the payment of the judgments, and had used- the annual tax for other purposes and paid nothing to plaintiff.

Walkley them filed his bill in equity praying a decree that the mayor and aldermen be compelled to levy a tax and appropriate so much' of its proceeds as might be necessary to pay his judgments.

This’ court said, by Mr. Justice Nelson, that the remedy was by. mandamus at law, and “ we have been furnished with no authority for the substitution of a bill in equity and injunction for the writ of mandamus,” p. 483 ; and he adds, that “ a court of equity is invoked as auxiliary to a court of law in-the enforcement of its judgments only when the latter is inadequate to afford the proper- remedy,-” pp. 483-4.

' By inadequacy of the remedy at law. is here meant, not that it fails to produce the'money — that is a very usual result in the use of all remedies — but that in its nature or character it is not fitted or adapted to the end in view. This is clearly stated in the next case in this court on the same subject, namely, Rees v. Watertown, 19 Wall. 107.

In that case, as in this, execution on a judgment against the city of Watertown had been returned ‘‘no property found.” Writs of mandamus had been issued requiring the levy of a tax to pay the judgment. These writs had failed by reason of resignations of the officers of the city to whom they were directed, and this had occurred more than. once. The court was pressed with the doctrine that, the writ of mandamus having proved inadequate, a court of equity should provide some other remedy. To this it replied: “We apprehend also that there is some confusion in the plaintiff’s proposition, upon which the present jurisdiction is claimed. It is conceded, and the authorities are too abundant to admit of question, that there is no chancery jurisdiction where there is an adequate remedy at law. The writ of mandamus is, no doubt, the regular remedy in a case like the present, and ordinarily it is adequate and its results are satisfactory. The plaintiff alleges, however, in the present case, that he has issued such a wpt on three different occasions; that by means of the aid afforded by the legislature, and by the devices and contrivances set forth in the bill, the writs have been fruitless; that in fact, they afford him no remedy. The remedy is in law and in theory adequate and perfect. The difficulty is in its execution only. The want of a remedy, and the inability to obtain the fruits of a remedy, are quite distinct, and yet they are confounded in the present proceeding. To illustrate: the writ of habere facias possessionem is the established remedy to obtain the fruits of a judgment for the plaintiff in ejectment. It is a full, adequate, and complete remedy. Not many years since there existed in central New York combinations of settlers and tenants disguised as Indians, and calling themselves such, who resisted the execution of this process in'théir cqlinties, and so effectually that for some-years nd landlord" could gain possession of his land. There was a perfect remedy at law, but through, fraud, violence or crime, its execution was prevented. It will hardly be argued that this state of things gave authority to invoke the extraordinary aid of a court of chancery. The enforcement of the legal remedies was temporarily suspended by means of illegal violence, but the remedies remained as before. It was the case of a miniature revolution. The courts, of law lost no power, the court of chancery gained none. The present case stands upon the same principle. The legal remedy is adequate and complete, and-time and the law must perfect its execution,” pp. 124-5.

The language here used is not only applicable to the case under consideration, but in regard to the facts they are the same.

In that case the court said: “The plaintiff invokes the aid of the principle that, all legal remedies having failed, the court of chancery must give him a remedy; that there is a wrong which cannot be righted elsewhere, and hence the right must be sustained in chancery.- The difficulty arises from too broad an application of a general principle. ... Generally its jurisdiction [chancery] is. as well defined and limited as is that of a court of law. .... Lord Talbot says, £ There are cases, indeed, in which a court of equity, gives remedy where the law gives none; but where a particular remedy is given by law, and that remedy bounded and circumscribed by particular rules, it would be very improper for this court [chancery] to take it up wh re the law leaves it, and extend it further than' the law allows. Generally its jurisdiction depends upon legal obligations, and its. decrees can only enforce remedies to the extent and in the mode by law established. ... A court of equity cannot, by' avowing there is a right but no remedy known to the law, create a remedy in violation of law, or even without the authority of law. It acts upon established principles not ‘only, but through established channels.” pp. -121-122.

The court also said the power to direct a tax to be levied is the highest attribute of sovereignity, and is exercised by legislative authority only. It is a power that has not been extended to the judiciary . Especially,” says the opinion, “ is it beyond the power of the Federal judiciary to. assume the place of - a State in the exercise of this authority at once so delicate and so important.” pp. 116-117.

These propositions are reasserted in a later case of the same term of the court. Heine v. The Levee Commissioners, 19 Wall. 655.

It was, like the present, a bill in chancery to enforce collection of taxes where no officers could be found whose duty could be enforced by mandamus. “ There does not,” said the court, “ appear to be any authority, founded on the recognized principles of a court of equity, on which this bill can be sus-' tained. If sustained at all, it must be on the very broad ground that, because the plaintiff finds himself unable to collect his debt by proceedings at law, it is the duty of a court of equity to devise some mode by which it can be done. It is, however, .the experience of every day and of all men, that debts are created which are never paid, though the creditor has exhausted all the resources of the' law. It is a misfortune which, in- the imperfection of human nature, often admits of no redress. The holder of a corporation bond must, in common with other men, submit to this calamity when the law affords no relief.”' p. 660.

The court added that the exercise of the power of taxation belonged to the legislature and not to the judiciary, and, in that case, it had delegated the power to the Levee Commissioners. “ If that body has ceased to exist, the remedy is in the legislature, either to assess the tax by special statute, or to vest the power in some other tribunal. It certainly is not invested as. in the exercise of an original jurisdiction in any Federal court.” p. 661. “ It is not only not one of the inherent powers of the court to levy and collect taxes, but it is an invasiop by the judiciary of the Federal government of the legislative functions of the State government.” Ib:. And it cites Walkley v. Muscatine, and Rees v. Watertown, as in pqnt.

Mr. Justice Bradley, who decided this case on the circuit, had there elaborately discussed the whole subject. See Heine t..Levee Commissioners, 1 Woods, 216. This language is repeated and approved in State Railroad Tax Case, 92 U. S. 575, 615.

The same principles are laid down in Barkley v. Levee Commissioners, 93 U. S. 258, in which the whole subject is reviewed. It is-said there that the power to compel, by mahdamus, municipal officers to perform the ministerial duty of levying proper taxes is^a distinct power from the levy and collection of taxes by a court of chancery, and “ the truth is, that a party situated like petitioner ” (where there were-no such officers) “ is forced to rely on the public faith of the legislature to supply him a proper remedy. The ordinary remedy having failed by the lapse of time and the operation of unavoidable contingencies, it is to be presumed that the legislature will do what is equitable and just, and, in this case, legislative action seems to be absolutely requisite.” pp. 265-6.

In the case of Meriwether v. Garrett, 102 U. S. 472, the legislature of Tennessee had repealed the charter of the city of Memphis and abolished the city organization, at a time when there were taxes assessed and uncollected amounting to .several millions of dollars, and debts of the city to a much larger amount. Some of these taxes had been levied under compulsion of writs of mandamus from the Circuit Court of the United States. A bill in chancery was filed in that court by sojpe of these creditors praying the appointment of a receiver who should take charge of all the assets of the city of Memphis, collect these taxes, and pay them over to the creditors, and generally administer the finances of the extinct city as a court of equity might administer the insolvent estate of a dead man.

The decree, of the Circuit Court, granting relief, according to the prayer of the bill, was reversed in this court, and .the bill dismissed.

Owing to a division in the court no elaborate opinion representing the whole court was given, but the chief justice • announced eight propositions, on which the majority were agreed. Of these propositions the following aré pertinent here:

“ 3. The power of taxation is legislative and cannot be exercised otherwise than under the authority of the legislature.

• “ 4. Taxes levied according'to law before the repeal of the charter, other than such as were levied in obedience to the. ■special requirement of contracts entered into under the authority of law, and such as were levied under judicial direction for the payment of judgments recovered against the city, cannot be collected through the instrumentality of a court of chancery at the instance of the creditors of the city. Such taxes can only be collected under authority from the legislature. If no such authority exists, the remedy is by appeal to the legislature, which alone can grant relief. Whether taxes levied in obedience to contract obligations, or under judicial direction, can be collected through a receiver appointed by a court of chancery, if there be no public officer charged with authority from the legislature to perform that duty, is not decided, as the case does not require it.’’ p. 501.

But though the question was not then decided, and it is urged upon us now, we see no more reason to hold that the collection of taxes already assessed is a function of a court of equity than the levy or assessment of such taxes. A court of law possesses nó power to levy taxes. Its power to compel officer!! who. are lawfully appointed, for that purpose, in .'a case where the- duty to do '.so is clear, ‘and is strictly ministerial, rests upon a ground very different from' and much narrower than' that .under which a court of chancery would act in appointing its own officer either to assess or collect such a tax.

In the one case the officers exist, the dffiy is plain, the plaintiff has a legal right to have these officers perform that duty for his benefit, and the remedy to compel this, performance, namely, the writ of mandamus, has been a well known process in the hands of the courts of common law for ages. In the other there, existe nó officer authorized to levy the tax or to collect it when levied. The power to enforce collection when the tax is levied, or to cause it to be levied by existing officers, is a commomlaw power, strictly guarded and limited to cases of mefe ministerial duty, and' is not one of the powers of a court of chancery. Tt would require in this court, not the compulsory process against, some, existing officer to make him perform a recognized duty, but the appointment by the court of such an officer and a decree directing him what to do.

In the one case, his power proceeds from the law, and he is compelled- to exercise it; in the other, it proceeds from the court which first makes its own decree, and makes an officer ■to enforce it. • No such power has ever yet been exercised by a court of chancery. The appointment of its own officer to collect taxes levied by order of a common-law court is as much without authority, as to appoint the same officer to levy and collect the tax. They are parts of the same proceeding, and relate to the same matter. If the common law court can compel the assessment .of a tax, it is quite as competent to enforce its collection as a court of chancery. Having jurisdiction to compel the assessment, there is no reason why it should stop short, if any further judicial power exists under the law, and turn the case over to a court ~f equity. Its sheriff or marshal is as well qualified to collect the tax as a receiver appointed by the court of chancery.

The difficulty is that no power exists in either court to fill the vacancy in the office of tax collector; and the case of Lea County Supervisors v. Rogers, 7 Wall. 175, where the laws of the State of Iowa expressly authorized the court to enforce its writ of mandamus by making such appointment, the only case in which it has ever been done, shows that without such legislative authority it cannot be done'.

It is the duty of the marshals of the Federal courts and the 'sheriffs of State courts to levy executions issuing from these courts on the property of defendants, and sell it, to raise money to pay their judgments. Let us suppose that, for some reason or other, the office of marshal or sheriff became vacant for a while.. Would that authorize the court of equity of the Federal or State government■ to appoint a sheriff or marshal? or to appoint a receiver to levy the execution ? or, if it had been levied, to sell the' property, collect the purchase-money, and pay it to plaintiff ? If this cannot be done, if it never has been done, why can it do a much inore unjudicial act, by appointing a collector to collect the taxes, or* what is still less appropriate, appointing a receiver, and endow him-with that power?

To appoint a marshal or a sheriff to execute the process of a court to enforce the judgment of -that Court, is not such a wide departure from the judicial function as to appoint a receiver to collect taxes; but no case has been cited of the exercise of even the former power by the court, much less the appointment, by a court of chancery, of. an officer to execute the processes of a court of law. The appointment of special masters or commissioners to make sales' under decrees in chancery, is the ordinary mode of that court to enforce its decrees in cases wherei the court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of the suit.

■ Not only are the decisions-here reviewed of our own court clearly opposed to the exercise of this power by the court of equity, but the decisions of the highest court of the State of Kentucky are equally emphatic. It is the powers derived from the statute law of that State under which alone this tax can be collected. The issue of the bonds on which the judgment was obtained was by virtue of a special statute, and that statute prescribed the mode of levying and collecting this tax.

.It enacted that its collection should not be by tbq sheriff who collected the ordinary taxes for the State and county, but that a special tax collector should be appointed for that purpose by the justices of the County Court who levied the tax. The Court of Appeals, construing this statute, which was in existence when the bonds were issued, holds that, no other officers but these can collect the taxes, and has decided, both in reference to this law and the Constitution of the State, that a court of chancery cannot appoint such an officer or exercise this function of tax collector. McLean County Precinct v. Deposit Bank, 81 Ky. 254.

This decision, if not conclusive, is entitled to great weight as construing the statute under which alone this tax can be levied and collected.

These considerations require that the answers to each of the three questions certified to us by the judges of the Circuit Court be in the negative, and that the decree of that court dismissing the bill be