Samuel Blatchford

“ There is no element of private property in the right of taxation conferred upon a municipal corporation. Property acquired by paying for it with money raised by taxation is property. The legislation in question does not affect or interfere with any such property. The poor-farm, and the personal property thereon, are not the property of the township of North Brunswick, but are the property of the corporation of the city of New Brunswick. ”

“ We are clearly of opinion that such a grant of the power of taxation by the legislature of a state does not form such a contract between the state and the township as is within the protection of the provision of the constitution of the United States which forbids the passage by a state of a law impairing the obligation of contracts. The conferring of such right of taxation is an exercise by the legislature of a public and governmental power. It is the imparting to the township of a portion of the power belonging to the state, which it can lawfully impart to a subordinate municipal corporation. ”

“ U.S. v. Railroad Co., 17 Wall. 322, 329; Philadelphia v. Fox, 64 Pa. St. 169; Mayor v. Railroad Co., 20 N. J. Eq. 360; Police Jury v. Shreveport, 5 La. Ann. 661, 665; State v. St. Louis Co. Court, 34 Mo. 546, 552; People v. ”