Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-03-30

Of all nations; 70 hold BY ITS navy nan
kind IN awe; to subsidiZe with its
capital halftbe thrones Of Europe. No
wonder that such a Government, the ma.
tural enemy Of ours--yes, sir, say the
natural enemy, regardless ofthe federal
can't so often heard about sour affinity Of
interests with the mother country IRE
uardless Of the studied efforts daily made
70 Justify here every abuse, usurpaliOn,
and fraud upon the authority Of British |
example mo wonder that such Govern.
meni with a view TO its great object oil
humiliation and ruin, should have VIOLA
led cur vessels, murdered our citizens;
snd by It's stocks, It's corporations, us cap
ital, and its -nercenarios among US should
have deranged our aifairs, reduced our
prices, distressed our people, forced
thousands TO cry out for relief, and
seek Il in the expulsion from our
councils Of those Who dared TO resist
British domination. No, sir; nor is il
wonderful that now, when these things
arc done, EngIand's bankers should de-
maDda mortgage on American soil, or
that men should be found here ready to
give il. Yes, 10 give it; because " The
Federal Government (says the senator
from Massachusetts, is bound 10 uphold
the.credit Of the States" And howl
By the payment or assumption of their
debts. There isno other way. But even
this is insufficient. For the Government
to uphold their credit. must guaranty,
likewise, all debts the States may in fu-
ture contract, or assume the power to re-
strain them from contracting any MORE
II It can do the latter, then are the States
made pCwsrless, and brought in subjec-
ton 20 its will. lift cannot restrain them,
and vet is bound TO uphold their credit,
then must it tax the people as much as
the States desire 10 spend; whilst thus
they are lndHcsd to spend as they can.
For If this Government he bound to pay
their present debts, so is il their future;
if one class Of debts, then equally all; if
bound to pay those incurred for internal
improvements or for banking capital, (as
we're most Of these now contracted il is
bound also, and for the same reason, to
defray all the charges Of State admins
tration. And where is Congress to find
means to satisfy a demand so insatate :
In unbounded, intorminable taxation.
In this manner it is proposed TO uphold
State credit; and this is called favor 10
the States. As il State and federal Gov
eminent did not both derive their only re-
venue from the same and only source
the pockets Of the same people. But in
what does this favor result? Plainly in this
Congress. not the State Legislature, is in
future to tax the people Of tho State fol
all objects Of State necessity; and may,
for reason equally good, prescribe, by
law what those objects shall be, when
and how TO be executed. Thus would
= the State Governments have become use
less, be virtually abolished, and the peO-
pie deprived Of the very benefits they OBJ
tained by the American revolution-lo.
cal government, local taxation, i'm.
posed By themselves for local objects -
For tho Federal Government is to
the people Of a State, in reference tC
their local affairs, foreign power; ant
II, to raise revenue for state expenditure
Il assumes the right to tax them, thOy are
taxed without their consent condition
which no other word than tyranny can de
scribe. But for illustration, | put thu
case. The people Of Ohio ,acting,througl
their local Legislature, now Judge Of fthei
own wants as state, and tax themselves
10 meet those wants. lfa canal is desret
they determine when, where, how, and b,
what agents, it shall be executed. If
tax be necessary, they decide in wha
manner, when, and to what amouRt,
shall be levied. These questions, so i'm
portaut, are setteld by majority ofthe peo
pie, none others interposiug; and in thi
fact they find the benefits Of the Govern
ment. But II, instead Of this, Congress
IN whose power the people Of Ohio haV
but limited participation-if Congress
whose action they cannot, therefore, con
troll, should assume TO Judge for them Q
their local wanls-io tax them for dstr
button 10 meet those wants--that is t
Say, decide for them when and in wha
part OF the State n canal shall be cut
and tax them to defray the charges Of III
work -ifCongress should act thus, wouI,
not that people receive their local laws
and pay local taxes imposed agains
their consent, By the will Of others-a
much so as did our fathers Of the colonie
before the reyolutionf For is It not evi
dent thai people are taxed without thei
consent, when, as 10 this case, the disaT
probation oFa majority cannot prevent II
Nor does the fact that the State is repre-
sentod in Congress affect the principle
50 long as the tax Ond objects are loca
This illustration would seem sufficient
yet ] viii push it still farther. The pee
pie Of Ohio owe debt; and to pay il
propose 10 tax themselves at their Ow
tine,in their own way, to the amount @
million, through their own Legislature
Congress comes forth, and saws n them