Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-10-12


the People of Indiana would not have endured il
for a moment. What matters IT 10 me, or 10
YOU, whether it be the valuation of our property
or the per centage of tax that is doubled: is not
The amount Of money taken from orr pockefs dou-
bled an either cGset
But 90 further, and say, that this Board has far
more than tiie power to raise the per centage Of
tax we have TO pay, as the Legislature does
The Legislature must raise it, If at ali, for all
counties alike while these men NAV pick and
choose at their good pleasure may treble it
for one county and half it for the next; power
which the Legislature OF no State in the Union
ever dared to claim power unheard of in the
annals of republican legislation
II we are to take from the People Tie right Of
electing those who ralue our property. we may
well take from them also the right to elect
those who tar it, And whenwe give out Of our
hands the power Of taxation, farewell to the lib
critics of our State
Observe, pray you, how jealousy careful
the fathers of our Republic have been IN regard
to this principle. What says the Constitution
Of the United States
'All bills for raising revenue shall originate
in the House OF Representatives, but the senate
may propose or concur with amendments "
Why is this Because the Senate is not eject
Board of Equalization by the State LcgisIa-
lures and therefore lis power over taxation l.
limited to proposing To the Lower House its
amendments, or concurring in those sent thence
for It's approval Yet we have given 10 this new
creature OF the Legislature, the right 10 alter
and amend the doings not only OF the Iegisla-
ture, but also Of our county officers. without
challenge or hiudrancc, without check OF appeal,
Without appeal must quality that express
sion \ section Of the appraiscment act to
which have already alluded graciously per-
rnits the county board, it they think the State
Board has not put up the Improvements on land
high enough, to raise them notch or two still
bot the same old proviso remains
''Prorid,d, that said Board shall, IN no case
reduce the aggregate value Cd real property
within such county, as originally assessed by
the State board OF equalization.
il may 20 up, a. Tar as county board or state
board please. But, once raised, loi times chang
as they viii, there II must remain You must
wind up the State clock but one way The ma
chIncry does not permit t. reverse Your hand and
wind ii back again. " hat mockcry of every
thing like common sense or republican primer
PIE l. such legislation this
Thus Ear have spoken only of the pritcipl,
involved in this innovation on our system o
taxation aid have shown YOU, | trust, how
utterly opposed it Is to the genius OF our free in
stitutons, nasmuch as II virtually remove.
from Us the power to decide upon the amount o
taxation We viii have; IA accordance with thai
doctrine dear to fedcralists and Aonarchists
that the People are not wise and honest enough
to be allowed 10 tax themselves.
Bat lol Us look now g. the practice consequent
on the present application OF tins arIstocratica
principle Let IT,, sec how the new ~ stem o
taxation viii work
The county appra scr and the county cour
have, after hearing complaints. and revising ,nc
appraisal, decided upon the value OF the real &
tate of each county They had We may rca
sonably suppose, Ia" tlcs before item, ncccs
sar, to make uD that decision. The law ha,
required the appraiser To value up0n actual ri,jC
The members OF the county court each IN la.
own part of the county, must be supposed ca
pable OF at least an approNlmatlng Judgment o
the value Of the appraised lands. And tho
Board i open to the appeal, Oi all who consider
themselves aggrieyed by an over-v.,luation
They decide then, With these means ct iutorma
ton and correction before them; and thclr &c
csion goes on 20 Indianapolis.
There the ELEVEN meet. They receive
these Reports rom the counties, an taey III II
Judgment upon them. They are to alter as e
them may seem Just and reasonable. - Jus
4
commodating or less explicit A more conve
nicnt loop-hole for an c'sy conscience 20 creel
out at, 1t would be difficult to find. How easily
70 We persuade ourselves. that whatever square
with our own interest l. the most .'Iu-t and rca
sonable" thing in the world Had there beer
some fixed rule of estimating, some espresso
p-nciplc, 1T least 10 which the state Boar
should be tied down IN making their decision
we minht have had some hold. IT even slender
upon them that Il, II they. the elected Of th'
Legislature, would permit the people to gncs
tion or criticisc Their doiugs at eli SU; nov
TO what purpose any question or rcmon-trance
If we say "Nhy have YOU done this or that :.
the answer l. ready Because We thought
Just and reasonable and what more Is Their
to be said
But row suppose these men very Nol"mons d
wisdom and very SAINTS N Justice You iInPr~
upon them a task, % which, FROM their very 81
ration. they are IN all human probability, who!
" uniittcd What i- 2 delceate from tic shore
Of Lake Michigan likely to know OF the Procis
value Of lands in the OHIO valley hn waa
accuracy shall a citizen Of some Of the populou
counties adjoining the OHIO state dec4e hos
much farms are worth along tie banks al In
W abash
Nor are they invested with powers to oilai
any evidence that might enligh..n thor 'gno'
ance They are not authorized 70 send =
persons aud papers They cannot sumno
witnesses or procure dispositions. There E C
provision, even. by which the. might hear N
complaints or the circumstances OF those. }
whose cases tacy are required to decide j."
present the strange spectacle of a Count, vino
on'v rule &C iaw Is rs own arbitrary orioi'n
Justice and reason Court without Iurv ~
nesses counsel of Fioaaings shat ~ a