Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-12-27
NEW sERIEs-vOL. III. NO. 90.


unite IN maintaining, with the most Seru.
pulous exactness, the plightad faith Of
the States while we all regard our State
credit IS an object Of the FIRST importance,
we cannot be too careful not 10 impair
it by any policy or measure we may adopt.
An increase Of our State debt for new
objects, would not only add to the pres.
ent burdens ofthe people, but, ai the
same time, materially depress our State
bonds. By avoiding all new sources Of
expenditure, and infusing the most rigid
economy into every branch of The public
service, our credit will be equal 10 that
Of any state in the Union. At present
our State bonds are selling al a price
which cannot be accounted for without
looking TO extTaneous causes. They may
be found in the failure of many Of the
States to pay the interest on Their bonds
while fear has been excited that some
OF the States may rePudiate their debts.
This has had tendency to throw discIed.
1t on all state stocks, and the good and
bad have been confounded together
But this cannot long be the case. We
have always promptly paid the interest
on our debt, and no fears are enteEtained
that We will not be able to do so hereafter
and the doctrine of reputation has found
no advocate within the limits Of our State.
When we FIRST commenced our system Of
internal improvement, and it became nsc.
essary to borrow money 10 carry il on,
we, at the same time, adopted the policy
ofraisng, annually, BY taxation, sufficient
to pay puHctuallY the INTEREST on our debt.
This is the true and settled policy Of the
State, and it has been owing to this that
we have preserved our credit and met our
engageme mis-. 1t has been mainly ow-
ing 10 the waRt Of similar policy, that
the non>paying States have failed TO pay
their interest, which has so much shaken
the public confidence Unfortunately in
all State obligations. With our present
and rapidly increasing resources, and tho
known determination of the citizens Of
the State TO apply them TO the faithful full
| fllment of all our public engagements,
we have every reason 10 belleVe that tho
credR of the State will soon recover from
its present depression, and be duly apprs.
GATED both at home and abroad.
The creditors on the public works arc
entitled to your special consideration
The law of last session, although it twas
we'll intended at the time, and believed
to be sufficient to enable the State to
meet the demands Of this class of our
creditors, experience has shown was in.
adequate for the purposes intended
This meriteFous class OF creditors have
spent their time, labor and money, in the
service of the State, and many of them
are greatly embarrassed for the want Of
funds long since due them. Justice res
quires, at the hands of the Legislature,
that ample provisions be made to meet
promptly their claims. InldOing this, the
most certain aud economical plan should
be devised, and one which at the same
time, would not impair the credit Of the
State.
In closing my remarks pn this occasion,
permit me to call your attention 10 tho
true nature of our peculiar and happy
form of government, which ought To be
deeply impressed on the minds Of all SO
that its advantages may be duly aPprsci'
aled, and proper means used for its pre-
seIvation. Our State government is
representative democracy, formed by the
people, themselves, for their benefit, and
moulded according to their will and pleas
ure. They have adopted the repreSen'
tative system in order TO avoid the trOuh"
le and expense, in an extended territory,
having large population, of meeting to-
gether, as IN some Of the ancient rePub'
lies, and expressing their will, in person
as to public measures. Each representa-
i've and senator, is clothed with the lm'
portant and highly responsible trust OF
EXPIRE ssing the will and wish OF his con"
stituents on all matters of legislation
which may be brought to his consldeTo'
ZION. The people have provided in the
organic law ofthe Stale how the public
will shall be expressed, how it shall bO
executed. By the theory ofour Govern.
ment, the will ofa majority of the Legis.
lature. so long as that body keeps within
the constitution, is presumed TO be the
will of the people; and although this may
not slways be true in practice, yet any
supposed variation from the public will,
BY majority Of the Representatives Of
the people, will not justify any other mode
of redress than that provided by the peo'
Pile themselves, in the form and organ
izatIOn Of the government they have a.
dopted. Iferrors are committed byS
majority, the wisdom of cur institutions
has provided peaceful aud or
derly remedy in the ballot box
Whatever wrongs, f any. may %
uerperated by the majority OF
the representatives. we may rest assured
will be speedily remedied by the people
themselves, in the mode and manner
J. lknown to the constitution. Such con-
ceive to be the character OF our repressn,.
tat;ve form of government. 1t is based