Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-12-26

u Cdm0 ITOm tue I1OuSCs pIOJ0Ct WuiC
while il held out TO the people hop
that their taxes, sure 10 be reduced il
reality, did not take from those taxes
proportion on dollar which could b,
calculated, as he should proceed to show
The whole amodfil Of property on lh'
lgrand levy Of the State for taxation il
/ $l33,663 ,794 90; and the whole ameun
expended this year for The payment o
Legislature, Governor, officers Of Stale
support Of public Institutions, &c, in
short, said Mr.. p, for every purpose ex
cept the State common school fund, and
the payment Of interest ON our canal deb
s$lS9,500 91. Now, sir, saidlM P, a
tax of one mill and half on the dollar
Of valuation, on Sl33, ,663 ,794 90, would
raise The sum OF $50" ,496 40, which is
| sic, ,095 rs morethan the whole oxpeD-
dilure of the past year, exclusive of the
school fund, and interest on the public
debt.
Now, sir, continued Mr.. p, it will be
seen that, if the whole civil list Of the
State was swept away-if we paid our
Governor, Judges, and officers Of State
nothing at all-if we had no Legisl ature,
no AsyluTs for the relief of the unfOltlI-
nate--nay, more, sir: if that which is
the fashion of certain gentlemen and
presses 10 regard as the s'uice which
swallows up all the resources Of the
State-the terrible State Printers office
was entirely swept away-the taxes Of
the people would be reduced less than
one mill and one half on the dollar Of val
.uation; or in other words, the person who
had one hundred dollars Of property let
ed for taxation would save one. cent and
a half, the man who had one thousand
dollars of property on the tax list, would
save fifteen cents, he who had three
thousand dollars would save foFty-fVe
cents; and he who had lenlhouslnd dolls
lars would find his taxes reduced the e.
norDous sum ofone dollar and fifty cents
per year. Now, sir, said Mr.. p, is not
the idea that this measure is going mate.
rally, or TO any tangible extent, TO be an
alienation Of the taxes of the people,
farce, and worse than farce an insult
on their understanding! But this bill,
sir, as it came from the House, does not
even contemplate the one twentieth part
OF even this small relief What is the |
reduction Of taxation that the bill, as 1t
came from the House, proposes, or at
least effects? Let US, sir, again resort
10 figures, and see what they will pro.
duce. This bill, sir, proposes to take
from the per diem Of each member Of
this and future General Assemblies, the
sum Of one dollar per day. There are
los members, and sir, upon a session
of 100 days, which is longer than the av-
erage Of sessions, the decreased expen>
ses would be $I0,600. Now, sir, how
much would this lessen the rate Of taxa
ton on The dolarP The sum, may be
stated thus: If $133, 1868, ,749: lO,SOO:
l 90 give. Gentlemen may figure out
the amount for themselves. For my
part, sir, confess that | do not know
how 10 express in figures the small frac.
tion of mill which is the result, but
believe, sir, it would be found TO be
somewhere in the neighborhood of the
10Th part ofa mill, on the dollar, and,
sir, | suppose that gentlemen, if they
should succeed in taking this heavy bur.
then from the people, will bury them
selves in the fond hope that their Dolt.
ical fortunes are made forever. When
in fact . deceived people will not be
able to discover that their burthens
have not been lessened. 1t is for this
reason, Mr.. Speaker, said Mr.. P, that
| have offered tie pending amendment.
Mr.. Lahm said, that, when the amend
ment oflhe Senatorfrom Pickaway, Mr..
Franklin) was first offered, he had nten
ded to give it his support, and that, on
first reflection, he had come TO this con-
clusion for the reason that he believed |
il just as possible that the people of the
State would find men we'll qualified TO
discharge the duties appertaining to the
President Judges Of the judicial circuits
at two dollars per day, while in actual
service, as that they would find comPe.
tent men to serve them in tho Legislative
halls ofthe Sale fOrathat acompensaiiOn.
He thought the one proposition about as
reasonable as the other; but on further
reflection he had come 10 different
conclusion, and would now vote against
the amendment In my short expari-
ence in Legislation, said Mr.. Lahm, |
have discovered that there are two ways
Ofdefeating measures ofa character sim
liar to that now before the Senate-one
bya kind Of system of cutting under, so
as to render the measure obnoxious TO
the sense ofevery honorable Senator,
by makingit appear ridiculous upon its
very face; another by walking up and
rneeiingit like men, without any dssim-
ulation or attempt to gull the good sense
Of our constituents. He had come TO
the conclusion to pursue the latter
course.
Let US then apply this rule 10 the pro-
position before the Senate, and appeal
n L /