New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-10-09
viii Indiapy pay her Dsbtst- Canal Lands and
scrfp-Taxes, &c.
To the Editor Of The Tribune


To tho Editor Of The Tribune:
In your paper of this morning yoa say;
Hi. evident 10 US that the right spirit Is at length fair
IL aroused in ndianahat for the most part both Demo
and Wig now determined 70 iace tnei, oohea
Mons like men go and we confidently look 10 her next
Legislature for the enactment Of such laws az VIII psce
her permanently like Pennsylvania among the paying
states OF the Union.
As a citizen of Indiana il would give me un
speakable Joy If could be assured that your asser
tons had the least foundation in fact
That she has, as you say, sufficient resources so
far as richness Of soil is concerned, can vouch for
from nv personal knowledge and examination of all
parts of the State during a residence Of more than
fifteen years but that the majority OF the people
have the tctlT and will make ali effort to find " me
ray" TO pay her State Debt, do not believe; and
| believe that your confident look to the merit Legis
ature is confidence misplaced, very. Do you
forget that the next Legislature is Loco Foco-very
and that one of the same kith and kin last winter
gave the creditors of the State very "cod shout
der and why do you expect them to give warm
r reception 10 any proposition to pay the fourteen
millions of dollars that the State now owes And
even il the Legislature were OF that kind OF mate
rial that were likely 20 listen 10 any such proposition
to try even find out ray to pay the debt wish
you would tell me II you have any fore shadowlng
Of what that rdy ia to be by which this oyerwhelm
Ifby increased taxation, can tell you that -" live
HOLSTERS" are not new alive TO do il. Do yo1 know
that property is assessed for taxation at Its ialr and
fu value by seven assessors and that in some coun
ties the tax for " State and County purposes
amounts TO two per cent on such valuation DO
YOU suppose that the people can pay more or that
they will try to do il to themselves the disgrace
of open and acknowledged Reputation In fact
! look upon open reputation as far more honest
than our present course. And 10 hold out the idea
TO our creditors that we intend 10 pay and try TO
borrow more money is TO try TO obtain money upon
false pretences.
Do YOU know that with all the present high taxes,
that MANY if not most of the Counties in debt
and their SCRIP IL County orders are under par,
and that the State Treasurer complains that he don
Get pqoney enough of the collectors 10 pay his post
age The collections are all III scrip and little else
but scrip. This scrip 10 the amount OF about
million and half of dollars was issued in ls4O TO
pay off contractors &c when the State "suspen
ded" and took the first step in hopeless bankruptcy
Afterwards some 500 900 more scripwas Issued 10
pay the Bank debt
This is what is called the domestic debt Of In
diana-and very well named II is, for II stays at
home very domcstically. This scrip was all origin
ally issued in FIVE and fifty dollar bills upon per
cent interest But afterwards the Legislature
thought il would tend TO keep the whole debt still
more domestic To repudiate the interest upon the
$50 scrip and allow the holders to take IS scrip IN
lieu OF H. drawing Interest at the rate OF per cent
er'annum.
This scrip is receivable for taxes, by repudiating
little more of the interest every year, and as II Is
usually ten per below par at It's face, with
out interest il is wonder that the treasurer sets
no money while the people have scripture t. render
unto Caesar that which is Caesars. for rendering
unto him nothing but scrip And as nothing else
gets into the treasury of course nothing else can be
paid ont for. all expenses The only advantage
a. = thua ohsOrh bod
is held fast, and none but green scrip the per
cent interest kind is paid out
But can YOU tell how long it will be, BY this pro
cess of absorption, before the whole stock IL alb
sorbed Because we cannot think Of paying the
foreign debt until the domestic one is done for.
But this is not all the scrip we have in circula-
lion There is the d" W hite Dog issued 10 pay
arrearages and repairs on the Wabash Canal above
Lafayette. This is aysble in canal land belonging
10 that part of the canal
Then there is the Blue Dog" issued TO pay for
the construction now going of the canal between
Lafayette and Terre Haute.
Then we have the Blue Pops issued by the
contractors d" to make change - T. C. to make change
scarce
A large litter of these dogs and pups are dropt
upon the pablo every year and II Is upon the ex-
tension of this same canal TO the Ohio River that the
gran, OF a large quantity OF the refuse fnd oil the
Nincennes Land District was made by Congress
]
ors of the State are very modesy asked to lend us
little more money which il we fail 10 get suppose
the present Loco Foco Legislature will stand god
father 10 another litter OF pups, under some new
color 10 distinguish them from the older ones OF the
same prolific mother.
And the idea is held that II the State can Dor
row a little more money she will be able 10
pay the old debt Well. this is not very " new
way to pay old debts tina, is certain.
Yox know that belong. so far ss politics are con
cerned TO the debt paying party, and that II Is al
most as unpopular for say that the debt never
will be paid as 70 say that we never intend or mean
10 pay il. Blu, have lost oil hope of living TO see
any serious effort even made TO pay il And say
il is lot honest to hold out the idea and false hope
10 our unfortunate bond holders that they have any
hope of erer getting their pay.
saw We ought 10 speak ont maniully and tell them
fairly that majority OF The inhabitants Of Indiana
are not disposed to make any attempt to pay, and II
YOU will Just divide the total OF the debt among
the adult males you will readily perceive that the
amount per capita Is 81 great that they never can be
induced to think they are able
Whether our children will be willing 10 pay our
debts am sure | cannot tell II they are. II VIII
appear lust as remarkable 10 me- and no more 10, as
il would 10 see the present generation willing to pay
them.
am sorry 10 write thus of my own State, but
mus, write what ! honestly believe or hold m y
tongue. And no honest Indianian who would do as
he would be done by ought do that, notw Tristan
ding ne may expect 10 hear the whole pack OF Old
doss-whi,e dogs. and blue dogs puppies and ALL lei
loose upon him
That they may know who to bark Al. give my
name SoLoS ROBINSON
Nec- York, Oh. T. OF Lake Co. To-