The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-05-03
For the Spirit Of Democracy.
THE NEW TAX LAW.

OF very large proportion OF the democratic dele
CATION in the House of Representatives, it is rgh
that it should have fair hearing before it is con-
demned4 say r1y large proporti"n Of the
democratic delegation, and speak without the
least fear Of successful contradiction. for the peni
tent Magdalenes, who, at the beck and nod of the
Columbus clique, changed their votes after the
final passage of the bill, in reality voted for and
secured that final passage as much as did Eel
cratic delegation, bespeak your calm and unbias-
ed consideration of few reasons which shall
render you, and then if you see fit to condemn me,
for aught that have done, have no earthly
objections having no itching for places of public
trust; to me, at least, they posts of labor and
toll, almost beyond the powers Of the human
constitution to endure,
This law will fulfil the Scripture in one respect,
-''many called, few chosen" II will put.a good
many persons, to the trouble of saying "no," and
that is consequence, which regretted, but it
surpassed my wisdom to find remedy for 1t, unless
we patiently permit merchants and money lenders
to escape without bearing their due proportions
Of the public burthens they have hitherto done.
Your cattle and horses can easily be seen, they are
hard to be concealed; but capitalist can conceal
very large capital in his breeches pocket, hence
the necessity of swearing him, and, as all must be
treated alike, some will of course be sworn whose
duty it will be, according to the TRUTH TO say no.
But is it for an indebted State TO complain OF
taxaon' is not the right time to complain before
the debt is contracted' Our debt Of twenty mil
lions is fixed fact, and the annual interest payable
on is fixed fact, neither is at all increased or
diminished by the mode of taxation. Yet the mode
of taxation Is important to the counties and indi-
may compel the poor counties to pay out of all
proportion more than their due share compared
with the rich ones. An empty treasury, aud fair
name in danger Of dishonor, called on US for more
money; how was it to be raised' The personality
tax must be increased in same mode or other
There are but two ways aboutit. Either we must
leave the State Auditor to lay higher tax on
horses and cattle, or, according to the recommend
ntions OF John Brough, our late Auditor, who
surely has some title to be considered democrat,
we must take some method to make our merchants
and capitalists contribute their share. This is the
very gst of the accusation against me; preferred
tax on merchants capital and money at interest.
rather that higher tax on horses and cattle. Let
it be remembered that horses and cattle are found
in every part of the State; every settlement must
have them; the land cannot be cultivated without
them. The immense mercantile and money capi-
tails are chiefly accumulated in the central and
western counties, those very counties where the
canals lay.
Perhaps human ingenuity is incapable Of making
poor county pay as much as a rich one, by means
of property tax, but if perverse ingenuity of the
highest order were engaged in bringing about such
state Of things, as nearly as possible, it would be
accomplished by means of horse and cattle tax
Just such as ours. Suppose company of twenty
men had contracted an immense debt the interest
OF which must be paid, and the principal provided
for And further suppose that they had agreed to
assess the proportions TO be paid according to the
grain in possession Of each, all of them having
corn and rye, but seventeen of them very little
wheat while the other thee had immense ware
houses filled with that grain. Would it not be to
the interest Of the seventeen to have the wheat
taken into the calculation, and would 1t not be
equally the interest OF the three wheat owners 10
have it left out? And would It not be strange
accusation against the attorney for the seventeen,
49, l. tbo bo haH
the wheat to be taken into the calculation' Now
apply these principles TO the case in point. The
county of Hamilton, with the immense and rich
city Of Cincinnati in It, returns, under the old law,
far less capital and money al interest, than is known
to belong to single firm in the city II returns
about one million one hundred thousand dollars
a single firm in the city is known to be worth
nearly two millions 1t is probable that there
are individuals in that city able to buy out the
entire county Of Monroe, but be this as it may, no
man doubts that Hamilton is worth one hundred
times as much as Monroe, and Of course upon
fair system of taxaion would pay something like
one hundred times as mucn. Now suppose we
conclude to supply the pressing wscnts 'i our
treasury, by an additional tax upon horses anG
cattle and how will the account stand! While
Hamilton gives in little more than ten thousand
cattle, Monroe gives in more than six thousand,
and while Hamilton gives in little more than
nine thousand horses, Monroe gives in upwards Of
four thousand. So that when Hamilton pays one
dollar Of cattle tax pay upwards Of sixty cents
and when that rich county pays one dollar Of horse
tax, we pay nearly City cents. j. for US then to
complain Of merchant and money-tax' Will
we forever suffer these men to make US grind like
Q blind horse in their mill without any opinions OF
of our owp' From the first moment of my taking
part in public affairs, ] have declared to you
that these eastern counties were governed by
the rich canal counties, like colonies, not with
spy reference to our Dteres. but with reference to
their oicn An immense debt Of urgent pressure
and fearful magnitude. has been contracted mere