The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-06-21

ITO be sold in the same condition in which they were
sbought. In this construction we are sustained by
Auditor Wood, whose instructions are law, or are
2made so by the law, and for which you, Mr.. Arch.
Ebold, voted But you may answer this argument
sby saying that these horses and cattle are driven
Ito market "to increase the value thereof by the
Rprocess of driving"-then why the proviso? II
Twon't do. You cannot bluff us off by such con-
sstructions. No man, uninterested IN discussion
dwoud so interpret it. 1t is forced construction
(which the law will not bear out So with your
argument in relation to hogs But what kind OF a
Flaw is it that will bear one construction from you,
different one on the same point from the Auditor
sof State, and still different one on the same point
Sfrom some other person' ..
For our part, we cannot see why you appear to
sbe so determined to have drovers erept from tax
alton Is there no competition in any other branch
4 of trade than droving! The surplus wheat and
/ wool of this State undoubtedly form large item
1 of its surplus products. Why are not the milers
and manufacturers protected against foreign capi-
/ tai as well as the drover' No, they must submit
because they manufacture wheat into flour and
wool into cloth; and the purchasers OF horses, cat
File and hogs must escape taxation because they
purchase "to increase the value thereof, by the
process of driving to a distant market, Is this
not too ridiculous' The next thing we may expect
to hear is that wheat and wool are exempt because
they are sdomestc animals" If this law was got
up for the purpose of favoring the people OF east
ern Ohio, and to make "the prostitute villains OF
the rich canal countess pay an equal share of the
taxes, why is the capital invested by drouers and
..salters exempt, aud the purchasers Of wheat and
wool not' Was it done to favor the nabobs in the
canal counties. Most certainly there is as much
foreign capital employed i'll the purchase OF wheat
and wool as in the purchase Of domestic animals
bought to Improve in ralue by drirmg As to
'your TRADE about our construction OF the law M
relation to drovers, we leave our readers TO judge
whether your construl ton or ours is the better
warranted by the law Whether the question Of
taxing drovers was "ardently debated in the
House, we leave Gen. Meredith of Coshocton
to answer. He ys:"The bill having been report
led late in the evening of the day previous to he
adjournment, as an amendment to the Senate bill
and making it almost an entire new bill-members
had therefore no tune or opportunity OF knowing
what the bill contained, other than by hearing il
read" The time for that "ardent discussion" was
short!
We have had but little time to devote to your
communication this week, and we regret that your
'course has been such as TO lay us under obligation
Ito notice it all. A system of prevarlcaton, we
conceive, has been adopted BY you from the lirst
lin the discussion of this subject, to which you have
adhered with pertinacty, BETTING the cause
As evidence of your unfairness, it will be seen by
reference TO what we have heretofore said, that
our objections to this law are not because it taxes
merchants capital and money at interest, but
because it can be, and is so construed by many
Jas to entirely relieve money at interest from
taxation, and exempt one half the capital of
;merchants-yet you present the question in such
an aspect as to induce the belief in the public mind
that ye oppose the law for the reason that it makes
the capitalists pay portion Of the public burhens
sIf you expect to escape merited censure alter
using such subterfuge, we can assure you that
you are mistaken. Before we close, we must give
"a case in point. The money at interest returned
sby firm of this county was three thousand dollars
by making the necessary oaths, they escape tax
alton on the tchOle!
j So far as we are concerned, individually, we
sconsider that we have made considerable saving
lin the way of taxes by the passage of this law, so
that interested motives do not influence us in our
opposition, as IS sometimes hinted in priva te con-
sversation.
You frequently state in your articles that the
s,chig papers in Cincinnati clanor against this law
I'VE now give you specimen of democratic "cla-
NOR" from papers near at home:
From the Cadiz Sentinel.
THE TAX LAw.-The more we study the fea-
lures of the whg Tax Law, the more odious and
,villaDous do they appear. Had the bill been fra
imed in the Parliament Of Great Britain, and inten-
ded to eat out the substance Of the poor tenantry
'of the Emerald Isle, its purpose would be accom-
'plished most admirably. The apoogists and defen-
ders of the law pretend to say that it was framed
for the purpose Of reaching persons who escaped
from taxation under the old law! This is as false as
THE Alcorah; for, ifsuch the intention of its fra
ners, why was not bank stock taxed as other prop
lerty and notes at interest: A is retired from bull
siness, has his affairs settled up debts all collected
land invests $40 900 in some incorporated bank
THE bank declares semi-annual dividends of say)
"A 1-2 per cent, or about per cent. per annum,
which amounts TO 5000 clear profit to the stock
holder. His neighbor by industry and economy
saves $500; but thinking the sum too small to mi
vest IN bank stock loans out to his neighbor at
moderate interest. Along comes the assessor, and
visits the house of A. "Well, friend A" says thej
assessor, "you have the reputation Of being veal
'thy. suppose you will have long schedule toI
make out for me, of your money at interest" "Il
have money at interest" replies A, angrily, "Ii
have money at interest! do you intend tc insult me
Il thought you had sense enough to know that I!am>
IA stockhoder in the Owl Greek Bank ,and my stock
lis sacred from the touch of such impertinent office;
holders as you. Go and tax the old women'si
chickens if you want to raise revenue" The as y
SCISSOR of course will leave after this pleasant inter
Iview with the $40, 900 ank-stockholder, and next;