The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-05-21
THE SENTINEL
cADIz. MAY 81. Is4S.
THE TAX Law.

the substance Of the poor tenaniry Of the Emer-
aid Isle, its pnrpese would be accomplished most
admirably. The upologsts and defenders of the
law pretend to say that it was framed for the Pur-
pose of reaching persons who escaped from tax
alton undert the old law! This is as false as the
Alcoran; for, if such was the intention of IFS fra
mers, why was not Bank stock taxed as other
property and notes at interest? A is retired
from business, has his affairs settled up, debts
all collected, and invests $4,000 in some in
corporated bank. The bank declares semi-an-
nusl dividends of say "a per cent, or about 9
per cent. per annum, which amounts 10 5000 clear
profit 10 the sockholder. His neighbor by
industry and economy saves $500; but thinking
the sum too small TO invest in bank stock, loans
it out to his neighbor at moderate interest. Along
comes the assessor, and visits the house of A,
Well, friend A. says the assessor, ''you have
the reputation of being wealthy, suppose you
will have long schedule TO make out for me, of
your money at interest,"" 81 have mo ney at in
terest!' replies A. angriIy, a have money at in-
you had sense enonght know that am stock
holder in the Owl Creek Bank, and my stock is
slcrcd from the touch of such impcrtinent Office
holders as YOU Go and tax the old women's
chickens if you want to raise revenue" The
assessor of course will leave after this pleasant
interview with the $4,000 bank-stockholder,
and next visits B. who hls $500 at interest, and
looses no time to place it on his books. Cases
of this description may occur every day. Per
sons having money al interest, finding that bank
stockholders are exempt from taxation, while
themselves are taxed, of course will cease loan
ing their money at interest, and buy stock in
some Incorporated bank, which is by law ent-
tied to exclusive privileges and immunites, de-
MED 10 natural persons. Thus, the object the
whg Legislature had in view, in passing the in
famous tax law, will be attained to perfection,
viz: compelling men to take stock in the new
rag mills which are about commencing opera
tons!
We were about extending our remarks on the
subject of the iniquitous tax law, when we came
across the following sensible ARTICLE in the last
"Spirit of Democracy,"to to which we call the at
tention of every person into whose hands this
paper may fall:
BY this law, which is unequal in lis operations
and exactons, the people of the eastern por-
tlon Of Ohio, ure to be sadded with a tax laid in
the most Objectionable form possible, for the pur-
pose of swelling the public purse 10 pay the in
terest upon a large debt, created for the benefit
of other portions of the State; and by it perhaps
enable the public functionares TO continue sys-
tom SO destructive TO The general good, and so
remarkably beneficial to the Spectators engaged
directly and indirectly in the system of plunder
heretofore carried on.
The mass of the people of Ohio have been
made slaves by taxation to benefit but spot,
here and there, on The broad surface of the
State, and the legislature of last winter has step
ped In, and by its never-to-be-forgotteD tax law,
drove the last nail in the coffin. Taxes have
made the people of England slaves, and the peo-
pie of Ohio have at last TO tread the same path.
They are now bound to stand in their own de-
fence against such legislatures and such laws,
and proclaim as they did in '76, "mIlions for de-
fence, but not one cent for tribute"
All the business men of the State must now
go BY the board--their business must be taxed
out of existence-and the citizen himself made
TO swear that he has made true return of all
property taxed by the lac Of last pinter, when no
two lawyers, however experienced, after much
examination and reflection, can agree as to what,
by the law, should properly be taxed, And thus
all must swear TO the law and the property in
tended TO be taxed by it. Has not the legisla-
tlre, by the passage of this law, called upon the
people to commit moral perjury They have
called upon them to swear 10 things of which
they know nothing-to a law which they cannot
construe--and about which those, whose busi-
ness il is 10 expound laws, disagree. We know
Of no better way in relation TO this matter than
TO follow the injunction of the scriptures "swcar
not aln
The merchant without capital, who by his
long habits of industry and economy has secu.
ured credit enough TO obtain stock over Sl00
and by which he expects TO support himself and
his family, and for which he has spent years Of
industry, is, all at once, stopped in his career by
this abominabIo tax law--the credit, purchased
by the sweat of his brow, has been DESTROYED
by men who know not and cannot feel the diff
culties of the toiIing millions, The law reaches
allmechanics, and It makes no difference between
those having credit and those having capital. L
operates very severe on all dealers in personal
property. Mers, wagoners, the purchasers o.
Hour, pork, beef, tobacco, eggs, butter, chickens
and cheese, are made to feel its effects, if ovc
one hundred dollars are invested The tax, OF
all dealers in these articles, strikes al the frs
cost Of the article which becomes reduced in va
luo in the hands of the producer. All such per
sons by the law are deemed traders aud thei
investments capital in trade Those operating
in produce along the Ohio river, must not onl,
undergo the perls Of tho river and the hazard 0
poor market, but they must lay down their las