The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-09-12

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Grafton Of their constituents for having squandersd
millions, have been received amongst their neigh
bors and friends at home faithful and worthy pub
lie servants. Is the General Assembly ready to
vote every increase Of taxation rendered necessary
by increased loans for the purposes Of our worth
less and unsuccessful speculatonsl Are the Peo-
pie ready to sanction their votes! Then why re-
sort to the shift Of placing the taxing power in the
hands Of the State Audtor' II the broad highway
fthe General Assembly win answer as well, why
resort to the covert way of the State Auditor!
Who seeks to attain his objects by iEdirection when
direct means will answer as well' Who, therefore,
can doubt the origin Of this institution
The State Auditor thinks that repeal of the one
man power Of taxation is equivalent to reputation,
and that the friends Of repeal deserve place in
purgatory, at least for sIolt time. All nations
and ages have borne testimony, that the love Of
power IS intoxicating. Its possessor seldom lays
itdown willingly 1t is but ordinary charity to at
tribute the delusions of the State Auditor TO this
circumstance. As to repudiation, the best means
70 guard the People against H. is to display it in its
true colors;
"Vice is monster Of such odious men,
As to be hated needs but to be seen."
The man, who hates repudiation, instead OF at
tempting TO prevent it by indirect means, by any
shallow contrivance, such as the one in question.
should sayto the people, that it is moral impos-
sibiIity, in great and enlightened Commonwealth,
capable of conprehending its own true interests.
That il essentially consists in treachery. fraud,
faisehood, baseness, faithlessness to solemn en-
gagements. That as the means of . state are more
ample and varied than those of individual, as it
can seldom or never labor under as violent temp
tation to injustice as an individual may, SO public
dishonesty IL more detestable than that Of an ndi-
yidual That the exigencies of a state or nation
arising from foreign war, from external invasions,
or internal connections, from those ten thousand
casualties which no human skill or prudence can
foresee or prevent, may be SO great that nothing
but an unbroken state of public credit, may be able
to save the political fabric from absolute destruc-
ton! That no pecuniary advantage is a sufficient
compensation for public dishonor. That vice new
er yet was friend to human happiness. That al
though absolute and avowed reputation has never
yet taKen pIdce III any PdIt vi Jul SopicoeiaSy, yct
enough has been done In that way, by some of the
states, to inflict most painful sense OF humilia
tion, upon the mind of every enlightened patriot
And finally, that it is base, odous, dsgraceful,
contemplate thing, and that we of Ohio can not
stoop to it. This is the only effectua mode OF
guarding against the danger Of its occurrence
And this is the mode that will be adopted by the
man who has confidence in the virtue aud intelli-
gence of the People and in their capacity for self
government. The man, on the contrary, who has
no such confidence will resort 10 petty shifts and
expedients. Do gentlemen sufficiently reflect on
the impolcy Of endeavoIing to promote good and
worthy ends by unworthy and gnoble means!
AS to this one-man power OF taxation, 1t was not
fixed up to prevent the reputation Of the state
debt for at the time Of its creation we had no state
debt; but It was conriyed to favor and advance the
projects Of greedy spectators, and it has accom-
plished that purpose admirably.
sH Respectfully, sc
EDWARD ARCHBOLD.
YVondsfield Sent, 7. 1916.