The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-08-08
Vol. III. No. 2i.

kluQ Vi pTOptIty3 dHu Jct, uhuoi H''o
whig tax law, it is all exempted from
taxation; but the poor, the laboring
man, the toilng multitude, for fear that
they will not yield up every cent of
taxable property, must bs required to
make out O written statement, under
the pains and penalties Of perjury!--
And in order to defeat proposition so
reasonable and just as that of taxing
jewelry, the great leader OF whlggery
in the House, attempted to ridicule the
proposition, by moving to amend Mr.
Willams's proposition, by adding, ''la-
dies bustles and side-combs."
Alexander Hamilton, in the torna-
ton of our glorious constitution, sought
to give the rich and well-born certain
rights and privileges not enjoyed by
the great mass of our citizens; and the
party, of whom Hamilton was the ac-
knowledged leader, although defeated
in securing in the constitution such ex-
emp,ions and privileges TO. the would
be nobility Of the country, have ever
since sought to obtain the same object,
by means of special legislation. This
doctrine Of Hamilton is manifested IN
almost every section of the Tax Law,
and marked every step OF It's passage
through the Legislature; and this ex-
emption Of jawelry from taxation, IS
but another evidence Of the attachment
of the leaders of that party to the doc
trines and opinions of their great
founder.
If any thing more is necessary, to
substantats the correctness OF this
charge upon the whig leaders, it may
be found in the exemption from taxa.
ton Of many millions Of the actual
wealth of the State invested in State
stocks. These stocks are yielding a
semi.annual interest of six and seven
per cent, and are considered very
safe and desirable investment, by our
most wealthy men; and many of them
have their fifties and hundreds ofthous-
ands of dollars invested in them. They
are owned exclusively by the rich; and
are consequently, exempted from taxa
ton. 1t is confidently believed, that
more than eight millions of the capital
of the rich citizens Of Ohio, are invest
ed in these stocks. Will some of our
| whig leaders explain to us the reason
why the money ofo rich men, invest
ed in these stocks, is exempted from
taxation, a! the same time that the mas
ses must, under oaths and penalties, be
taxed upon the few dollars of money
loaned to their neighbors, or laid by to
be used in sickness or adversely?
| | am aware that portion of these
stocks were exempted from taxation
by the law creating them; but very
large portion are not thus exempted;
and although there may be some ex-
cuse for the party in exempting such
as the law exempts, yet there can be
no excuse for exempting such as no
previous law had exempted. If any
thing could possibly have rendered this
policy of the whig party more unjust
and iniquitous, it was the fact, that
while these stocks owned by the bank
ers and rich men were exempted from
taxation, the poor mans all had to be
reyalued and reassessed, in order to
wiring from his hard earnings, more mo-
!. ney to meet and pay to these bankers
, and wealthy men, the interest on these
very stocks that have been thus iniqQ-
4 tously exempted fiom taxation.
II was not sufficient that the asses
v sor had power to examine every mans
o premises, inquire into all his private bu-
!, ssiness, and hunt up every thing "tangi-
d BILE and intangible" in the language OF
/ Alfred Kelley, but he must also be clo-
d thed with the power Of compelling ev-
q cry man under oa.hs and penalties, to
d give testimony against himself! And
i then, in order to make the outrage
J. greater, if possible, he must have pow
p er to compel whole neighborhoods to
e appear before him, and bear testimony
|. against their innocent and unohending
/ neighbors! We may safely challenge
tine world to produce another instance,
v in which such insults on1 indignities
:. are borne with impunity. In the Brl-
4. tish House of Lords, some three years
i. since, when similar proposition was
n before that body, requiring the subjects
N OF the British crown TO assess their
A. property and effects, under oath, Lord
( Broughman remarked, that the gov
s. ernment did not exist, whose subjects
). would submit to such an unjust and ty-
4. rannlca measure" And yet, three
IS short years afterwards, a whig legisla-
,e ture actually passed just such law. IN
N the third state composing this ''land Of
is the free and home of the brapep To
h the whig legislature of Ohio, belongs
Il the honor ofhaving successfully accom-