Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-10-07
Mr.. Warner democratic Senator from

compel Bangs kereatlsr established to pay
taxes on their capital Rock. as other prop
|'erty; and all the democrats voted for lisa.
mendment, but it was lost, the wings yot.
ling against it. The recorded votes show
the position taken by the democratic party
in the Senate, without single exception
upon the subject Of taxing Banks; and this
record proves, also, that the proposition to
bring the banks under the general provis-
ions of the tax law, was made by demo-
crat instead Of a whig, and was voted for
by every democrat present, instead of be-
ing opposed by me or any other democrat
ic Senator. ." "''-' f a
| never stated that was we'll satisfied
that the banks, as the bill then stood, would
pay more tax than they would if they
were brought under the general provisions
Of the law.
moved to strike out the 6lst section of
the bill, which was so drawn as to give to
the banks, witkoul limit as to time, the po,o-
er q choosing in what manner they will be
taxed; and the few remarks made on the
OCCASION, were published in the Statesman
of about the ll:h of February. | have not
in my possession number of the paper
containing my remarks, but as we'll as |
can recollect, the point of them was this:
That ifthe manner in which banks were to
be taxed was to be left undetermined until
after new valuation of property should
be made, it would be better to retain in the
Legislature the power of determining the
manner, after all the facts should be known,
than at once, and at a hazard, to confer
the power on the banks themselves. ids" g.
My motion was lost; but the section was
not ultimately retained in the bill, being
stricken out, think, at the instance of Mr.
Cowen, of the House, and for altogether
different reasons. ~ a.,
Very respectfully, your ob't servant,
RUFUS E. HARTE.
In PALMER, Esq. % 'oa ~.
Never was falsehood' more fully met
than that of Mr.. Bebb has been by tt,
plain, manly statement of MIR. Harte, VIII,
is triumphantly sustained by the Journal o
the Senate. Mr.. Ewing, of Hamilton, hav.
ing moved an amendment of the tax law,
providing that capital invested in bonds,
mechanical pursuits, merchandise, &C.,
should be taxed the same as capital invest.
ed in banking. Mr.. Harte was one Of the
democrats who voted in the affirmative, 90
wings voting in the negative, and throwing
out the amendment So was it with regard
to the vote on the amendment offered by
Mr.. Warner, of Licking, that the capital
Of any banking company hereafter estab-
lished in this state, should be taxed like
capital in trade Or money loaned at interest
which amendment was lost by vote Of
20 wings in the negative against IA demo.
Gratis in the affirmative, Mr.. Harte being
one of the fourteen. The remarks to which
Mr., Harte refers, as published at the time,
are the following -t -.rr..-.a'
sMr. Harte moved to strike out the 61st
section. ,.' .as .s.Na' -',.. :p5s,-
sMr. H. aid:-This section provides for
allowing banks to elect whether they will
be taxed according to the provisions of this
bill, or the laws now in force. 1t is i'm
possible to tell said Mr.. HI, what will be
the total value of the taxable property of
this state, estimated in accordance with this
proposed new system of valuation. 1t may
amount to six or seven millions of dollars.
Ifsuch should be the case, it would appear
from tha statements heretofore made by the
Senator from Franklin, that the provisions
of this bill will impose less tax on banks
than they are now liable to pay; and if we
give them the choice, it is to be presumed
they will elect to pay the lesser sum, rather
than the greater. If, on the other hand,
after the Valuations are made, it shall be
discovered that the provisions Of this bill
will impose greater tax on banks thar
they are now liable to pay, it is to be pre-
sumed they will elect to abide by the pres
ent law.
'Mr. H. said, as this was hazard a
which the state could not possibly gain, ant
might possibly lose, he thought it had bette
not be made; and he hoped the section
would be stricken out, and the matter lef
to be hereafter determined as the state shoul,
elect, when all the facts are known. H''
a@sMr. Kelley and others continued the de
The question being taken on the mo
ton to strike out, was LOST ..,s.
| Was there ever seen more complete Q
yerthroy ofa whig misrepresentation, BY
the simple array Of facts drawn from the
record, than this! If Mr.. Bebb has the
slightest sensbility to shame, he must blush
for either his merdacity qr his ignorance
and honorable men among his supporters
must experience feeling of unqualified
disgust on seeing an expedition Of the pitt
lul arts resorted to by their chosen leader
Were history compiled from documents
similar to Mr.. Bebb's speeches, Voltaire
might we'll be excused for saying that it il