The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-09-18

engaged in the active and laborious du
ties Of life and lengthy discussion
} would be equally inconvenient for u.
to write and for our fellow citizens tc
read.
A variety of causes, amongst which
the unfortunate and inconvenient struc
, ture Of our Supreme Court is prom
nent, has produced in the minds o
many of our fellow citizens an anxiety
TO procure amendments of our State
constitution. The changes proposed
are all IN accordance with the advan
cling light Of the age, and calculated to
promote the elevation and happiness o
the people.
The subject Of internal improve.
ments. with its natural consequences
debt and taxation, has excited a good
deal of feeling in Eastern Ohio for sew
eral years past. Upon this subject the
parties will be found radically divided
in opinion according to the anaIngy of
the primary ideas mentioned in our in
PRODUCTION. Neither party contends
that the country should remain des.
ert. Both parties agree that commerce
should have its faciIities-both admit
that roads, canals, bridges and other
Improvements should be constructed as
the country advances in wealth and
population. But in the next step the
difference in opinion becomes radical
and irreconcilea able The Democrats
contend that commerce should be left
to provide it's wn channels of trade;
to dig canals, pave roads and create
facilities for itself. In that case lines
of communication would be opened on
the routs indicated by population and
business. Regularity, economy, and
frugalty would become the order of
the day. Improvements would be
made with the least possible amount of
capital, and the proceeds would gene
rally be fair return for the amount in
vested. At all events the tax payer
would not be called upon, as at present,
to pay for windy speculations altoge,h-
er foreign to his interest.
The whig politicians hold that these
improvements ought to be made by the
government-and rightly, according 10
their principles. For this system opens
up an abyss, a bottomless gulph, in
which the wealth of the Indies, nay. of
the world, might be swallowed u up.--
Jobs, contracts, bargains, speculations
and peculations without end!!! A gov.
ernment always pays indefinitely hig her
for the objects of its purchases than in
dividuals would. 1t deals by set of
agents, whose interests are always Gi-
dectly adverse to those of their prlnci-
pal. They may sometimes happen to
be honest, but their incidence and their
negligence can never be match for in
dividua cupidity, avarice, craft and cum
ming. Fraud and dishonesty in these
agents, when they occur, make the mat
ter still worse. A government is al.
ways cheated in its dealings with ndi-
viduals. 1t has been so in all times
past, and will be so in all times to come.
1t is so in the strong and Jealous gov
ernmen!s of Europe, as their writers
on political economy uniformly tell US;
and as common sense would tell US, if
the Economists were silent on the sub.
ject. Our own Ohio treasury has been
exposed for the last quarter of a centu-
ry, like carcass for every carrion crow
under the whole heavens to come and
flesh his beak upon! What pen can
paint the folly Of govern
ment entering upon system of com.
mercial speculations, chaffering, deal
ing, bargaining with individuals thou
sands OF times IN year!! But just in
proportion to the stupendous folly of
the system, is the attachment felt for it
by adventures, knaves, sharpers, spec.
ulators and plunderers; in one word,
by all who are determined to live on
The unrequted labor of others. TO ex-
pect the whig leaders to become RADICAL
3 and thoroughly opposed to the sys-
lem, is to expect SATAN TO ENTERTAIN
A HEARTFELT ABHoRRENcE FOR Sin.
OF all the functions OF government
The faculty Of laying taxes is most fire.
]uentIy abused. Taxation almost ev-
,rywhere becomes exorbiant, and our
,wn beloved State forms no exception
o the general rule. The Father of his {
Country, in his Farewell Address ad.
'ises US to have frequent recourse 10
irst principles in order to detect abuses. {
From whence then does the right Of I
he government to tax the citizens, in {
,ther words, to take part Of his proper I
y for public purposes, proceed. The t
nswer will be found in the following S
considerations.
In state Of anarchy every man is a
udge of his own controversies. Dis {
'utes are settled by the club and the q
lager. Might makes right. No law d
4 Al IL