Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-06-11

seIhdut duu cafeiul, Wnlle lne Bfe0t mass suuef
their teachings TO pass unheeded. Too much
time usually iransPires in political matters, be-
tween the errors and their results, 10 allow the
matter to remain entirely fresh in the reeollec-
ZION Of the people. Such we say is usually the
case-but such has not been the case with the
recent career ofIhe LOcofoco party.
! We have heretofore had occasion, recently,
TO allude 10 the singular fatality, and enormous
losses accompanying the process Of Locofoco
Bank Reform" il was a series Of failures,
and aborIiye experiments, following each other
in quick succession, so that even Locoioco hardi.
hood could scarcely face the people and ask for
further confidence. The people having placed
the legislative power in the hands of the Wings,
they set about their business in earnest, and
brought forth their measures. The Locofecos
had exhausted oil their expedients, and had fail.
ed. No one Of their expedienis lived long E.
nough 10 enIille its death TO the observance of
funeral obsequies. They had nothing further
then TO Propose-and consequently based their
claims 10 further indulgence, not so much upon
their 0lcH merits, as upon the errors which they
imputed to the Wings! They had succeeded in
breaking up most of the old banks, and hoping to
be able TO break up the new ones, claimed some
indulgence al the hands ofthe people on that ac-
count But the people, not having any great
desire TO see any more banks broken, or 10 have
another shin.plaster Locofoco era follow so soon
upon the heels of the last one, respectfully de.
clned the overture.
With regard TO the new tax law-alihough
similar measure had been repeatedly recon-
mended and urged by public funcIionaries of
their own political stamp, and was obviously in
] l.. ILL., II 81
yet, their opposition was not grounded upon the
idea of their having TO propose any better plan
Of their own for public consideration. They
fought as the Mexicans are proposing now to
fight, in little organized squads of guerrillas.-I
They hung out no banner--and recognized no
common principle Of objection, except the prin-
ciple of fault.fnding and cavlls. Did they find
any where in The law, passage susceptible Of a
doubtful or wrong construction, n hundred Loco
foco editorials and speeches were hung upon it,
like Weatherield's onions upon string. Did
they see something like shadow any where in
the law--they let themselves down upon it, each
hanging TO the assertions Of the other, like the
Welchmen celebrated in tradition, who, suppos-
ing they had discovered green cheese in the RI
yer. let themselves down by each others heels,
10 fish up the reflected image Of the moon.-I
They were not TO blame for not telling what they
wanted-for clearly they did not know exactly
what they were driving at themselves. They
wanted to find fault-so far they understood
themselves; and so far only could they make
others understand them.
Their prominent notion was that banks were
not sufficiently taxed. They pretended TO be.
leve that the banks were required to paw less
Inv han NhatH IL -, H..
the matter was demonstrated over and over a.
gain, that bank stock would pay heavier taxes
than any other kind Of properly. They would
not see it. They were blind as owls; and like
that delightful kind Of bird, kept up u dolorous
hOoting. They did not beleve--they knew
Marryrdom could not shake their fah--fre
could not melt it out Of them. And stranger,
listening for the first time TO one Of their speech.
es, or reading one OF their editorials, would have
supposed their political creed to consist of TWO
items:
LIST. That the banks were not sufficiently tax.
ed.
Cd. That the great end and aim of man in this
his earthly pilgrimage, were to take care that
bank stock and other properly should be taxed
exactly alike.
These fundamental and doctrinal notions they
spoke and sung, and set forth in wood cuts.-
These were the test "Democracy"-and were
worn MS badges in the hats of Editors, stump ora
tors, and such other like People.teachers. And
these, like the rest Of their preiensons, were
false. Whether they really knew them 10 be
false we do not undertake 10 say; but they might
have known them 10 be so, had they cared TO
know any thing about the matter. But the. time
has now come when every body will know them
TO be false.
Mr.. Auditor Woods in his last annual report,
(page ll,) after giving statistical table, show
ing the amount OF taxes paid by the new banks,
says:
at is thus shown that the Independent Banks
and the branches Of the State Bank, pay an aver
age ofeight mills on the dollar on their capital"
live can now ascertain how much tax other
property pays, we shall have the whole reckon.
ing in nut shell. The Auditor says, on the
same page of bis report:
The total taxes for the year ls47, for all pur-
poses, will not exceed six mills on the dollar"
In the same Report. (page l6,) he says "The
amount OF State tax which it will be necessary TO
levy for the year l847, for oil purposes, will not
exceed three mills on the dollar" On page 10,
he says: at is probable that application will be
made by the banks, TO have their capital stock
placed upon the grand list, and taxed, for State
purposes, an amount equal to the average tax
paid upon other properly. If tho people of the
State are disposed 10 relieve the banks from the
of The TAX now assessed upon them un.
der the act TO incorporate the State Bank of Ohio
and other banking companies, it may be well to
consider this proposition lavorably. But if the
banks, in consideration Of The privileges which
hey enjoy ought to pay greater tar upon their
stock than is levied on other properly of equal
value, they should not be released from The con-
tract, under which they tViH have to pay A GREAT
En- TAX THAN WILL BE LEVIED UPON THE PROPER
rY OF INDIVIDUALS"
MEVICAN AEEAJpC