The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-01-08
Correspondence.
AMERICAN HOUSE, Columbus, Dec.

AMERICAN HOUSE, Columbus, Dec. q.
JAS. r. MoRRis,
Dear SI:-The Senate has been engaged to-
day in discussing a bill to incorporate the Toledo
Plank road company. This bill has a very harm
less tile, 1t is a trojan horse. 1t authorizes the
city. council of Toledo to open a poll and take a
vote, and ifa majority shall be found in favor of
such a measure, to issue bonds and borrow twenty
five thousand do liars to be subscribed into the
stock of this company. The several townships Of
Lucas county are also authorized to hold elections,
vote for or against, and if a majority favor the
pplicy then to issue bonds and borrow money,
not exceeding three thousand dollars for each
township, and subscribe into the stock of this
company. Then the whole winds up with a pro.
vision that after Is years the State may foot the
bill, pay off every body and take the road. This
is the c~onsummatioh intended from the commence
ment. This bill and all its companions are only
covert, roundabout, indirect, disingenuous modes
of robbing the State-treasury. 1t is one of the
host either past or about to pass. The Senator
from Belmont and Monroe attacked it earnestly.
He commended that it was unconstitutional. 1t Is
a delegation oflegislative power to these little cor
pora;ions; but all legislative power is by the con-
~stitution delegated to the two branches of the
General Assembly. Nothing but the blindness of
avarice could make men blind to this obvious prin-
ciple. To deliberate, to vote, to resolve, to ap-
~propriate money and then to provide for issuing
bonds and borrowing it. are they not legislative
acts. If not legislative acts, what are they! Are
they executive; are they judicial The very OBJ
iect is to provide a rule to compel a dissatisfied
and refractory minority. When the General AS
sembly appropriates money, issues bonds to bor-
row it, and lays taxes to provide for the interest,
does it not l~egislatea The proposition is too plain
to be argued. He commended in the second place
that the principle of the bill was pernicious. 1t
sets a bad example-otheT counties will seek for
the privilege OF running themselves in debt for
these wild and visionary projects. The number
of such projects is now alarming. They are SPRING
ing up on us continually. It requires no spirit of
prophecy to ~foretell. thatit these schemes receive
favor here, the local debt OF counties, cities, bor-
oughs and townships will soon exceed in magnI-
tude the state debt itself. The indebted counties
will be repres ented here, and as soon as they get
the majority 1t is easy to foresee what kind of JUS
tice they will mete out to the TRIBUTARY coun-
ties. They will vote for assuming all this immense
load Of local debt and paying il out of the State
treasury. Let the counties be warn.
ed in time. The State treasury is already besieg.
ed; and these measures are only the machinery
fixed up by the plunderers to batter down its walls.
Every capitalist who embarks his money in these
schemes does so with the secret expectation Of
getting his pay out Of the State treasury. Would
NY man, fit to have the management Of one hun.
bred dollars, lend it to a township to build a rail-
roadl The idea is preposterous. One thing is
certain. These little soulless corporations will
never pay. They will either saddle their debts
on the State treasury, or their creditors will lose
them altogether. They ought to lose. The mi.
norlty givesthem fair warning. They are told
plainly that these little corporations are not to be
trusted, and ifthey lend money in the secret ex.
pectation of getting Reimbursement out of the
State treasury may heaven send them disappoint.
ment. Every good man, and everyJust man will
rejoice in their calamities. The Senator from
Monroe was warmly seconded By Reemelin Of
Hamilton. The bill will pass. The currents too
strong for them. They may get some Of It's basest
provisions struck out, that is all they can do.
It 10 now computed that twenty-three Senators
are in favor Of the conyeution bill. There is a
high probability bits passage 'i2'1" I'b ~
J Respectfully ours, 10 35sd Oh OSCAR. ID