Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-08

their incorporated privileges from bearing
an equalsburden by way oftaxalion towards
the support of our common government,
they kindly send their saaried officers into
our halls of legislation. Their Cashiers
tapd Presidents are sent up 10 make laws
For the people. And in the legislative
moves of these bank officers, rs representa-
tives, during the past session, we have an
! illustration of the method, and for what
purposes these men are found among the
law makers OF Ohio. 4s
They fist resist and defeat every prop.
3osition to tax the money of bankers the
same as the property OF other persons
/ And having been successfulin their efforts.
tttfey next Procuss fhe Epassdge of q law, by
which the property natural persons shall
be taxed for the payment oil our enormous
State debt, SO that it may be extinguished
without any increased taxation upon the
banker. In the language of holy writ,
they bind grievious burdens for the shoul-
ders of the people, but will not themselves
lIlt finger to bear them.''
This very session the bankers have in
troduced bill, and by the aid of their al
lies have passed it into law, by which
the people are to be taxed annually, COM
mencing with one hundred thousand dol
lars, for the payment of the. public debt,
without increasing the tax Of the bankers Il
single copper.
Fearing that their unjust and iniquiteus
measures would be annulled by the people
through the ballot box, they four years
since commenced breaking down the barri-
ers of the Constitution by changing legisla-
tive districts, that thereby they NIGH per-
Ipetuate power in their own hands, But
popular indignation against them having
increased as fast as did their encroachments
upon the Constitution, they finally at the
present session, concluded to overleap the
Constitution and the ordinary process of
Legislation, and by q daring usurpation of
power, make, as they aver, a distric,ing
law, without the usual powers Of legisla-
ton, and by the zone man power"~ Of the
| Speaker.
We ask the people Of Ohio calmly to
consider the process by which pretended
districting law has now been made, and
then judge how much longer they can ex-
pect to preserve their liberties, if such high
handed usurpation is to remain unchecked
and uncondemned?
-Four years ago, when the State was dis
tricted, the wings had a majority in the
House, and the democrats in the Senate
The districting bill then passed was a conf
promise bill. One known at the time to
give the wings the advantage, yet acqui-
tesaedsia blythe democracy, rather than
come tosan open rupture with their politi-
cal opponents. Under this law the wings,
the next year after its passage, obtained a
majority in both branches Of the General
Assembly. A; that session they passed
their famous banking law, giving TO the
bankers most extraordinary exemption S
from equal and just taxation; in conse-
quence of which it was known that the bur-
den OF taxation must be increased upon all
the balance Of community. Fearing the
effect of such unjust legislation upon the
popular mind, and being anxious atal sac
rafices to keep power in their own hands,
they commenced changing county lines for
the express purpose OF changing legisla-
tive districts.
In opposition to tho wishes and solemn
protestations of all the Senators and Repre-.
sentatives from the counties interested, they
took two townships from Athens county
and attached them to Morgan county; there
by changing the political complexion Of
both the Representatives and Senator from
that district; an outrage unknown before
in the history Of Ohio legislation.
The law apportioning the State for leg.
islative purposes was passed in the session
.of 1894. The law detaching two town.
ships from Athens county and attaching
them to Morgan, was passed in the session
OF l644-5, and in that law not word was
said about how these two townships should
vote until the next apportionment Mr..
Belts was returned as representative from
Morgan county, as Morgan county sOas,
when it was made an election district. Mr..
Chandler contested his seat, because, coun-
ting the votes from the two additional
townships which had afterwards been added
to Morgan county, he, (Chandler) had the
majority. And from the constitutional ar
guments then adduced bv the Wings. Belts
was ousted and Chandler obtained his seat,
because as the wings then saii, it would be
unconstitutional to divide county for leg
islative districts.
Emboldened by this successful innoya-
ton upon the. constltution, and consequent
incr ease of political strength; they, at thu
session passed the new tax. law, thereby
imposing additional burdens upon laboring
and producing classes, without the least IN
crease Of taxation upon the favored banker.
Having by thesegross frauds upon the'con-
stitution, and open violation, Of the com
promise bill, secured a majority in each
/ branch Of the present General Assembly;
they felt strong enough to endorse the trea.
son of Corwih, to condemn the war,-to
recommend the Withholding of supplies, :
and to pass q Jaw taxing the laboring and
] producing classes r>the payment of the
/ State debt, at the same time refusing to tax
bankers the same as. other individuals.
But: as an indignant constituency might
Ihurl them from power, under an honest and
fair superintendent law, they at once disre.
gard the avoWsd constitutional doctrines ol
Atheir 1eadefssus expressed in the Morgan
lcbunty contested election case; and boldly
iir,froducsd a bill dividing not only Hamil
Hon Ton county, ,but even the city of Cincinnati
flor the avowed politicalpurpose ofsecnring
an additional Senator and two Representa-.
Etivss -iSslfi: - t.@5 5'+' =
"A more high Handed violation of the con