Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-01-17
Kenosha, January Q, 1851.

Mr.. SuoLgs-Dsar Sir: AS you have,
heretofore, allowed me room in your columns to
discuss public matters, hope you will again al
low me to draw attention to some things that
ought to be brought before the present legisa-
ture.
In the first place, every member knows well
that majority of his constituents think the tax
es too high. The people know and feel that
they are oppressive; more than they are cleverly
able to pay that they lose as much in the de-
probation of their property, by being tnxed
equal to a small rent, as by the payment of the
taxes They know that there is a great dispar
ity in the condition of the tax payers and tie tax
eaters These are evils that the wisdom of the
legislature ought to remedy.
Many of the people are willing to sell out, to
get rid of their burthens, while men of capital
and enterprise are prohibited from coming
amongst us under penalty of high taxation. l.
is true lha. the cheapn9ss of property counter
balances the high taxes to a great extent, as far
as newcomers are concerned bat this is cold
comfort TO the thousands who have sold out and
want to sell and 60 TO California and other coun-
tries, and 10 the hundreds OF thousands VINO Will
stay and struggle under their heavy bu1thcnS.
There are many wise provisions in our con-
stutiOn that ought 10 keep our taxes less than
in most OF the states. The article prohibiting
state debt was conceived in profound wisdom,
yet our taxes are higher than in Illinois that
owes fourteen millions, the interest Of WHICH is
about eight hundred and forty thousand.
The following section in the judiciary article
shows that the trainers of that instrument had
great reliance on the capacity Of the people for
se!f-government
Sec. l6 The Legislature shall pass laws for
the regulation of tribunals of Cancellation, def
ming their powers and duties. Such tribunals
may he established in and for any township, ant
shall have power to render judgement, to be OBJ
ligatory on the parties when they shall volnnta-
rily sumbit their matter in difference to arbiira-
ton, or agree to abide the judgment, or assent
thereto in writing"
These tribunals means nothing more nor less
than trial by jury by the people, established in
the towns and though the constitution positive
ly commands that, THE legislature SHALL PASS
LAWS, &C. yet so far that duty has been neg
lected. These tribunals properly organized,
would greatly reduce county expenses save an
immense amount to witnesses and Jurors in wait
ing days and weeks at the county seat, under
heavy expenses for trials to come on while their
business was going to loss at home for want of
their attention besides, it would establish a sys-
tenn of justice among the people based on the
common sense and common honesty of Jurors
elected by themselves. This is not matter of
wild conjecture or speculation; for we have had
itin use here in the mines when the mineral lands
came into market, and it worked well. Two
hundred intricate cases were tried in Gaena in
q week, at a cost Of not over six dollars case,
AMI the decisions were much more satisfactory
than they would have been, had they been tried
under our despotic judiciary system, at twenty
times the cost. The case was similar all over
the country wherever there was reserved miner
al land.