The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-06-12
For the Ohio State Journal.
churehes, 50, sgnIn.

shed by reading the communication OF
"A Citizen" in the Journal yesterday. np
he subject Mtaxing churches. grave
ards, &c. as rhovided in the new con
tuition. | could not understand h1w a
of s0 much imporlauce had escap
d my II, lice, aud the nnIice of the friends
# churches aud religion throughout the
/ Thought Ihe,e must be some
in Your own aud your curresp"n
understanding Ut the proposed IL
Ill umel.tu TN this sui jrct. Being satisfied
hat it /; was there. II ought MOTT" be, aud
That it would be aiatal ohjecrinu 1" II, |
up a certified copy, and must now
%conieSs thai YOU were right. The I'd
sect. Of The 9Th article docs Tax churches.
buying grounds. &c. beyond oil doubt.
The languages is as follOws.
Laws shall be passed. taxing by au
uil"Im rate all moneys, credits. invest
menls in bonds. stocks. jpint stock con
punirs. az otherwise, and also all real anil
~PerSohat property according 1" lis tue
value In money"
HeIv is ~ Ioum for doubt or cavil
J usl ST. sure as c~auIches. burying grounds,
&c are real cstdte. then as certainly must
they be taxed. 1t is imperative. There
is NJ way 10 escape from it, iflhe new
constitution is adopted. taking that as The
basis, But there is Il p,OoisO to this sec.
lion. a:d let US see What it is. | quote
the language uflhe buok:
But h%urying grounds, school houses,
houses used exclusively for public wor
ship, institutions Of purely public CHARITY,
p"bllc property used exclusively for any
public purpose. aud personal property Ia
an amount not exceeding in value iva
hundred ,%lullars for each individual. MAY
by general MWS be exempted IOm tara
kOa."
Here. then. is the language of the ne
constitution N tho subject Of taxing
churches, &c. Upon d careful reading
oft, the meaning appears perfectly plain
II " t adopt the new constitution w III
vote To tax churches, &c. the same az
other property. We perfnrm an allil ma
tive act. We fix upon the owners ri
that class Of property a burden. al ANNA
burden. that cannot be escaped, unless
tn, re shall happen To be a Legislature
that shall not only think it ought to he ex'
emit. but he willing Ia recOyd Mejr r0tr,
in favor Of the exemption, nutwIlhstand
Ing Mr.. Reemellu, and other men If his
belief, may think it is anti democratic anC
wrong, -
Since my attention has been called Il
this subject. | have looked int" the Do
bates of The Convention, aud find tina
it was theIe %s;rrnuously advocated, tina
all churches should be taxed the sans ID
any other property. The idea is ahrna
IN the State, and am afraid that Interest
ed. bad men may secure enough strengt
in the Legislature, to prevent uny legis
latiOm for uu relief. In that event. til
taxes must come hot ouly on churches
but On all the items Of property specific,
in The above section. There is no way /
escnpe.
Nav, | am disposed to avoid this risk
concur entirely in the views espresso
by your correspondent yesterday. fifth
Convention had not moral courage enoug
, lo vuto to exempt this sacred class ,
property from taxation, then the Leeislt
lures may hesitate in the same way.
. cannot risk it. | do not think | am dniu
my duty To impose this tax in the FIR
place by voting for the constitution, an
. then, trust some future Legislature I
. vote it "Hagain.
/, From the fact that this taxing claus
had escaped my notice, | am led To thin
it has escaped the notice Of the people (,
the State generally. | call upon all VIII
fee. interested in uur churches to exam
ine this question. aud if the view | tax
oft is tight, then ask themselveslhr qnes
ton it they are diScharging their duty b
voting to impose such u burden upon ou
backs. G.