The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-01-03

prlce 0e pad tor nybenefils received
because IT'S directly opposed 10 the ge
MUS and spirits Of democratic instiiu
iions; one whose fundamental doctrine
is, an equal distribution ofth burdens .
gouernment. .Gaf tsto 'sap.g.. s'israr,
The feeling is by no means confined
to any political party, exclusively, tha
the banking institutions Of the S.1te, on,
and all, as they are protected by onrlaw
and supported by the toll and industryso
our people, should consent, without. con
test or delay, W contribute their just pro
portion TO the public, expenditures; bu
if they decline acceding to SO equitable
and reasonable measure, that the,
should be constrained to do so, if iht
constitutional and legal means are within
the province of the Genera! Assembly
. f.. VESTED GIFTS,
There is, | believe, no chartered guar
anty that the officers Of State shall re-
ceiye their issues for taxes, tolls, or il
payment Of The State lands, and there
can be no room for question, but wha'
the prohi5,ion-ior such purposes, of tue
reception Of their issues by the agents oI
the State, under their assent shall be
given 10 such reasonable proportion as
may be maee, is within the legal as well
as discretionary limits Of legislation. -
But aside from this, it is worthy ofihe
most serious inquiry, whether the Gen
eral Assembly has, at one session the
constitutional power to dispense with, or
bargain away, the right of taxation 10
any part Of the property of the,Slate, so
as 10 prevent the resumption of the righ,
by the General Assembly, at any subse-
quent session. lflhe affirmative is main
tanned, and part Of the State may be
forever exempted from the public bur-
dens, there is, nor can there be any well
defined limit 10 this power. The whole
taxable property. of The State may te
placed beyond its reach, the State un-
able TO provide for IFS ordinary expenses
Of government, or 10 defend itself agains,
a common enemy. ,.-....
| incline 10 the opinion that this high
sovereign power to levy taves, cannot lie
disposed of 10 any corporation, by one,
50 as TO prevent a succeeding General
Assembly from resuming il, and | could,
If necessary, find distinction between
this as negative, and those which may
be called the positive franchises of a
corporation and necessary 10 lis exis-
tence, and look upon the exemption from
taxation, os an exemption TO the genaral
rule, fiat chartered rights cannot be
taken away or impaired, as is claimed BY
the advocates Of such n doctrine. 7a
| am not unaware that the case of the
State vs.. the Commercial Bank of Gin
cinnali, is opposed to this view of corpo-
rate rights; but that decision was made,
many years since, and by divided court,
and one of the jndges, who concurred
in that opinion, has on another occasion,
very justly remarked, ',hat laws must be
so expoundcd or contracted as 10 meet
he cxigcncics of society," allud ng to
The common law Of England, no doubt
which was only adopted in this State, so
far as it should be found strictly applica-
Jle to our condition.
The case TO which reference has been
made, determined so many yeSss since,
cannot be considered as of very binding
authority. Since that period, multitudes
of monied and other corporations have
sprung into life, and their conflicting
claims with government and people,
render il highly expedieni, that the rules
hitherto recognized and claimed as pla-
cling these Institutions beyond the roach
of either jud cial or legislative correc-
lion, should. now be revised, modified,
and placed on foundation more consis-
tent with the spirit, of our laws and the
rights of all. ,sF ,1r,.
aa THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Having thus, very briefly, referred 70
certain euhjec,s Of State policy, and some:
Of tl.e functions of the Executive, as, in
my humble judgment, they ought TO te
performed, could wish that nothing re-
NAMED, but to take the oath of office
and retire from the hall. But ! cannot
40 so, consistently with public expecta-
lion, without asirank expression of my
views, on question now pending before
The people, which threatens the stability
of The Union, the supremacy of the laws
and to disturb the good order and quie,
which has hitherto, with very few excep-
lions, prevailed, since the adoption of
Ihe Federal Constitution in 1890.
An excitement is spread over a large
extent, and peryades. evsry rank and
condition in lie, and dunless allayed and
,thcr counsels prevai', collisions between
government and people may produce
.ivil war; of which no enc can predict
he consequences to the General. or State
Governments, or 10 freedom throughout
ho world. g7a, 5aasa g8df Al ao'r
The question Of human slavery is, and
aver has been a subject OF discord in the.
'elaiions the several States bear to each
,ther, and 10 the General Government,
which is bound to protect the lconstltu-
ional rights and interests of each. s