Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-06-02

$, The evils which have resulted from
the &af1t Of circumspection in granting
corporate bowers have been senslbly fell
by the people Of this State.
Theirs is no reason why corporation:
should not pay tiisir debts. They shoult
not be distinguished from individuals ir
this respect: The treHitor's rights shbhlt
be us inviolats with corporations as wilt
individuals The simple question isl
Shall the poor laboret, who has in goot
faith, with toll and sweat, constructed som.
public irt,protemeht, or the rich corpora
tors, be the losers? This is the simple
question, divested of all sophisiry, an,
every honest hearted man in the State Tar
give but one answer to it.
The new constitution makes corporation
liable for their debts and eEforces the pay
ment of them. "Dues from corporation
shall be secured by such individual liability
of the stockholders and other means as may
be prescribed by law; but in all cases, such
slockholder shall be liable over and above
the stock by him or her owned, and any
amount unpaid thereon, to further sum,
at least equal in amount to such stock" Is
there any thing wrong or unjust in this
provision?
The State of Ohio has repeatedly pledged
her faith for the payment of her public
debt; and there is not q man in the State
who would not be insulted at the proposition
TO repudiate. Shall the supreme power Of
the State confer upon Its creature what it
| would spurn to take itself? Shall it pay
its own debts with punctilous exac!ness,
and not force its creature 10 do the samee
Shall the State have one system Of morals
for itself and for its people, and another
Tor corporations? 1t may be said that cor>
porations cannot exist under q constitution
which compels them 10 pay their debts.-
Let us try the system, and let experience
test the truth or falsehood OF the objection.
6. The taxation of corporations is
another important reformation introduced
into the new Constitution. 1t is well
known that individuals and corporations
have been taxed upon different principles.
The former have been compelled to pay
taxes upon the whole value of their proper.
ly, the latter upon their profits only. The
new Constitution provides that the proper>
ty Of corporations 'sshall forever be subject
to taxation, the same as the property Of in
dividuals'' This is equal and exact justice
and nothing more.
Z. The system Of apportionment is
another decided improvement upon the old
Constitution. The principle of apportion>
ing the representatives. is fixed and perma.
nent and way ering with the nscendancy Of
political parties The representatives u-e
apportioned among the counties every ten
years. The Convention did not think it
ri ght 10 destroy the unity of a county by
dividing its territory for the election of
Senators and Representatives. Where
should be common representation. Up>
on this plain and simple principle the Con.
vention have acted in framing the appor-
tionment system.
Some have said that the npportiopment
in the Constitution was not Just. The
vote in the Convention ON the inai adoption
of the Constitution shows that it was more
just than any oPportionment made by our
legislature in part years.
8. Too much legislation is prevented by
requiring laws to be general and uniform
in their operation throughout the State. The
provision which requires the yeas and nays
to be taken on the passage of every bill,
and q concurrence Of n majority of all the
members of both houses necessary 10 the
enactment Of any law, will be equally eff
cacious. in preventing hasty and inconside.
rate legislation.
8. Every constitution is the result Of
compromise. 1t was so with our National
Constitution. 1t is SO with the proposed
Constitution Of Ohio. Every mans no.
lions OF the province and duty Of govern
ment cannot be realized. What imperfec-
tions there may be in the proposed Consti.
tuition, they are easily remedied. it does
not require the election and assembly of a
Convention to supply the defects which the
lapse Of years, and the growth in popula-
lion and wealth may develope. A vote Of
three fits of both houses of the General AS
sembly, may submit any amendment 10 the
people Tor their rejection or approval. If
a majority of the electors vote for such pro.
posed amendment, it becomes part of the
Constitution, and thus the enormous experi-
ses of future Conventions will be prevented.
10. We might dwell upon the ample
provisions made for public instruction-we
might speak of the enormous amount OF
legislation prevented by requiring corpora.
tions TO be created by general laws-we
might enlarge upon the prospect and bene'
fits Of reform in our laws-upon the i'm
provement in our criminal code for which
the new Constitution provides, and upon
the despatch and consequent economy in
the administration of justice which the ju.
dietary system will secure
In all tn ese respects, fellow citizens, the
new Constitution is real substantial inns
proveme MT upon the old frame of govern
ment.
1t is to be regretted that there should be
any opposition to its adoption. That q
new Constitution is needed and desired by
the people was sufficiently tested by the
fifty thousand minority in favor Of the Con-
vention.
1t is needed and desired. Let US then,
fellow citizens, rally to its support. Let
not its salutary provisions be lost by a
supne neglect of duty. Let US have