The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-09-09

A PRECEDENT FOR THE CR w BAR
Mr. Means, in his pamphlet on Blnk tax
alton, gives the following remniscence.
which may act as an opiaie OH the sen.
silve nerves of gentlemen whose sleep
is disturbed by visions OF Crow Bars and
honest, duty>doiug treasurers:
So much has been said upon the sub,
ect of crowbar laws of lae, and such
persevcring efforts have been made TO
bring them into disrepule in certain
quarter rs, that | feel constrained TO rerur
to mn early passage in tbeir history in
Ohio Many good notured people in
this State, who are ignorant Of the his
tory OF The State prior to their own re-
collection, and outside of the range Of
their own observation, will be surprised
to learn, perhaps, that crowbar remedies
against Bln&s, f,r the collection of the
State revenue are no, the invention Of
The last "Locofoco Assembly," or even
that lower set of diaboIical spirits, who
are still less entitled, hope to The cnjpy-
ment of their respect. The first "crow>
bar" law that was ever enacted in Onio,
was drawn up by the pen of the late
Charles Hammond, who was a Wing Of
the deepest die, and lawyer of dsIin-
gnished ability. II had the honor, also,
in The hour Of IFS paternity, 10 receive The
sanction and vindicallon Of tho late wis
liam Henry Iarrisoo, who was so much
idoliz ed by the wings Of Ohio, in an able
and interesting report, which cannot
refrain from recommending TO the pc.
rusai Of the new school of politicians
which has grown up in that party in this
State. If mistake not Mr.. Hammond
represented Jefferson county in the As
sembly at that time. II so am proud
TO say that followed, even "afar offs in
the path of one The memory of whose
talents and learning, in the profession 10
which | belong, SO much admire and
revere. The fourth section of this law,
Chase, II, 1913, provided that the per>
son appointed 10 collect tho taxes should
proceed to the Bank AID demand The
taxas due. Tue fifth section provided,
that
"The person entcting such Banks after
demand and refusal of the payment Of
the tax aforesaid, # he cannot Gnd in The
banking room any money, bunk notes,
goods, challeIs, or other properly OF said
B Blnks, or individual, company or assocj>
alton, whercon TO levy TO satisfy The lax
aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful, aud
it is hereby made the duty Of such pr.
son to 90 into eacH and any other room
or vault OF such bouking house, and eve
nv closet, box, chest, OF drawer in such
banking house, to open and search: and
snv other money, bank notes or goods
and chausIs, the property Of said B ink or
individual, company or association, there
ic deposited, thereon to levy, or so much
as will satisfy The tax aforesaid, agrees
ably to the fourth section of This ac'."
Such were somo OF the provisions Uf
the law Of February s, 1919, fnr the col
lection Of the taxes of reluctant payers
The assembly of 1852 did no, use the
same language in their law, but could
have plead a noble precedent for its use,
The assembly Of 1919 only wished to en-
iorce the law against such B,nks as were
subjected to definite specific INK. That
of 1859 knew no favoritIsm-basing its
conduc, on the equitable provisions OF
the New Constitution it taxed all B.nks
and Bankers alike, and subj cts all to
precisely the same penalties against
refusal.