The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-08-02

sC0Ny 0b0 SoAeSAOA &sOs uuR,
PLY, transient and temporary in their ma
lure. The people are almost every where
engaged in the erection and furnishing Of
and the finances OF Monroe
are burthened with the purchase Of farm
and the building Of County Infrmary.
On the 18th of March, A. D., 1853, the
General Assembly passed an "Act to pro-
vide for the reorganization, supervision
and maintenance Of common schools,
by which the school tax was very large
ly increased. For the year 1850 and sew.
eral years previous. the school tax was one
fifth Of one mill on the dollar valuation Of
the taxable property OF the State. In 1851
the school tax was raised to three. .tenths
Of one mill on the dollar, in 1852 to one.
half mill. By the aforementioned act of
The 18th Of March, 1858. the same tax was
raised 10 two mills. The rate of State
taxation for the present year, 1854, is as
follows, for common school purposes one
and one.half mills on the dollar valuation;
for school library purposes one.tenth of
one mill. For interest on the public debt
one and one.four:h mills, and for general
revenue purposes seyen-tenths of a mill
For 1855 the levy. for school and school
library purposes, lis the same as for the pres
ent year; for the payment Of interest on the
public debt one mill, for general revenue
purposes sir-tenths of mill. Of general
revenue expenditures, the support of the
benevolent asylums, deaf and dumb, luna
tic and blind, always forms very large
item, especially since the act OF the 4th of
March, 1851, directing all lunatics in the
asylums, whether rich or poor, to be main
tanned at the expense Of the State Treas
ury. As no General Assembly with sit in
1855, and the State Auditor is deprived Of
all power of taxation and appropriation,
the last General Assembly necessarily laid
the levy and made the appropriations for
that year. The reduction Of our burden
of taxation is happily very perceptible.
II is not to be disguised that restless
feeling exists on the subject of our very
heavy and burthensome taxation. Some
dissatisfaction has been expressed with our
new Constitution for not affording more
immediate remedy. That beneficent in
strument has done all that constitutional al
law can do to provide a remedy. ltmakes
further grants from the State Treasury for
pretended internal improvements absolute.
ly impossible. unless the General Assem-.
bly, will be hardy enough to appropriate
ready money, ol which there is not the re-
motest probability. And if the members
ever commit so improbable political Of
fence, the people have the remedy in their
own hands. The Assembly cannot now
pass acts which must inevitably occasion
immense drains from the Treasury, and
then leave the business oflevying the taxes
and expending the money 10 be performed
by tho State Auditor in his dark and pri.
vate closet without either legislative or
popular scrutiny. A General Assembly
to enact magnificent public works in di.
vers favored sections Of the State, without
one word on the odious subject Of taxation
and expenditure, and State Auditor to
levy The taxes by private letter sent
round TO the County Auditors!!l What
could be expected from such q asystem but
just what has taken place? enormous pub.
lie debts and insupportable taxation!!-
When this system was deservedly over
thrown the public debt of Ohio was twenty
millions Of dollars. Let any man refec,
what kind of a sum single million is and
then he will perceive whether debt o
twenty millions can be easily paid by di
rect taxaion. Is any man indignant al oul
present enormous burthens of taxaiionl
Let him direct his indignation against the
Legislation of twenty-five or thirty years
ago, which occasioned the most odious
portion Of that taxation, mean the tax te
pay the interest on the canal debt. And
let the men who, in the midst Of toll and
strife and war and contention, put an enc
to the system, receive that kind of consid
Grafton from the public which their action,
deserve. We are now paying up ole
scores. The man who has caught ma
llignant. fever cannot be cured in an hour
The man who has unfortunately broken Z
| limb must lay few weeks on his back un
til nature has time to repair the mischief
| Our public debt was the accumulation o
twenty-five years Of mistaken Legislation
Let the new Constitution, with its prohibi
ltions, operate for one third Of that time ant
see if its friends do not give = good &C
count OF the matter. The public deb
must be rapidly discharged and cannot b
again increased.
Whether it was expedient, in the pres
ent circumstances Of our money concerns
to enact SO very large an increase of tn
school tax, the subscriber docs not fee
called upon to hazard an opinion. At tn
end of my brief service III the Genera
Assembly in March 1849. the school ia;
was very small. But the money arising
from this tax is not lost or thrown away
Its benefits are not confined to Ger
tain favored sections Of the State. 1t il
for US and our children. Ii is intended t
diffuse pure knowledge, pure morality
Throughout the length and breadth Of tn,
land. If we are to be progressives, if W,
are to make constant progress in righ
principles, must we not enlighten and puri
i fy the minds Of the young electors, Of tn,
young sovereigns OF the land2 Can an.
good man, can any patriot bear 10 see hi
young fellow-cilizens growing up as igno
rent and as stupid as the subjects of som
Of the absolute despots Of the old world
But il is probable that less money 10 ex
pended under the new system, than unde
the old. The oldtax maintained school
part Of the year. But they were insult
Icient. Private schools made up by sub
scription, were in general operation. Ths