Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-24
The state Audlfor.-Tnxatioll.

Hme State ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The fusion organ last week followed the lead
Of the Cleayeland Leader and the Herald in pour
ing out the yialsof its vIrtuOus indignation against
the Auditor Of State, w. d. Morgan, because
that officer deemed it to he his duty to regard and
carry out, in his instructions to Assessors and
county Auditors, the decision Of the Supreme
Court declaring the 10th section Of the Tax Law
Of 1869 unconstitutional and uoid. Whatever may
be thought Of that decision--whether il be right
or wrong-we cannot see how. Auditor Morgan
can be blamable in the matter, or how he could
have done otherwise than as he has done. The
Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority Of
the State, whose duty it is to decide upon the
constitutionality Of Legislative enactmsnts, and
whose decision is binding upon all other depart
ments of the Government That Court has de-
cided that the 10th section Of the Tax Law was
void on account of its unconstitutonality. How
could the Auditor, without most palpable viola
ton of his oath to support the Constitution have
enforced law which the proper tribunal have
declared to have no constitutional authority! This
attack upon faithful, efficient and capable pub
lie officer is wholly unwarranted and unjustfable,
but it exctes no surprise that an editor who has
openly countenanced and counseled resistance to
the laws and constituted authorities Of the
country, should be engaged in endeavoring to stir
up prejudice against an officer who regards the
obligations of his official oath, and refuses to be
controlled by the "higher law"
But it is said that under this decision the bur.
den of taxation is grievous Supposing it is; is
that the fault Of the Auditor or of the Court even
and is the remedy to be had in the bitter denun.
citation of those officers! II the Constitution for.
bids these deductions being made, then have the
Court in their decision, and the Auditor in enforc.
ing it,, acted worthily and are deserving Of the
highest commendaton instead of censure; ant
the remedy for the preten ed wrong must be hat
in an amendment of the constitution.
There is no doubt that the rule established by
this decision will operate oppressivey in some
instances, and the same may be said of any Other
rule of taxation that ever has been or ever can bt
devised, and in none more truly than that which
allows these deductions, by which millions upoT
millions of dollars may be held by speculutor.
enjoying as much the protection of the govern
ment as any property of the farmer or mechanic
without paying farthing of tax. In this way thu
burthens of the farming and producing classes
have been piled on, while this kind of property
equally valuable and equally profitable has es
capped altogether.
1t is asserted that this decision and the instruc
tons of the Auditor under it will add million o
dollars to the the taxes Of the people. Those VIII
make this assertion know better, at least the,
ought to. tits not question Of an increase o
taxes, but of who shall pay the taxes for the sup
port Of government and who shall be exempt, an
it, as the Auditor thinks, one hundred millions will
be added to the list, just in that proportion will
it relieve those upon whom the burtheD has bee
heretofore imposed. We shall recur to this sub
ject again.