Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-08-17

ant, our seasons so propitIous, or our sour
ces of production so prolific, as to justify OF
recommend the piling upon one year the
constitutional burdens of six? Or have
our miscalcd Democratic Legislature been
so chary Of other expenditures, so frugal in
their appropriations, as TO enable us, with.
out oppression of the taxpayers, to pay the
principal Of The State debt six times faster.
and in one sixth of the time contemplated
by the constitution!
So far from this, we all know that for
several years past our crops have measure
bly failed; all branches of business have
been depressed; we have costly State
house on our hands to be finished; and, in
addition to al this, our late Democratic
Legislature-the same that now asks to be
intrusted with the task of reforming its
own abuses and correcting the results OF
its own ignorance and stupidity, authorized
the construction of two more new Lunatic
Asylums, and threw them ell open, with
out individual cost, to the rich as well as
TO the poor. What Solons What Solo.
mons! Surely, an intelligen! stranger, in
looking at our State administration-Exe
utive and Legislative-may nationally con-
ciude that Ohio is become the paradise of
fools" Why not provide by law for the
cure Of our rich men of the ague?
But possibly, We may be told that por-
ton of the public debt falls due in 1855,
and that it is necessary TO provide for this
BY taxation. Very well-let us see. AS
appears from the report of the Auditor Of
the State Of January Cd, 1852, there was,
at the time the new Constitution took effect,
$3.570,779 Of the State debt which would,
in one sense. fall due after 1856. That is
to say, the amount would be payable at
The pleasure of the State after that year
Now, deduct from this the amount which
the Constitution requires to be raised from
1852 to 1856 inclusive, and we have left
about the even sum of 100000 to be
provided for, or left to stand, as we might
choose.
What course then, under such circum-
stances, would common sense and common
prudence dictate? Why, simply this. Is
sue new bonds having longer time to run,
for these three millions; sell them at pre-
MUM of eleven and fourth per cent-as
might be done this day or any other day;
which premium on three millions of dollars
amounts to the sum of 1897, ,500-put this
nice little sum as so much clear present
gain into the State Treasury, and with the
balance pay off and redeem the 100000
then due. And this course has all along
been open to our sapient State administra
tion, and TO it there is no constitutional OBJ
lection. i=a5 hss
But-we may be told-Bhie this line of
policy would render our payments on the
State debt gradual and easy, and would
greatly tighten our taxes, yet it would
throw portion of the b1rden of debt over
upon posteriiy. Yes-certainly. And
why, should this not be dones The State
is all the time growing in wealth; and pos
terity will be richer than we are. They
will inherit the fruit of all our labors, pub
lie and private, and the very works for the
of which this debt was con-
tracted. For them we have cleared the
forests, opened roads, drained swamps, ex
cavated mines and wells. planted orchards
and vineyards. constructed bridges, and
and dug canals; erected school
houses, academies, colleges, and churches;
asylums for their unfortunate, and peuiten-
tiaries for their criminals! And why
should they not bear small portion of the
burden of all this? Why should we crush
ourselves under the weight of burden
W hicb, by postponemen! of part, can be
made light and easy alike to us and to
them? To do so, seems TO US to be as un-
Just as we all feel it 10 be unwise and ruin
GUS. But our wise Democratic { y Legis-
lature, and our sagaeious and efficient Ex
ecutive, evidently think otherwise. They
60 for paying now-instanter-though we
tax, tax, tax ourselves out of houce and
home TO accomplish it