The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-03-19
Tine Fusion Legislature.

Tine Fusion Legislature.
In order that our readers may see at
one view the progress made in the great
work of reform by the Legislature, we
give all the important measures. passed
and pending, which they have acted upon.
They passed a law authorizing foreign
banks, with names that would break a
mans jaw to pronounce, and notes that it
would break the mar himself to accept,
to substitute their worthless trash for our
gold and silver.
They propose to pass a law requiring
the tax levied for school purposes to be
expended in the county in which it is rails
ed, so that the people of this county will
have to lose more than one half of their
schools or more than double their school
tax.
They propose to extend the jurisdiction
of Justices of the Peace throughout the
county, so hat a plaintiff may drag the
defendant from one extremity of the coun-
ty to the other; and the defendant will
find it cheaper to pay aCaim of a few
dollars than be dragged over the county,
although the claim may be without any
foundation in justice.
They propose to authorize the collec-
ton of taxes twice a year; thus doubling
the fees of Assessors and Auditors-and
in the language of one of our correspon-
fdents "bringing on a double crop of per
cents, penalties, delinquencies and forfeit
ures:" To compel the payment of one
half of the taxes at a time in the year
when farmers have the smallest amount of
money and the smallest amount of time
to spare.
The following article directly in point
we copy from the Statesman:
L. The House passed Mr.. Monroe's
bill yesterday morning, purporting to
amend the habeas corpus law. This bill
really utilities the fugitive slave law in
Ohio, and is only calculated, if fully en-
forced, to lead to bloody collision between
the United States authorities and those of
our State. 1t is most seriously c~alcula-
ted, if not designed, to divide the people
of Ohio into parties of unionists and dis
unionists-compelling them daily to choose
which they will and will not support, the
State government or the federal govern
ment. These and other grave objections
to, the bill we shall freely maintain in good
time.
2. DR.. Flowers bill to deprive Ger
mans and Irishmen, and Welshmen, and
Frenehmen, and Englishmen of the rights
of naturalization in our State courts.
8. Mr.. Cadwell's position, shared by a
majority of the fusion Legislature, and
they dared to enact it, with a law that
negroes shall have the rights Of suffrage
and eligibility to Office.
4. Senator Browns bill multiplying the
fugitive slave law again, under the trans
parent pretense in its title, of abolishing
slavery in the State of Ohio Heaven
save the weak and the gel-lorious ordi-
nance of '8T!!
5. Mr.. Kelley's bill for practically tax
ing rich men 5 per cent. less than poor
men.
6. Mr.. Kclley's bill for exempting from
equal taxation those whose wealth is held
in the shape of State and bank stocks.
This does not conclude the precious
catalogue. We shall continue it in future.
Over such measures as these has the time
of the present session been expended. 1t
was elected as, q reform Legislature. We
ask the people, soberly and ~candidly, have
you yet felt, and can you yet foresec the