The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-01-26

from unhappy destinies those children of
sorrow, the deaf, the dumb, the blind, and
the insane; to defend the just course and
limits of individual and associated action ;
to develop the resources, protect the inter-
ests, and defend the honor of the state to
maintain the public faith, and make provs-
ion for the discharge Of the public obligations:
these are some of the high duties which
the constitution of the state and the choice
of the people devolve upon you.
For the supply of the means necessary to
the due performance Of these duties, and to
the proper administration of the state gov
eminent, the patriotism Of the people may
be safely trusted but they will Justly re-
qulre that no more revenue be collected than
is indispensably necessary to these ends ; and
that clear accounts be rendered Of its faith
ful application to proper public purposes.
The burdens of taxation have become very
grievous. Reform, both in measure and in
mode is universally demanded; and earnest
ly invoke your most serious attention to this
important matter. AS far as possible, the
aggregate of taxation should be reduced BY
the introduction of rigid economy into every
branch Of the public service and the great.
est care should be taken to apportion its bur
dens equally upon all non-exempt property
of every description, by whomsoever held.
No favor and no disfavor should be shown
towards one description of property or class
of owners, rather than towards another.
Under instructions issued by the late au
ditor of state, the statutory right of each
citizen to deduct his debts from his credits,
in listing his property for taxation, has been
denied In issuing these instructions, the
late auditor was governed, doubtless, by re-
spect for a decision of ma jority of the
judges of the supreme court by which the
section Of the act which allows this deduc-
tion, was delared to be unconstitutional -
Notwithstanding that decision, however, the
legislature has not thought fit to repeal the
law, and it ma ybe doubted whe ther the court
upon consideration, will adhere to the
.opinion heretofore expressed. Should the
present auditor, under these circumstances,
think it his duty to conform his instructions
to the statute, which remains unrepeaed.
ther than to the opinion OF the majority
of the court, the right denied by his predc-
cessor will be restored.
A sound and sufficient currency is indis-
pensable to the welfare of every civilized
community. The best possible currency. in
my Judgment, would be currency of coin,
admitting the use Of large notes only for the
convenience OF commerce. Such currency,
however, is only attainable through the leg
islation Of congress, and the action of the
general government. Connected as we are
on all sides with states in which banks of
circulation are established our actual cur
rency, i'll the absence Of adequate banking
capital within our limits, must necessarily
be supplied, in great measure, by institutions
beyond our control and exempt from our tax
alton All attempts to exclude. by penal
legislation, the bank notes Of other states
from circulation in this, have proved incffact-
ua and the public sentiment demands an
increase of banking capital, organized under
our own laws, contributing, in Just measure,
to our own revenues. and sufficient to furn-
ish the necessary facilities for the transac-
tion of business. The constitution of the
state indicates the mode in which this de-
mand may be satisfied. 1t provides for au-