Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-10-07
For the Democrat.
TnVeS.

AACS
MEssERs. EDIToR:-In the last is
sue of the Eaton Democrat, there is an
article in reference to the paying of Tax
es, in which 1 think they do me injus-
tice, and mislead the taxpayers of the
county. In regard to paying one-fourth
of the taxes in gold or silver, they say:
"There is no law making such a require
ment, and the taxpayers need not trou+
be themselves about getting CODA
silver to pay their taxes. Paper mon
ey, that can pc converted into gold and
silver is all that the Treasurer can de-
mand, and it is his duty to present this
paper money at the counter where it
promises to pay on demand gold or sill
yer, to procure the gold ard silver to full
fill the requirements of the law"
In order that the taxpayers of the
county may have a fair understanding
of this matter, I insert Section IA of the
Indepen den Treasury Act:
Sec. IA. On and after the 4th day Of
July, 1858, all payments out Of every
county treasury Of five dollars and un-
der; and after the 4th day of July, 1859,
all payments of ten dollars and under
and after the 4th of day July, 1860, all
payments of twenty dollars and under
after the 4th day of July, 1862, all pay
ments Of fifty dollars and under; after
the 4th day Of July, 1868, all payments
of one hundred dollars and under; after
the 4th day of July, 1864, all payments
of two hundred dollars and under; and
after the 18th day of July, 1865. all pay
ments whatever, shall be, made in specie
only"
- - IL HON. -, rO1nI khaF fhn To--
es collected this year are to disburse or
ders Oh the Treasury for the year 1859,
when all payments of 'ten dollars and
under are to be made in specie"
1t will be seen by the above Section
that [ am to pay out quite a large share
of the money that comes into my hands
in specie; and it will be seen by the fol-
lowing Section that l am bound to do
so under severe penalties:
t'Sec. 16. If the treasurer of state, or
any county treasurer, shall pay out any
public money in any other manner than
is provided in sections thirteen and four
teen of this act, every such treasurer,
upon conviction thereof before any court
having cognizance of the same shall for
felt and pay, for every such offence, IL
fine of not less than twenty nor morp
than five hundred duIlars, at the discre-
ton of the court trying the same"
Now, l ask any man, and especially
the editors of the Democrat, to point
out the section, or part of the section,
that makes it my duty, arter taking In
paper, to take it around to the various
banks throughout the country for the
purpose of getting the coin. The Dem
ocrat says it is my duty to do so. If SO,
it is because the law e~njoins it on me-;
and [ ask them to point out that law.
There is no such law in that act. l am
made liable under heaven penalties for
paying paper i'll sums of five dollars
and under this year, and ten dollars
andunder, next year, while the very
law that puts me under these severe
penalties makes no provision whatev-
er for obtaining the specie.
JOS. BROWER, Treas. Preble CO.
rE-Now we should like somebody to
show us in the law Mr.. Brewer quotes,
where it requires him to issue his pro-
clamation to the taxpayers of Preble
county, demanding that they shall bring
to him gold and silver when they como
to pay their taxes? The law says he
must pay OUT, not IN, and he makes the
demand without even a shadow of au-
thority, from that law passed by a dem
~ocratic Legislature. We find in Gov.
Chase's Message to the Legislature, da-
ted Columbus, January 4, 1858, the
following passage:
Il RECOMMEND a PROVISION OF THIS
NATURE, M THAT HEREAFTER ALL
PUBLIC MoNEYs BE REQUIRED TO BE
COLLECTED IN e OR NOTES OF sPE-
Gle PAYING BANKS OF THIS STATE, AND
THAT NO PAYMENT BE MADE FROM THE
TREASURY OF ANY SUN UNDER TWEEN
TY DOLLARS, OTHERWISE THAN IN
COIN"
Here then, we presume, is where Mr..
Brewer finds his instructions. He has
embodied himself into a "Legislature,'
and is attempting to carry out what
Gov. Chase asked our State Legislature
to do last winter. GOV. Chase proposed
to go farther than the Democrats in
this matter, he wanted a law similar to
the one emperor Brewer" has passed,
but our democratic legislature refused,
and makes 1T obligatory upon the Treas
urer to procure this gold and silver, in
stead of the people. As we SAID before,
he can take the paper money he re-
c~eives, to the counter where it "promi-
ses to pay" gold and silver, and that is
the place, and the only place, he has
any right to demand it. If there is
any sodium" to be attached to the law,
let it so where it belongs. 1t is not
half as stringent as that which Gov.
Chase recommended, and Emperor
Brewer has passed. Mr.. Stephen had
Just as much law to demand gold and
silver for taxes, when he was Treasurer,
as Mr.. Brewer, simply because p
money is not a legal tender. The
"Emperor's'' 'edict' is therefore, ride,
ulous and absurd in tho extreme.