Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-05-21
Ohio Democracy Illustrated.

ONCE in ten years the people of Ohio
try the experiment of electing a Demo-
cratic Legislature It is dear concession
to the party of reaction and despotism,
but its results are efectual, so far as salts
fying the public mind as to the quality of
the legislation to be expected from such a
source is concerned. 1t serves the rising
generation as an awful example, and It
may be that once in decade is not too
often to enforce the lesson. In the case
of the General Assembly which has adj
journed, the lesson has been a costly one,
and ought to be well conned by the tax
payers. Our Columbus correspondent
mentions the least item of expense in
giving the direct outlay of mileage and
per diem, which reached the unprecedented
amount OF over quarter of million dol
lars-or trifie less than one hundred per
cent. increase on that of its Republican
predecessor of 1867. We have had oc-
casion heretofore to comment on the
character of its visible admixture and
other DISTINGUISHING acts which were such
enormities upon the statute book that the
Supreme Court set them aside for glaring
unconstitutiOnality. Instead of repeating
this Infamous legislation at the adjourned
session, they went further, and while they
utterly ignored the gross abuses of the
elective franchise which had been perpe-
trated during the canvass of 1868 by means
OF fraudulent naturalization papers, they
sought to wreak their paltly and vindlc-
tive spite upon an innocent class by pre-
scribing penalties of unheard-of severity
for such infractions of the law by colored
citizens as were. only punished in the mild
est form when committed by others. Thus,
while assuming the name Democratic,
they put on record an unprecedented dis.
tinction in the penalties prescribed for an
ipfraction of the same law by differen,
classes. q 4
In bringing the power of the party eau
Gus to bear in favor of law changing the
basis of representation in the State Board
Of Agriculture, and even passing bill
for that purpose through the House, which
only failed Ofsuccess in the Senate for want
of time, they made the first attempt known
to the legislation of our State, to give q
partisan bias to the Board
By passing a law to tax the bonds Of
the State of Ohio, they deliberately violat
ed solemn agreement made with the
creditors of the State, and by extending
this act to include the bonds of the United
States exempted from State taxation by
acts of Congress, sustained and enforced
by the highest judicial tribunals in the
land, they place themselves on the record
as regulators of the most solemn obliga-
tions, and enable even the least observanl
to see what might be expectedif the party
doing this were entrusted with the Nation
al Government. The highest possible evi
dence of the utter disregard of the Demo
cratic party for the plighted faith of The
State and Nation was thus given.
BY this act they again exhibit the uttel
recklessness Ofthe party which committed
it of the interests of the middling aud lower
classes of society. The taxpayer is re
quired to i list the amount of bonds fol
taxation which have been declared by the
highest authority exempt from taxation
The large holders of bonds, such as bank.
ers, brokers, moneyed men living in easy
competency, and others who have invested
considerable amounts in bonds, are ex
pected to find ready immunity from this
Democratic law, just as on a former &C
casion the proprietors of the leading Demo
cratic journal of the State escaped the
taxation of several bushels of greenbacks
but the soldiers widow and the every day
laborer who happen to have few hun
dreds saved by in national securities car
not afford to contest with the great Stat,
of Ohio by expensive litigation, and they
must Fay taxes on the bonds in full Thil
is the kind of protection which the so
called Democratic party gives the mass o
the people, much as the wolf protects thu
lamb. 2 9E 9&o F311
We might extend the catalogue, but the
acts we have mentioned will do as sam
pies. All for party capital, and nothing
for thepeople, has been the practical motto
OF the majority in the Fifty eighth Gener
al Assembly of Ohio. The members nave