The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-07-02
which 1 believe is sustained by the

tLeSisldtuT6 butuOTlLcu SrcascE iot
le pecuniary burdens to be impos
lc upon the people of Ohio. witho
II their consent. than were ever befo
= authorized, by any General AsseI
o oily, either in peace, or in war, sin
d the organization OF our State Go
r. srnment. lG u
e Sixty or seventy different &C
't were passed authorizing deo:s to |
e contracted amounting in the aggr'
gate to more than So, 200, 600.
] large part Of them bear eight pt
: cent. interest, and very small pa
2 bear less than seven and three-tentt
|, per cent. interest. And they pass
; ed seventy or eighty acts by whic
additional taxes were authorized I
the amount of over $40. .000. .090.
Now it is to be hoped, as to cor
siderable part of the local debts an
local taxes authorized by the lat
, Democratic Legislature, that til
! people will not be bnrdeneil wit
them. 1t is TO be hope'l that Count
Commissioners, City Councils, AM
other local boards, will show create
moderation and economy in the exer
else Of their dangerous and oppress
i've powers under the laws than wa
Exhibited in their enactment. Bu
in any event, nothing is more GER
tain than that the people of Ohio
have great reason to apprehend tina
the evil consequences of those law:
will be felt in their swollen tax bill.
for many years. lsf .tsr,r.Q
1t is probable that many OF ths
acts to which I have alluded, Great
ling additional Offices, ineurrihg State
liabilities, and authorizing locsl
debts and taxes, were required by
sound policy. But candid inyesti
CATION will show that the larger part
OF these enormous burdens of expen
Editure, debt and taxation could and
ought to have been avoided, -.
The last Legislature Afforded ex-
amples Of maay Of the worst evils 10
which legislative bodies are liable
long sessions, excessive legislation.
unnecessary expenditures, and reek
lessness in authorizing local debts
and local taxes. These evils shave
increased, are increasing, and ought
to be diminished" Let them be
reformed as to all of them. Espec-
tally let the people of all parties
insist that the present evils-long
legislative sessions-shall be reform-
ed altogether. Let the bad prece-
dent of long sessions, bet by the last
Legislature, be condemned, and the
practice OF short sessions established.
With the average rate of taxation in
the cities and large towns OF the
State-nearly three per cent -legiti-
mate business and industry can not
continue to thrive, if the rate OF tax
alton continues to increase. With
the rates OF interest for public debts
ranging from Z aud three tenths per
cent TO per cent, the reckless in
crease of such debts must stop, or
will seriously affec. the prosperity OF
the State. These are subjects which
deserve, and which, l trust, will re-
ceive, the profound attention of the
people in the pending canvass.
1t Is said that one of the ablest
Democratic members of the last
Legislature declared at its close that
"enOngh had been done to keep the
Democratic party out of power in
Ohio for twenty years. Let the
Republican press aud Republican
speakers see to it that the history OF
the acts of that body be spread fully
before the people, and / entertain
no doubt that the declaration will be
substantially made good.
1t Is probable that the discussions
Of the present canvass will turn more
upon the State legislation and less
upon national affairs than those OF
any year since 1861. Neither Sena-
tors nor Representatives in Congress
are to be chosen. But it is an i'm
portant State election, and will be
regarded as having bearing ON ma
tional politics. The Republicans of
Ohio heartily approve of the prinoi-
pies of Gen. Grants inaugural mes
sage, and are gratified by the manner
in which he is dealing with the lead |
ing questions of the first three
months of his administration.
Under President Johnson, Secre- |
tary McCullOch boarded millions of
gold TO enable him 20 maintain a
rivalry with the gold gam
blers of New York city. The nation
WAS defrauded OF Its just dues, and
the national debt increased from No
lst, 1867, to November lst,
1865, s35. .G25, 1921. Gen. Grant
began his financial policy by revo-
king his predecessors pardons of
revenue iObbers, and by cutting
down expenses in all directions and
Boutwell, dispOses OF sur
plus gold in the purchase OF interest
bearing bonds to the amount of two
millions week, and in his first
quarter reduced the national debt
more than twenty millions OF dollars.
The two Democratic JOhnsOns, An
drew and Reverdy, furnished their
idea of foreign policy in the John
son Clarendon treaty. They under
took to settle the American claims
against England ON account Of the
Alabama outrage by the award OF a
one half of whose mem
hers were to be chosen by England
and the other half by the United
States, and, in case of disagree
ment, an umpire was to be chosen
by lot. That is to say, u great ma
tional controversy, involving grave
questions Of international law, and
claims OF undoubted validity amount
ing to millions Of money, was to be
decided by the toss of a copper -
The administration of Gen. Grant
crushed the disgraceful treaty, and
processes to deal with England on
the principles laid down in General
Grants inaugural. The United
States will treat all other nations ''as
equitable law requires individuals to
deal with each other,'' but "if others
depart from this rule in their deal
ings with us, we nay be compelled
to fellow their precedent"
On the great question of recon
struction, ia what mastery way,
and with what marked success, has
Gen. Grants administration begun
Congress had fixed its day of ad
iournment, and all plans for recon
structing the unrepresented States
had been postponed until next De