The commonwealth of Kentucky brought its several actions against the railroad companies above named as plaintiffs in error, respectively, to recover the amounts of certain taxes levied against each of them, under the provisions of 'An act to prescribe the mode of ascertaining the value of the property of railroad companies for taxation, and for taxing the same,' approved April 3, 1878. Bullitt & F. Gen. St. Ky. 1881, p. 1019. As the validity of this statute is drawn in question in these actio...
