Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-02-10
Ohio Legislature.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TUESDAY. Jan. 81.

certain STATE dn0 county officers. tOge-
sther with the amendments thereto, re
tporied by the select committee.
hr. Steedman moved TO 90 again into
committee of the whole, on the order.
softhe day
Mr.. McNulty hoped the motion Of the
gentleman from Montgomery would pre-
vail. He considered The bill providing
for the reduction Of salaries, one Of the
important measures OF the session. and
If not adopted in some shape, public ex
pectaton would be disappointed in re-
gard to The action Of the present General
Assembly on this subject
The motion TO 90 into committee was
then uegaIived, and the bill was taken
up, The question being on agreeing TO
the first amendment reported BY these
lect committee, which fixes the per
diem oil members OF the General Az.
sembly, at three dollars for the first
ninety days Of the session. and one dol
lar for each day thereafter 1t also re-
gulates the salaries and number Of
clerks and other officers OF the Genera
Assembly.
Mr.. Gallagher moved to amend tho
amendment, by limiting The above per
diem 10 the first sixty days Of the ses-
sion
Mr. Probasco opposed the amend
ment He was in Iavor Of introducing
some practical reform calculated 10 re
lieVe the people from taxation by the
reduction Of salaries, but he could see
no propriety in limiting the sessions of
the Legislature TO sixty days, time al
together insufficient for the transaction
Of the ordinary amount OF business
which comes before it. We had aIrea.
dy been in session that length of time,
and no measure Of any magnitude, ex-
ecepttbe apprisement law, had yet been
odispoeod Of. All the most important
business was yet to be acted upon. He
knew Of no former Legislature which
had been controlled by either Of the po.
Utica parlies, that was able to dispatch
its business in that period Of time. If
any limit was 10 be prescribed, he
thought past experience would not ustiD
fy its being fixed at a shorter period
than ninety days, Some of the former
sessions had been much longer than
that. The Legislature was designed
TO be deliberaIive body, and the people
did not require us TO transact ouT busi-
ness in hot haste, and without due con-
sderation.
The present allowance Of members
was no more than sufficient to dofray
their expenses here. lie had not been
able TO make any thing in a pecuniary
point Of view, during the time he had
served in the Legislature; although he
bad practiced economy, but on the con
trary had gone homo poorer than when
he came. He did not believe the peo
pie thought It lucrative business. Our
salaries bore no comparison 10 those of
the clerks Of some Of our Courts and
other county officers. lie would 20 for
reducing the members Of each branch
OF the Legislature 10 one half the pre-
sent number, which he thought would
be substantial reform, as it would
have the effect Of reducing expenses,
and by tho creation OF larger election
districts, make the people more cautious
in The election Of their Representatives.
Mr.. Gallagher thought the present
allowance of members no more than
enough, and instead Of reducing II, he
would prefer shortening Tho sessions,
by limiting them TO a period of sixty
days in tho manner proposed by his
amendment This. he thought, would
correspond batter with The wishes of
tho people, who were favorable 10 short
sessions. The great obstacle to 70.
form OF this kind, was The amount of 10.
cal business constantly before the Le
glsialure. General laws had been en-.
acted with Tho design of obvialing this
difficulty, but with no effect, and he
thought It could only be accomplished
by limiting in some mode The length of
the session.
Mr.. Olds thought Two dollars a day
now, was as fairs compensation as three
dollars wOsihree years ago, and was in
favor Of beginning relreRchment at
homo first, by reducing oar own saIa.
Iies,
Mr.. Srhenck felt indifferon, in regard
TO the present amendment. He did not
desire an indiscIminato reduction to he
made in the salaries Of all public Off
GERS at certain fixed ratio; but he
wished tho pruning knife to be applied
wherever Il most needed, whether here
or elsewhere II our wages were too
high, let them be cut down; if they were
not TOO high, our action should be regu-
lated accordingly, without regard to
what might DO said about it. lie thought
tho salarIes Of members of the General
Assembly, Of State officers, and Judges
-ol the Supreme Court, vera low a.