The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1844-01-18
OHIO LEGISLATURE
From his 0Aio, ,iSiaicman.

From tbs 0hioV VStatcadn.
The report ofyesteraay's proceedings in the House,
gives the result OF the action of the House upon the re
port of the Reenchment committee but the details OF
that report are not carried into journal Of the pro
ceedings for the reason that the report was made and
acted upon and agreed to- without the means of its be-
ing known or understood except as each particular a.
mendment was read by the Speaker.
The people ought to know how business is doneby a
whig House, and We give little history of this
| bill
Al an early day in the session, Mr. Duncan introdu-
ced this BILL 1t contained the sole provision to reduce
the pay of members of the General Assembly to 81
And in that shape the wings of the House passed it. In
the Senate the whole subject Of reenchment taken
up and this bill amended so as to reduce the compensa
lion OF all the the officers of the Government An alb
stract Of that amendment was publishedby some two
weeks ago. So soon as this system of retrenchment
came down from the Senate it was referred TO the
mittee on Retrenchmen. of which Mr. Coombs is chair
man. After labor oftwo weeks Mr.. Coombs made
his report and the same was, yesterday evening, taken
up.
What the committee had reported, nobody but them
selves knew for the report not read at hetime Of
its being presented, and the first knowledge the House
had Of what was before them was when the Speaker
read each separate amendment reported by Mr. Coombs
and put the question on agreeing thereto.
The Senate had fixed the salary of Secretary of State
at $500, and his clerk at 5000. Mr.. Coombs report
recommended to strike out that section and insert 9O0
asthe salary ofthe Secretary, and SiO0 that Of his
clerk, and it was on this question that the discussion
was to be taken when Mr. Hawkins called the previous
question: which being sustained not only stopped all de-
bate on the question under consideration but drove the
House to voeOn all the numerous and important a.
mendments reported by Mr.. Coombs without their ha-
wing been known or considered upon for moment
The gag being thus applied the Speaker proceededto
put the question upon the several amendments in the
order OF their occurrence, and they all carried by
the drilled whig opponents to retrenchment
One of these amendments was to raise the salary OF
President Judges from $3.50 year to $1,000 another to
raise the salary of Supreme Judges to $780, from the
sum settled by the Senate, another to incorporate the
whole Of bill No. A. This was bill of Is sections
containing many important provisions but which had
never been acted on by the House, and thus by being
incorporated as an amendment by committee, was
passed by the majority without having passed the sew
eral readings required by the Constitution.
| These amendments were so numerous and so long
it was impossible for our Reporter to catch, from the
rapid reading of them at the DESK even an idea of their
Substantial provisions
Thus by the application Of the gag, have the peoples
representatives been compelled to act inconsistency with
the known modes Of legislation They have been COM
PEELED to foego intelligent action upon the Anrbrtant
business by legislation and act blndy in obedience to
the will of domineering majority.
But the richest scene was to see the Kickapoo tribe
marching BY with their pictured Indian holding scroll
inscribed, 'cut dorm the icages" atthe same moment
that our democratic friends were contendng
ment and the Kickapoo leader himself was exerting
his utmost power of lungs to induce the House to vote
for raising from the standard fixed by the Senate which
happily hit of by Mr.. Snyder, whose remarks are
reported. ........
We give this detailed account that the people of this
great State may cooy sit down at their resdes, at
home, and reflect on the conduct of the men they have
sent here to honestly and sensiby egsate, instead Of
trampng everything thatis sacred, and disgracing
themselves and the State which they misrepesent The
people only desire to be informed of the reafactsas they
exst correct them at the first opportunity that offers