The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-04-04
FEDERAL P.PELAYlNG IN A
NEW FORM TO SUPPORT PRO-
SCRlPTION IN OHIO.

n !
SCRlPfION In OHIO.
In former articles we gave the new
form ofproscription in Ohio, (which look;
very like the prescription Of the revo,
lltionary convention of France. 1t is
Of the legislative specics-the worst ol
all: inasmuch as when there are mul.
titude to divide the responsibility of the
ruin Of an individual, it is impossible
10 locate it on any one, and its impres.
sion is lost by expansion. Hence it is
that no tribunals are ever so bloody
as parliaments: attainders and confis-
cations always attend these many
headed legislative commissions, that
make the law they execute, and whose
contagious sympathies increase to in
tensity the ferocity of the passions,
when a hunt is in view.
II was this contagion Of the virulent
feelings which prevailed in the Ohio
legislature, when it began its late eau.
cus-generated prescription in open ses-
sion. The head of the editor of the
Statesman fell first; then the whole
board Of public works was cut off by
alegislatlye decree, and new one put
up; then all the petty officers along the
roads and canals, toll-keepers, &c. to
the number of more than two hundred
were consigned as hecatomb by q
Proviso.
Having taken these extraordinary
steps for the accomplishment Of party
purposes, and the prescription OF polit-
ical opponents. the leaders next turn
ed 10 the means Of maintaining and Sc
curing their party ascendency. Under
the constitution and laws of the State,
tits made the duty of the general as
sembly to re-district the State, upon an
enumeration Of the white male inhabi-
tants over twenty-one years OF age, ia
ken every four years. This duty was
performed during the session of l843
and 1914. The democracy had a ma
iority in the Senate, and the wings IN
The House. The bill to district the
State was compromise between the
parties; and, as such, it was passed.
The first election under it last fall re-
suited in the present whig majority.
Surely it would seem, that with this
fact before them, and the fact also that
Mr.. Clay carried the State by near
G,o00 majority, honest men would en-
iertain no fears of the people, and party
leaders none of their strength. 'Con-
science makes towards of US all;" and
hence these whig leaders, conscious OF
their own frauds and corruptions, felt
the necessity Of securing themselves,
itpraclicable, against the future. How
was this to be done? Not by repeal
ing the law; though the demonstrations
atty and in(amy of such proceeding
would not have been whit more fla
grant than the act already recited. How
hen! Start not, reader, at the inlor-
nation; for this is progressive age;
and whilst science and the arts pro-
gress, the cunning devices Of federal
ism progress also. The measure Of
changing legislative districts is accom-
plished BY changing county lines; and
pipelaying, by transferring sections of
counties, instead of marching indiyidu-
ais to and fro is introduced by attach,
ing whig town ships of one county to
aneighboring county or district which
is democratic. First, the new county
of Wyandot is created from part Of the
territory oil Crawford, Marion, and
Hardin--a part of Richland being ta-
ken to make good the area of Crawford,
and part of Hancock to make good
Hariin. The new county is nearly
balanced in politics; Crawford is more
strongly democratic than before; Ma
rion is nearly equally balanced; and
Delaware, which forms, with Marion,a
representative district, has whig ma
jority of near 4oo. To this district of
Delaware and Marion is attached the
new county Of Wyandot; and they are
given two representatives,-one Of
whichis taken from the representative
district north, which is carved up.
The counties of Perry, Morgan, and
Washington, comprised a territorial dis
trict. In 1914 and l846 they have one
representative each, and in 1s45 and
1917 two representatives in common.
Perry is strongly democratic; Morgan
is very close, at times on either side;
Washingtonls largely wing; the demo-
cratic majority in the district being
from one to two hundred. The present
senator, we think, was elected by less
than fifty majority. The present gen.
eral assembly first slice off apart'of one
whig township in Washington county.
and put it on 10 Morgan, 10 make the
latter county clearly whig; and then,to
settle the district finally, take Two whig
towpshiDs from A thens county. giving