The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-03-21
Ohio LEGISLATURE.
SENATE, Friday, March T. lS45.

IOonSressonal districts OF this State, and re
commended its engrossment.
Mr.. Barley moved to lay the bill on the
table, in order to give time to examine it,
Mr.. Kelley of +. opposed the motion.
MIR. Gregory was in favor of the BILL
This district was changed; Hooking being
taken from the Ross and placed on the river
districts, and Scioto taken therofrom and
placed on the Ross district
Mr.. Chaney-Does it not change the DO
litics of the districts?
MIR. Grogory-It does; and am glad oft,
for it makes the Ross district whig, and
makes both districts more compact.
Mr.. Kelley of +, avowed the object 10 be
political. The erection Of Wyandott coun-
ty made change necessary, in the districts,
and he (Mr. Ky wished the wings to have
an equal chance. At the late election, a
whig Governor was elected by near 1900, yet
the wings carried but seven out of the 81
districts. Mr.. X. then went into an exami-
nation of the districts, stating the population
of the present as well DIS the future districts.
The change in the Fairfield district was made
at the instigation of the people, who had Pc
ttioned for this change. The county of
Hooking is taken by this bill from district
where il sinks the political majority, and is
put on district, thank God, where she can
do no harm. The county of Knox, is taken
from this district, and placed with Richland,
where the loco-focos can harmopize and love
and hug each other.
The question was then taken on laying the
bill on the table, and lost-yeas IA, nays II
"A party vote.
After some remarks from Mr.. Gregory.
Mr. Barley said, that the condition of his
health, would not permit him to 90 into
discussion of this measure. He could not,
however, refrain from saying few words ex-
pressivc of the adherence with which he
looked upon this daring movement of parti-
zan frenzy, which threatened the safety and
permanency of our Institutions. The political
majority in the Senate, seems to have be-
come perfectly reckless. The restraints of
the Constitution, the sanctity and perma-
nancy of our Institutions, constitute not the
slightest barriers in the way of the accom-
plishment of their base party purposes.
The 4th section of the lst Article of the
Constitution of the United States, confers
the power on the State Legislatures to pre-
scribe the manner of electing members of
Congress, and the power of dividing the
States into Congressional districts, and it is
especially provided in this section, "That
Congress may at any time by law, make or
alter such regulations" The power to ar
range the districts and prescribe the manner
of conducting the elections can be exercised
by the State Legislatures after the Congress
has fixed and established the apportionment
of the representation. When this power is
exercised and the manner cf electing men,
bors of Congress has been prescribed by the
State Legislature, the duty is performed, and
the power exhausted. And it would seem
that the power of altering such rcgula-
tions" is alone conferred on Congress.
Every ten years Congress fixes the appor-
tionmont Of the representation, and in obe-
dience 10 this arrangement, the State Legs-
laturos establish the Congressional districts
for the term Of ten years. Heretofore no
State Legislature has ever so far departed
from all sense of duty as to attempt to alter
or change the Congressional districts estab-
lished for ten years. 1t remains for the pre-
sent demcnted majority in the Ohio Legisla-
ture TO set the oXemple by first laying violent
hands on this part of our institutions.
In the fall of ls4l the question came be-
fore the people, as to which of the political
parties should have the power in the Legisla-
ture to district the State, for the election of
members of Congress. The whig State cen
tral committee, in an address, published that
fall over the name Of the Senator from
Franklin among others, calling upon their
party to use every possible effort at the cleo
ton, to secure the election of whig major
ity in the Legislature, for the reason that the
Legislature then to be elected would district
the State for ten years to come. The dis
tricting was TO be permanent for ten years,
as they themselves contended. The people
however, elected democratic majority to
the Legislatures; and this Legislature con-
vened at the extra session, in the summer of
1912, according to usage, to district the
State. The Legislature was in session near
ly a months. Much difficulty existed in az
ranging the districts, Oh account of local di-
visions and personal asperities. A bill was
finally agreed upon, and about to be passed,
when the whig minority conspired together
to dissolve the Legislative branch of the 60
vemment, and by a concerted movement and
simultaneous resignation, left the Legisla-
ture without a quorum for the transaction
of business. The whig members published
an address to the people of the State, and
then contended that the distrcting was to
last ten years-that it had been a mere tenn
porary matter, which could have been alte-
red or repealed the next year, they would
have pursued a different course. But as
the districting of the State for Congresson-
al representation was to be permanent az
they undertook to justify con-