The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-04-04
WHlG GERRYMANDERING.

i The acts Of the late whig legislature
of Ohio have exeelled in atrocity any
thing heretofore recorded In the annals
Of the country. Not only have they
repealed all the safeguards which form
er legislatures had thrown around the
banking lnstitu tions of the country for
the protection of the people, but they
have substituted bank government,
whereby few individuals in Coum.
bus can monopolize the business Of the
State, and levy their tribute on every
county in Ohio; and further than this,
to reward a few partisans, they have
been guilty of an Outrage without pre-
cedent in the United States. The con-
stitution and laws of the United States
require that each State shall be divided
into congressional districts once in ten
years, ia order that the representation
of the several States may correspond
with the congressional apportionment
law, which is made in accordance with
the return Of the census. Two elections
have already been held since the last
census under the new congressional
district law, and three more elections
remain to be held before the next con-
gressional apportionment; yet,formere
partisan purposes, the late whig Iegis-
Iature of Ohio have not only altered
these districts, by taking counties from
certain districts and attaching them to
others, but they have violated all consti-
tutional safeguards by detaching town-
ships from some of the counties, and
tacking them on others, against the will
of the people of such counties, and
without giving the notice which IS re-
quired in such cases. We call particu-
lar attentin n to the following article on
the subject, which we find in the Athe-
nian of the l4th ultimo-a whig paper
published at Athens, in this State:
ChiHicoihe Advertiser.
Homer and Marion Townships attach
ed to Morgan--U Unprecedented action
Of The Legislature.
Save the subject Of annexation, du-
ring the past winter, no one act either
of Congress or Of our own legislature
of Ohio has caused within US more as
tonishment and chagrin than did the
news on last evening from Columbus.
that the county of Athens had been
shorn of two of her most valuable
townships, (Homer and Marion,) for
the purpose OF attaching them 10 the
county OF Morgan. And we doubt
much if any act of Il local nature could
well have been adopted by the legsa-
ture to cause deeper disappointment
in the minds Of that portion Of the peo-
pie Of the county who claim to have
majority in that body representing
their interests.
1t is unp'easan! for US at all times to
denounce and condemn the acts and
measures of our political friends, and
especially when Il sense of duty re-
quires the manifestation of that con-
demnation in public manner. Such
things, however. will occasionally oc-
cur; and matters to which the caption
Of this srticle refers from one of those
duties Of which we speak. And we
intend, before having done with this
matter entirely, TO let the whig memb-
ers Of the legislature who voted for the
measure know, that neither party pre-
diIections, nor our desire to conform
in sentiment with all measures Of the
whig party, will induce us silently to
sit down and submit to such gross acts
ofinjustice being visited upon The rights
of the people, come from what foun-
tain, or let the motives be what they
may. The act is clearly and manifest
ly a fraud upon the rights of the citi-
zens of this county-an act that will
admit of no pallintion or justification
whatever an act not on y uncalled
for, but passed in direct violation of the
will OF a majority of those most deeply
concerned, as well as in violation of ex-
press provisions ofIong established law.
1t is fraud upon the rights Of the peo-
pie, because by it, without LEGAL and
due notice, they have had wrested from
them that which should not in justice
be without their consent. 1t is in vio-
lation of the express will of the people,
not only manifested through remon-
strances, (of which over 500 were pre-
sented within the two days previous TO
its final passage,) but in its opposition
by those persons representing the two
counties concerned; and it is clearly
a palpable violation Of the well-known
provision of the statute of the State re-
quiring thirty days. notice to be given
in the county dismembered. No such
legal notice was given.
We have much TO say on this sub
iect, but must refrain for the present.
The question excited much interest and
more animated discussion than any To-