The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-01-15
MEMORIAL
To the General Assembly Of the State Of

To the General Assembly Of the State Of
Ohio: f..
AT the time of the organization Of our
State Government, it would perhaps have
been better had the state been divided into
counties of equal size. The seats of justice
located at the center, ard the alterations OF
the bounds Of the counties forever prohibited
by constitutional provision. Much of the
Legislation that has been devoted 10 this
subject would have thus been dispensed with.
Much quarreling, and pickering on the part
of the people would have been prevented.
Much of the real injustice consequent upon
the erection of new counties and the remo-
val of county seats, that has attended the
Legislation upon this subject would have been
saved 10 the people of Ohio; and the lobbiss
of the general assembly would not present
the humiliating, the degrading spectacle of
being crowded every session with hungry
village spectators, resorting to every means
of corruption, fraud and sycophancy to secure
the location of County seats on or near their
property, to enhance its value, and enable
them to speculate upon the Legislation of the
state. This wise and salutary measure was
not then adopted, to adopt it no,s would be
next TO impossible. There is too much in
vested upon what is understood to be the
pledged faith of the state as to the bounda-
ries of Counties, and the location of County
seats, to render such measure any thing
else than unjust; or to allow it to meet with
any thing less than the most determined
opposition from the great body of the people;
and yet it may be well questioned whether
it would not be more consistent in a just,
and parental Government TO enter at once
upon this general re-survey, and erection of
all the territory Of the state into new Coun
ties of equal size, locating the seats of JUS
tice at their centers regardless Of all indivi-
dual interests, than to lend willing ear to
every individual claim, hatched up for the
purpose Of enrichng individuals by the sale
of town lots, while great districts of country
suffer, and are impoverished by the opera
ton. By glance of the eye over the map
of the state, and that of the various new
county projects already brought forward, it
will be seen that the well established bound
aries and seats ofjustice of at least one half
the counties of the state, are to be disturbed
and their fair proportions mutlated, II check
be not put to this new and reckless feature
of speculation. The general division of the
state would at least possess the virtue of
The pecuniary loss would be
The hope of gain would
rest in chance, and not design. On the
other hand every act creating new county,
rs at present practiced, whether intended or
act by the Legislature, is in its operation and
bearing partialund unjust. Ittakes, without
advantages that have been pur-
chased and paid for, from some individuals,
md confers them on others without consi-
lsration, or reward. Such is emnently the
ruth of the people Of Putnam County, and
mere particularly OF those of Kalda. Call
I'd upon, against the expressed will of many
of them, when they were very few, and very
poor, living in cabins, and camps, to take
upsn them all the burdens of county taxation
that are imposed upon the older and more
wealthy districts Of the state; they have
endured the evil, and armed against it, by
clearing and subdung the wild lands, and