Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-02-24
From the Ohio State Journal, Feb. 10.
THE REVOLUTION!

is in full blossom, here at the seat of Govern.
menI of Ohiol The blow is already struck
and unless there lie strong recuperaiiye ener-
ges in the consii uled authorizes, ard unless
those energies shall be successfully put ior'h,
the State Government is al mn ondl Fifteen lH'
dyduuls, being members oGIhe Senate Of Ohio,
have entered into a CONSPIRACY, TO produce this
result. For three consecutive days they hnve,
by their raclous, revolutionary, but prcconcer.
ted course, stricken TO the ground the law ma
king power. They have formed league, lrea-
sonabIe and revolutionary It's characIer,l to pre-.
vent any Iegialalion unless il shall be such as
meets ther own approval They have with
drawn from the Sennlo chamber, and hold their
scpcrate meetings inlhe room oC hotel. From
that room they send their written messages 10
the branch Of The Legislature Of which they are
members, delying its authority, aud demanding
terms ut once Unprecedented, unnecessary and
unjust, as conditions upon which they will con-
sent to "PERMIT" the Legislature of Ohio 10 pro-
coed in The discharge Of It's dulcs.
Is the,c righrhauded man in the State Of
Ohio, who would for one moment consent 10 see
the Legislature of his Slale reduced - the hu.
initiating necessity Of making terms with band
Of lawlcss disorganizers! Is there man not
totally lost to every sense Of pair,o;i5m and du.
~, WHO can hesitate FOR n moment To award
verdict of strong condemnation against tho con.
duct of these cnnspirlorS, who have come up
here to the Capitol us Legislators, but who have
by their own act, set The example TO Others oI
bidding defiance tuhe Constitution and the laws.
The people of Ohio should be apprised Of the
fact, that fifteen of their Senators have taken II
room, No. 10, American llolc, in which they
hold their meetings, and from which they adj
dress their official communications that they
pernaciously refuse to obey the summons of
The Senate to attend upon It's delbcralions-und
graciouSy prescribe the terms upon which they
will "pcrmiI" the legislature 10 proceed in The
discharge Of its ordinary duiCs. II the people
Of the State ar' prepared 'or anarchy and rcvo.
luton, they will regard this state Of ihilg with
composure. It they are not, they will rebuke
the actors in this foul conspiracy againstlho laws
and the people of The Sntc, in such manner as
will prevent recurrence of such contempt Of
all laws,
The soul apology for this high.hOndcd course,
is Il protcXt which they set upland tits sheer
prelcxt--lhNl the Legislature was about To enact
n law in violation Of tho Constitution consists
in the fact that tho bill for apporlioning The lop.
r1scrtllion IN the Legislature for III, cI suir 9
four years, assigns TO the county Of Hamilton
Irovdcs that Of these, one Senator AMI two
Represe natives shall be chosen by the electors
Of the first eight Wards of the city Of Cincin-
natl, and the remaining Senator and three Rep
rescntatives, by the baance Of the city and coun.
ty Of Hamilton. This is the sole reason as
signed to Justify the very extraordinary and rev.
oluli0nury course resorIed to by the fifteen rev.
olIing Senators. They pretend TO regard this
proposition as subvcrsivc Of the Constitution
The prGteXt is too ilimsy 10 afford them any jus.
lifcaIloG. It is the merest prccXI, and nothing
else. Ii is not n week since, that EVERY MAN
Of them, UNDER THE soLEMNITY OF THEIR oATHs,
recorded their votes IN FAVOR Of a proposition
for dividing Hamilton county into two districts
for representation in the General Assembly -
Did they then vote to violate the Constitution
which they had sworn TO support.
What has beon the usage of the State in an
algous case, ever since the formation of the Con-
stnulonl The Constitution of tho United States
provides that tho representatives in Congress
shall be "apporloned among the several SIaes." {"
The Constitution of Ohio provides that the rep.
rcsenlaives in the General Assembly Of the
State shall be "Opporlioned among the several
countess" From the time that Ohio was enti-
lied TO n pleurOily Of representatives in Con-
grcss, II has been customary TO choose them by
districts; aud after every apporlionment to the
State of her number of representatives in the
popular branch Of the government, it has baen
fpe C,r al | Ia III a.
State into DIstrcls, Now Tor The first time has
this course tocn n)uncCd as unconstitutional.
1t was unqucslionubly the policy and inlen-
ton of the trainers of our Constitution, that The
Representative should be brought TO as direct
responsibility rs practicable, 10 his Constituents.
And we see no reason, either in tho policy of
our institutions or in our written constitution,
for throwing the election Of two Senators and
five Representatives into Hamilton county, that
would not apply with equal force to n district
composed OF two or more counties. Senators
are chosen for two years, and Representatives
but for one. Why is lhisl For The simple pur-
pose, as We have always understood, of securing
in one branch Of the Legislature greater de-
gree OF permanence and stability of policy
that which the moro numerous branch should
reAccI the feelings and wishes, the caprice if
you please, of the people, the other should re.
feet their more innexibo principles. But if
Hamilton county is 10 choose a Senator every
year, she enjoys privilege not common 10 9th.
er counties--a privilege al wal with this feature
and policy Of the Constitution.
The trainers of our Constitution parcelled the
powers Of the government into three separate,
distinct. and independent branches, viz Lsgis.
lative, Executive, and judicial. Aud they es.
pecaly devolved upon the Judicial branch of
The government the decision of all such quos.
lions as that which mere fraction of co.ord.
nalo branch has hero assumed TO decide for
themselves, for their compeers, and for the whole
people Of the whole State. 1t such state of
things is admissible, all that will be ut any time
necessary to prevent the passage OF law, will
be for any thirteen Senators to pronounce iI"un.
constitutional" and refuse their presence in the
Senate while the measure shall be pendingl II