Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-01
Chic LEGISLATURE.

2sSs - VAfV LtS lcidtHft e.
SENATE, Feb. lathe roll ofihe Sen
ate being called, quorum was found not
present. The absent wing members were
excused on account Of sickness 80
81 Mr. Lewis moved that the Sergean-at-
arms bedespatched 10 bring in the absen.
In reply to an enquiry by Mr.. King, as
to whether i the apspostionment bill had been
signed BY the Speakers Of both branches of
the General assembly. and deposited in he
Secretary of flea sdnFid The nh.
sence OF the minority, the Speaker said the
bill was so signed. -
Mr. King. Does the Speaker decide that
this bill is now law, without the further
action Of the General Assembly, "sesi :
The Speaker remarked that he did not
feel authorized to give an opinion rs the
presiding officer, but if he was, he should
say that it was.
Mr. Olds remarked, that he rose under
deep and abiding sense of duty to the absen.
honor and integrity of its presiding officer,
to make known to this body why certain
democratic Senators were not now in their
seats. '--- 5-5S p
1t is, said Mr. Olds, known to this Sen.
ate and to the world, that a bill, districting
this State for legislative purposes, soms
time since passed this branch OF the Gene
raj Assembly. That bill, by portion OF
Senators, was believed to be clearly vio-
lation of the Constitution. 1t was suffered
however, by the minority, to pass this body,
with a vague hope that in the coordinate
branch it would be divested of its unconsti
tutionality. In this expectation the minori.
ty were disappointed; for when the bill
was returned to the Senate, it was found to
contain all its unconstitutional sections, and
was rendered still more Objectionable, by
having been restored to the exact shape in
which it passed the tin-pan.
The Speaker called MIR Olds to order,
stating that his remarks were not confined
to the subject under consideration. -.
Mr. Olds remarked that he was illustrat
ing the reason why certain Senators were
absent this morning.
The Speaker still deciding him out oi
order, Mr. Olds appealed from the decision
of the Chair.
The question being, shall the decision o
the Chair stand as the judgment of the Sen
ate, Mr. Wilson moved TO lay the nppea
on the table; which motion prevailed.
| Mr. Olds then moved that the absentees
be excused.
The Speaker having stated this question
Mr. Ods again addressed the Speaker
and said he hoped he should be permitted
to give the reasons why the absentees shoult
be excused. They are not here this NOR
ming, Mr. Speaker, (said Mr. Olds) because
they had such an abiding conviction il
your honor and integrity, that upon mere
runner, they could not believe that you had
in opposition to the plain and simple pro
visions of the constitution, and in the ex
press violation of the standing rules, signes
this bill.
Mr. Kendall called Mr. Olds TO order, q.
speaking words derogatory to the charac
ter of the Speaker
The Speaker required Mr. Kendall to re
duce his question Of order to writing
Whilst he was doing so, Mr. Olds again re
remarked that he hoped the Senator's sense
of order would not suffer him to insist upor
his question of order, merely for remark
ing that Senators were not here because
they had an abiding confidence in the hon
or and integrity OF the Speaker!
Mr. Kendall having reduced his question
of order to writing, the Speaker decides
Mr. Olds out Of order.
From this decision Mr. Olds appealed t.
the Senate.
Mr. Wilson moved to lay the appeal 0,
the table. This question not being debata
bic, Mr. Olds demanded the yeas and nays
which resulted, yeas l6 wings, nays Messrs
Archbold, King and Olds-3.
Mr. Lewis then asked leave to Withdraw
the motion By him offered, instructing tn
Sergeant-at-arms 10 hunt up and inform
the absent s1embers that their attendance
was requested in the. Senate.
Mr. King. MIR Speaker: regret to be in
formed by decision of this Senate that al
allusion to the Constitution ofthe State, o
that respectful allusion to the presiding
officer of this Senate, is out Of order.
Mr. Olds remarked: "TyRANTs GIVE N
RIGHT! TYRANTs TAKE NO wRoNG!n'
TThe remarks Mr. Olds was about to max
when called to order, written out by him
self.
On Monday, when you were left with
out quorum, the question pending wa:
= ssshall the Senate recede from its disagree
ment to the House amendments?'' Th
question would have been taken; an
undoubtedly the Senate would have recee
ed, and the bill have been passed, had
quorum remained. Fifteen democratic Ser
ators, in order to preserve little longer t
the people Of Ohio the little that had bee
left of the Constitution, absented themselve
from their seats. The bill, with its pendin
amendments, was then, by an adjournmen
5 of the Senate, laid upon the table. ~
This bill, sir, had been sent TO US fror
the other House, with certain amendment.
I need not now speak of the iniquity an
Injustice ofthose amendments. The Hous
by this message, as well as oil parliamer
tary usage, had given this body the entir
control Of that bill. The House could n
more legislate upon this bill until we ha
: returned it to them, than they could hav
E passed it by resolution before we had ser
t it to them at all. II, sir, the House ha
| wished to recede from its amendments, ,ther
= was an honorable and parliamentary wa
D in which they could have got possession {