Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-12-22
1o The Pegplr Of he State Of Ohic!


olss.e Within the walls of lhc capitol. We de-
plore Them Cor the S,ale. bul beliove We can
ssl.iy sav ina, the SIN does nui lay al our own
dor That you may wlhe whole iru'h q 'o'
h. misled by Ga,se statements. that sre purpose
" sent abroad 10 mislead the public mind, we
have though, iTa duty to stale 10 you the facts
iusi rs they occurred. live had reason io be-
I eve on leaving home, irom sources ut Inlorma'
ton common 10 all. that serious difficulties
we're Tx " to arise in The organization OF the
House Of Representatives during the present ses
SION. on our arrival here. from evidences not to-
be mistaken, II was clear that il wuud be almost
impossibe TO avoid them. How serious they
misht be no one pretended TO know, vet all
agreed that come they would in some shape or
other.
No 9, ifnot all of,he Whig Representatives
being present. strongly impressed that the oc-
casion required great prudence, dellberalon
md frmness. a meeting was held by them as
e1rlv as the "a of December. when u was re-
solved and adnnt,d as a rulr Of action, that
uoh.nr would BE- done on Jhair part which was
no, r;pht in principle, and that ev ~ thing
should be avoided that would be likely to pro-
duce violence or disorder; and we say to you,
an pledge whatever character we may have a.
mong YOU for its truth. that an unyielding ad-
herence TO this resolution, amidst insults and
indignilics. has alone saved the capital Of the
Stale from being the scene Of violence aud blood
shed.
But NJ the same time we resolved TO lOrbcar
and do 70 wrong; we also resolved that we
would,not suffer wrong at the hands of others.
To this resolution we have also adhered, and
shall continue TO do so as long as the rights Of
the people are thought worthy Of being preserv-
cd. Ii was thought that difficulties would like
ly arise in the first instance in the organization
of the House, and al agreed that the best way
60 avoid them would be to strictly adhere. TO
long established usages in such cases. Eslab.
lshed customs, especially in woublous times,
are sacred as law, and the party which violates
them means TO do wrong. On the first Monday
Of December, Of each year, il has been the GUS
tom for the members elect Of the House Of Re-
preseniatiyes, since the adoption Of the Consli'
tulion, TO meet at the State House, at the hour
Of 10 o'c' ock, A. NJ, at the ringing of the boil
and then and there organize. To This custom
we resolved to adhere, and only 10 enter the
House a, the usual time and at the usual signal
But about eight o'clock in the morning, and be-
fore most Of the Wing Representatives had
been to their breakfast, il was made known by
our friends that our opponents had taken posses
sion Of The Hall, and were in the act Of organ
izing, As mater of mere accident, some So
ven or eight Of our number happened to be pre-
sent in the Hall at the moment. These private
Hdvices were the first inlimatlon most OF US had
oftho meeting, for the bell which was sounded
in an unusual way, as many OF us learned al
terwards, was the work Of a friend who wished
20 alarm The Wing members, aud put them up.
on the alert. 1t was evident, from the manner
in which the Democratic members convened,
and the haste with which the proceedings were
conducted, that the Wings were TO have no
part in the incpeut stages Of the organization
-lha, not only were the Wings to have no
part in this mater, but thar, before they were
even present in any number, the questions
which related to the Hamilton county members
we're all to be adjudged and determined.
The advantages which our opponents prom
sod themselves from this step, will appear here.
after. The very first thing they did, after en-
tering the House, was to violate well esab-
shod law or usage. and one that never should
he violated, because its strict observance is me-
cessary to preserve the rights ard independence
Of Legislative bodies. They proceeded to or.
ranize when there was less than forty members
present, or nj least when there was less Than O
quorum. But this is not all. The organiza
zion thus got up, as will bo seen hereafter, con
slitulpd themselves tribunal 10 decide upon
the rights of those who came afterwards with
out giving Them voice in the matter, thus es
tablishing the principle in this case, that lh'
first five members sworn, or even less mum
ber than this, might organize and sit in Judg
mont on the sixly.seven other members, Flv
members, in this way, by fraud, or by going in
10 the State House at an unusual time, nigh
say who should and who should not be mem
hers of the General Assembly. About ten o
clock. and at the ringing of the bell, the Wing
entered The State House. The first thing whic
occurred after we entered, was such u tlugraI
outrage upon ,he rights OF a Representative
TIN, We win venture to assert Tint nothing ca
be found equal to il in the legislative history
This or any other State. When we entorcC
the person assuming to act as chairman, con
uenced calling the absent districts, but got lhr'
the list without calling the members from Han
ion county, when Mr.. Spencer, momb'
from The first sirct, stated hat that count
had moi been called, aud requested that II shou
be done. The reply was, thai the membe
from Hamilton had been called-lhat the Gel
CATION was then full, and that they would n
be- called again. Mr.. Spencer then propose
10 offer his credentials, which he said entitle
him 10 a seat on this floor, but this was reiu
ed. The House is the judge of the qualifc
lions Of lis own members, and when persC
placed candeslinely iu the chair, undertakes
the first instance TO say who shall and wi
shall not be admitted, he assumes power III
does not belong to him. IL he can exercise tn
right, he can exclude all who differ with him
opinion, and only admit such as belonged to
own party. II is known to you oil that by q
a3porlionmcnI law Of last winter, Hamii
county was divided into two election disWic
distinguished as the first & second, and are
distinct for representative purposes us any "
districts in the State.
A. H. i,st oorual nInction Mneers Cnenf