Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-01-05
From the Ohio Statesman.
Third Week Of the Session.

A"' O0 WSShS uuV0 GlupS cA'So WV + 80
ent legislature commenced its fabors, fnll
ofproiessions tha. it should be short work
ing session, but like all whig promises,
these have ended as they commenced, "in
words, mere words: :. I
Except in the incorporation of some pr1-.
vate companies, and some other objects oil
local legislation, and the election of lew
Associate Judges and other officers, ~noth-'
ing has been done Of general interest to the
people, in the way Of despatching public
business.
During the past week, the Senate COM
mttee on Finance, to which was referred
the report oflhe committee appointed to in
ves:igate the affairs ofthe Auditor}andTre
urer Of State. for the purpose of concealing
it from the eyes of the people, have been
driven, by the force Of public opinion, to
disgorge, and they sneakingly reported it
back with recommendation that one copy
be printed for each member, so that the
Auditor and late Treasurer might get cop.
y and explain away the charges made u
gainst them, founded on their own books.
The report is not yet printed. When il
is, we will endeavor to borrow a copy from
some good friend in the Legislature, and
Of its contents we will then speak ''from
the book" .--At...-. q. ,.....
While thus the Legislature has been was.
ting away its time, the tin.pan, which
holds its midnight sessions in the south west
corner ofthe fourth story Of the Buckeye
block: has not been idle. Night after night
is it in session, distrtcting the State, heal
ing divisions in the ranks of the universal
whig party, choaking off candidates for
Governor, or choaking on others who are
afraid to spend time and money in battle
where defeat stares them in the face, or in
selecting officers to fill vacancies in the
office Of Associate Jndge in counties where,
perhaps, not a whig member is acquainted
with a single whig resident These things
keep that third branch Of the Legislature
busy, to the neglect of other and more i'm.
portant business. 49,, >.. r.
Some two weeks since, Mr.. Lewis, whig
Senator from Portage and Summit, presen-
ted several petitions asking the Legislature
to declare our glorious Union d,ssolued.
On the question of receiving this petition,
the granting the prayer of which would
have been treason, every whig voted aye,
and every democrat voted no. The wings
excused themselves on the ground Of the
sacredness of the right Of petition for that
which, if the members granted, they would
merit a felon's fate on the gallows During
the past week the sincerity of these men
were tested. A petition, signed by both
wings and democrats, men of honor and
standing, some of whom had periled life in
defence oftheir couutry's honor petitioned
the Legislature to ask Thomas Corwin to
resign the seat he disgraced in the Senate,
and then to imprison him for treason to his
country. .-....-
Before the petition was even read, Mr..
johnson, of Lorain, who had voted, to re-
ceve the petition asking for the dissolution
Of the Union, objected to the reception of
the petition. His beautiful theory upon
the sacredness Of the right Of petition, was
at once blown into the air, and his vote
against the reception of that petition
gave the lie to his conduct a few
days previous. In the debate which follow
Mr. Johnson's objection to the reception Of
the petition, the whole war question was
brought up, and the whig allies Of Mexico
then got a fortaste of what they will here-
after receive from the people. Messrs.
Backus and Randall made an effort to Jus.
tify Mr. Corwin in his course, but failed.
The argument of the latter consisted in the
assertion that Thomas Corwin was as far
above certain Senators on the floor, as
"Hearen was above He'll" and the argu-
ment Of Mr. Backus consisted in feeble
attempt to initiate Corwin in his low buff
foonery. The hot shot which was poured
into whiggery from the democratic Sena-
tors, soon silenced this pop-gun battery.
The Journal, or rather some one of its edi-.
tor,-for he was ashamed TO father the
bantling, that debate as a fri
umph, and referred for further particulars
to the reported proceedings in that paper.
The reporter, with more of sense than the
whig Senator who wrote the editorial for the
Journal, gave none Of the debate, and the
reader looked in vain for the proof Of the
assertion that the Mexicans had gained
victory in the State Senate.
Among the reforms introduced by the
members of this exceedingly economical
Legislature, is the voting to themselves
Maps. This practice is one, which, though
practised by members of Congress-, is Justly
repudiated by the people, and the ordering
ShoiStoH HAlpS IoI 1uo tneuOeTS, ny the
present Legislature, may be looked upon
as the entering wedge, to be cited as pre-
cedent hereafter, for the State purchasing
libraries for members.
This reform Of whlggery is in perfect
keeping with the usual redemption of the
promises ofthat party,in favor Of "retrench-
ment and REFORM"
In the House, the topic which excited
most interest, grew out Of the report of the
majority of the committee on Banks and
the Currency, recommending the adoption
of MIR Russel's resolution white-washing
the Ohio banks. The whigs,it is rumored,
find it grievious undertaking to reconcile
themselves to such cruel 'jokes" as that
perpetrated by Mr. Mclean n-The session
of Thursday afternoon was mostly occu.
pied by Mr. Shaw in very sensible speech,
against the report Of the majority Of the
committee. After Mr. S. had concluded, Mr.
Russell arose, and announced himself on
the floor for quarter of days speech, at
least, but after few grand and lofty prelim-
inaries. .and just as he was on the Threshold