The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-09-22

But II is claimed for the counsel for
Mr. Belts, that the Cd section. article !.
oflhe constitution, prohibits The votes Of
the two townships from being cast or
counted in Morgan county, because il
would be breaking nupon the represem.
tatiye districts. Representative districts
what are 1heyl We will look in vain
for them in the constitution. They have
n" existance there or eIswhere. but in
the Imagination of gentleman. By Civ
ing wrong names to things. our reasoning
becomes false. There are no constifuti0n.
al representative districts ,c1ccpt counties.
This section ofthe constitution provides
not for laying off the State into represen.
ialive districts. out for very different
tlhng-io aPporiion the representatives
aiming NE secerai covntjcs"
We shall direct the attention Of the
people ofOhIo to one other extract from
the numerous wing arguments made mp.
on that occasion. it is from the speech
of Mr.. COwen of Belmont county also re.
ported by himself and published in the
Ohio State Journal Of the Sd January, 49,
46. During his speech he was interrupt.
ed by Mr.. Reemelin, aud the question of
Mr.. Reemehn. and the answer are both
written by Mr.. Cowen and made a part
of his argument.
"Mr Reemelin inquired if Mr.. Cowen
meant to he understood thai in appor,ion-
ing representation. the Legislature
could not divide county. and assign part
ola county to one representative district.
and part TO another. Mr. C. said he lid
mean 10 be so undeystOOd the representa-
lives must be 'apporlioned among the
several counties as COuntes-entirc and
mdicided cO~ntics. 4 cOunty cOold not
t0rm a part gtrO representative dsr'cts
t0r representatives., unless in lie case ofa
ne'c c0unty."
The question asked by Mr.. Recmelin.
it will be perceived covers the very
ground now in controversy, and the an
swer is explicit, and exactly to the point
"a COUNTY COULD NOT FORM APART OF
TWO REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS FOR REP
REsENTATyEs." This argument receives
additional weight from the fact, that Mr.
Governs sound legal and constitutional
views induced his party the very next
session ofthe Legislature, 10 make him
President Judge of his Judicial circnit.
Under these arguments, every whig
member of the House of Representatives
some of whom we've members of the last
Legislature, under The solemnity of an
oath, voted to oust the democratic, and
give The wing member his seat, because
80 county could not be djr,ded and farm a
part Of twO representative Districts"
The democratic members, then as now,
contend that county could not he dlvi-
ded in forming a Legislative district. But
they also contend, that legislative dis
rct once formed, could not be changed,
by subsequent change of county lines,
until the next enumeration Of white male
inhabitants.
From the foregoing facts and argu-
ments, we leave the people Of Ohio to
Judge what honesty of motive may be at
tached to daring infractions of the CON
slituti"n, and upon the political rights of
the people of Ohio?
The democratic members of the Sen.
ate, regarding the oath which they had
taken TO support The constitution, and to
prevent fraud being perPetraied, which.
if ronsummaied, would have subverted the
political rights ofthe majority ofthe free.
men of Ohio, and have forever unaltera-
bly, fixed the law making power of the
State in the hands of all inscriptions and
unprincipled minority, withdrew from
their seats in order to save the constiiu.
tion, and avert the consequences Of rev.
olution, which would have forever de-
stroyed that great principle of Republi-
canism, the right of the majority to rule.
The federal leaders being thus foiled
in their mad efforts to violate the consiitu-
ton. and subvert the fundamental princi-
Piles of republican government, at once
threw off'the mask of honesly,and entered
into conspiracy to smuggle into law an
unconstitutional apportionment scheme,
so gross and fraudulent, that they dared
not resort to constitutional means 10 eff.
feet its passage, but resored to trick and
"canajng," that thereby they might main
tain their i'll. gotten power, and thus tram
pie down the inherent right of people.
This brings us to consideration of the
unconstitutional and fraudulent means,
by which the federal leaders attempted
10 palm theiriniquitous districling scheme
upon the people of Ohio
The bill first passed the Serate, and in
the House received sundry amendments,
restoring to it the features it had when
originally reported. The vote on the
passage of the bill in the House was
taken on the 10th of February, as shown
by the House Journal-page 56S. 1t
was returned to the Senate with the
House amendments, on Friday, Februa.
ry IL, (see Senate Journal page 521.)
The Senate agreed to such amendments
as related to new counties, and disagreed
20 the others, and returned the bill on the
same day to the House, and there it was
laid upon the table; (see House Journal
page 576.)
Under date of Saturday, Feb. 12, the
following proceedings are recorded (see
House Journal, page 5S0:)
"On motion of Mr.. Anthony,
The House took up the bill Is. No, 10Y
to fix and apportion the representation
of the General Assembly Of the State of