Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-05-26
NM nresenl aad fOrmer lppOrllOnmfnls.

menl Law, passed al the late session Of the leg.
isla,ure, we have endeayored to make ourselves
acquainted with its provisions, before giving an
expression upon the subject. The Locoloco
press have assailed the present law with more
than common venom. Every cpiIheI in the cat
alogue Of infamy is freely heaped upon il; eve
ry species Of abuse is bestowed upon those who
voled for il. ID is even recommended that the
people rise in their majesty and cancel the law
at the point of the bayonet A stranger IN the
Staie,--a man unacquained with the political
history Of Ohio for The last twelve or thirteen
years, would be forced to the conclusion, (rom
the pitiiul lamenalons-the doeful winnings Of
Locofocoism,) that the present law is a COM
pound Of denominations, each more fraught with
danger than the preceding one, Unprecedented
and unparalleled in The annals Of Legislation;
aud that the opponents Of the law stand before
their felIow-ciizens with reputation for fair
ness aud unsullied honesty;-that, like Caesars
wife, they are "not only pure but beyond sus.
picion."
Now, we propose to examine several Appor-
tonment laws, passed by Locoloco Legislatures,
and TO contrast their provisions with those Of the
Appouonment thai Locolocoism now so voci(e-
rousy condemns. Al the State election in 1886
the LOcO(ocos carried, by decided maorities,
both branches of the Ohio Legislature. The
following winter,-the session Of 1856, an
act was passed aPPoroning the representation
in the Legislature among the several counties Of
the State. Was this an equal, fair and just lawl
The result Of the first election held under it, is
a sufficient answer this question. AT the cleo
iion in 1886, Joseph Vance, the Wing oandi.
date for Governor, was elected by majority of
6,046, over Eli Baldwin, his Locoloco competi-
tor. What was the complexion of the Legisla-
ture elected that year, when the Wing majority
in Ohio was upwards Of six thousand votes! OF
The Representatives then elected, 81 were Loco
focos, S5 Wings; of the Senators, 9 were Loco.
focos, 9 Wings. 1t may be objected that there
were more Locofoco Than Wing counties in the
Stale at that time, and, therefore, fair and hon
est apportionment would give The Locolocos a
majority in the Legislature. So far from that
being the state Of the case, we find, by the Off.
Cial returns Of that election, that the rs coun-
ties then in Ohio, were thus divided: counties
giving Locoloco maoriiies, SO; giving Wing
majorles, AZ. Having seen The result of this
honest apporIionment law, lei US glance at some
of its details. The Locofoco county of Perry,
with population of 5000, was, by the provi-
sions of this law, entitled to tacoRepresenlatives,
and the Wing county Of Muskingum, wlhapopu
lalion Of 6,3l6, 10 one Representative; the Lo-
coloco county of Butler, with population OF
SLY, was entitled to tao Representatives, and
the Wing county Of Belmont with a population
of 5,703, to one Representative; the Locoloco
counties of Hooking and Fairfield, with pop
ulaton of $500, were entitled TO two Rcpresen.
taves, and The Wing county of Cuyahoga,
with population of 5,92l, to one Representa-
tive; the Locofoco county of Coumbana, with
population of $500, was entitled to three Re.
presentatives, and the Wing county Of Muskin-
gum, with population Of 6,3l6, to one Repre-
sentative; the Locoloco county of Monroe, with
population of 2,490, was entitled TO one Re-
presentalive, and the Whig county of Monlgom-
cry, with a population Of 5,433, TO one Repre-
sentative; the Locoloco county Of Holmes, with
population OF 2,466, was entitled to one Rep.
resentalives, and the Wing county of Huron,
with population of 5,445, to one Representa-
tive. Besides many other enormities of this
kind, several Whig counties were entirely dis.
franchised by being buried in Locofoco dis.
tricIs. And this is Locofoco honesty! This the
sort of justice and equality they meted out to us
As might have been expected, the LoCofocos
controlled the action of the Legislature for the
next four years. We cannot, at this time, stop
g TO enquire how they abused the power given
them by fraudulent and dishonest apportion-
ment law That is subject to be considered
at another time. Oar present purpose brings
US to the session of 1839-40. The Locofocos
still controlled the action of the Legislature,
and another apportionment was to be made
Didthey repent the inquites of their former
act, and endeavor to atone for their past trans
gressions, by enacting fair and equitable law
then! We shall see. twill be recollected that al
theState election in 1s4O, the frsteeclio held un.
der the aPPortlonment law of 1839-40, Thomas
Corwln, the Wing candidate for Governor, was
elected by majority of 1880 over Wilson
Shannon, his Locofoco competitor; and that
more than two-thirds Of the counties in the State
- gave Whig majorties. What was the complex.
ION of the Legislature elected that year! The
House was strongly Whg the Senate Locofoco.
with more than sixleen thousand majority in