The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-17

May, and the session will be the longest that has
been known for many years. Yet there has not
been before It one measure Of great and general
an enormous amount OF the time devoted to
Legislation.
The trial Of Gen Miller, charged with forging
road contractor, has been again postponed.
Most people think il will come of on the first
thiItieth OF February that may chance to occur,
The money market continues very tight, and
The French revolution has been god:send to
Shylocks, and to people blessed with "incaicu'
liable resources of non-psyment"
COLUMBUS, (O.,) April 10, lS4S.
Political Affairs in Ohio approaching Crisis of
Serious Alarm through the Progress" Of Par
ty Action.
"This is the age of progress" is the fppant
phrase used in justification of any and all mea-
sures of reform in governments, whether it be
one of retrograde or advance action. The pro-
erosion of the present day has pecullarities
which the sires and grandsires of the present
generation never dreamt Of in their philosophy.
1t is not within my "bond," as "news cores
pendent" of the Herald, to offer its readers any
speculative thoughts on this point; but cannot
avoid making mention of one of the leading Pc
culiarites ofmodern reform in civil governments,
which is SO strikingly developed in the recent
and present move ents of the political parties in
Ohio. mean that by which II is seen how one
step paves the way for the next-as well OF those
who are in the wrong. as of those in the right.
In illustration, let US briefly review the action
of the whip Senators of the late Ohio General As
semby. during the first few days after the demo
cratic Senators lett their seats, and left the Senate
without quoram.
The secession of the democratic members took
place on Monday afternoon, when the House
dina 20 IN foro pArt.c
the representation was the subject of conside-
ration. Their absence left the Senate without a
constitutional quorum to transact business
other than to adjourn, and when again met, to
summons the absentees to attend. The nineteen
remaining whlg senators accordingly adjourned
to Tuesday morning. And after meeting on that
morning, as well as during the sitting of the
forenoon and afternoon of that day, they sat In
their seats without tho least attempt to do le-
gislative business of any kind, not even the read.
ing of the journal of the preceding day. The
majority, came out in a dolcful harangue over
what would be the result, IT the democrats did
net return to their Seats that legislative busl
ness on hand could be perfected,. and named
two other important bills to keep the wheels OF
government in motion, although duly passed, en-
rolled and reported, had not yet received the sig
nature of the Speaker of the Senate, aud would,
therefore, fail in becoming laws, inasmuch as
that signature could only be fixed during 'busi.
ness hours" and there could be no business
hours without quorum.
Having thus spent the day in waiting for the
democrats to take their seats, and thus renew
the business of the Senate, they adjourned TO
Wednesday porning. During this day, they
went through the same routine OF waiting, with
what patience they could muster, the return OF
the absent members, before business could be re-
sumed. So, too, on Thursday; ana until noon
on Friday. Now. however, In conformity to
their wish to extrlcate themselves from the d.
to do 1t in some way to- head" the stubborn alb
sentees, the Speaker Of the Senate recognised
message from the House, "a purely business
solution, receded from Its amendments to the
apPortionment bill and as this would leave the
bill In the shape 1t had passed the Senate, ne
affixed his signature q "buslness" hitherto de-
clared to be out of his Perogative, except quo
rum Is present aud the Senate In session,) and
forwarded the bill to the House for the sigma
ture OF It's speaker
And from that hour, it is claimed by every
wing Judge, lawyer, and commoner, that it Is
not essential that quorum shall be present when
the Speaker signs a bill which has been passed
in due form although, not ten days previous,
Mr.. wing Speaker Goddard very gracefully sug-
gested to a senator, to Withdraw his motion to
adjourn, for one moment, to aft ordhim the OPP
portunity to sign certain bill ready for that part
OF Its essential action TO make it law, which,
if not done before the Senate adjourned, would
have to lay over till the next day!
Thus the reader has before him an instance Of
whig progression, of no small magnitude.
w TIC QcuOCIdtlC SiuC We OcuOlQ progressive
step equally radical in its change of action. For
some years the leading democrats have endea-
vored TO effect a change OF the State constitution.
by the only steps they have hitherto deemed
people for or against a convention, made by
two-thirds Of the General Assembly, as provided
in art. Z, sec. s, of the existing constitution.
During the last session, they made the most
strenuous efforts to get such call passed; and
as some OF the WING members were also in favor
of it, they hoped to succeed. Not being able to
get two-thirds OF each branch separately-which
was heretofore thought TO be the only mode and
manner change OF constitution could be effect
| ed-but finding that they could get two-thirds OF
a Joint,bailo vote, they progressed so far as to
contend that JOINT ballot was exactly what the
constitution contemplated, for the words are,
whenever two thirds Of the General Assembly
shall think II necessary" &C. The whig ma
JorIty OF the Senate, however, not only refused
MED that such was the intention Of the prevl-
sion In the constitution The democrats then
thought that they would have to abide the time
OF tho next or some future General Assembly,
ere the question could be brought before the
people.
Then came the difficulty about the appor,ion-
me msnt bill, the secession Of the democrats, and
there the .'sSn of hs wing IT, when Zen
protest Of the democrats OF both the Senate and
the House, against the validity and binding ef-
fect OF that bill, IN the shape of an address to the
people of Ohio" ands assuming the ground that
II no other apportionment law was provided in
time to vote upon 1t at the next October election,
the present constitution would cease to exist,
and il would become the people to take the ne
cessary steps tor a convention to form new
constitution.
Here, then, in this. manner, the democracy, a.
embodied in Its file leaders, enjoyed the hope of
having way opened for their long wished for
measure-a new constitution. Scarce a fort
night elapsed, however, until this step led to one
which, though heretofore unthought of, makes
the proposition tor change of constitution az
plain, as simple, and practicable at all times,
as the right OF petition, and Of the elective fran
chise itself, aud no thanks to the favor OF two
thirds of the General Assembly, either jointly or
separately.
The Fairfield and Plckaway county district