Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-03-07
Twelfth Week of the Session.

not lartnlnS.
Twelfth Week of the Session.
Twelve weeks have rolled round since
the Legislature met, and owing to the fac
tioas and disorganizing course Of the fede.
ral leaders in refusing to organize during
the first month Of the session, neither
branch is ready to adjourn. Fearful is the
responsibility which the federal party has
incurred, and to that responsibility they
will be held by their constituents. Last
winter they attempted to grasp power thro'
all time, by an infamous and unconssltu'
tional appor.ionment scheme; and this
winter, bv trick and cunning, they at
tempted 10 get the control Of the lower
branch Of the Legislature, and failing IN
that, they determined to prevent its organi-
zation. Judging their principles by the acts
of their leaders, they fight, like the Span
lard of old, 'sfor power, for plumber and
extended rule;n and rather than be foiled
in their efforts, they would dare any haz-
ard, that would not involve the personal
safety Of the leaders, or do any deed, for
which. they might have reasonable chance
ofescaping punishment. Bound together,
as John Quincy Adams once wrote about
the whig party, only by common long.
ing for Office and a common detestatlon OF
the peoplethat put them down. their only
cement is q sympathy Of hatred TO every
man Of purer principles than themselves,
and The events Of the last three months
have furnished renewed evidence Of the re-
nnaarkable fidelity of this picture of whig-
gerry drawn by its great leader.
Z. The bill allowing the people to say, at
the. next annual election, whether they
want new constitution, or are willing to
remain under the present one, still holds
its.place on the table Of tie Senate, and
there it is kept by pretended friends who
are determined that it shall never pass.
The present constitution. framed when the
greafer part of Ohio was wilderness, is
almost as lily fitted for the wants and in
terests Of the people, Us the clothes Of
child arc to The wants Of the full grown
man. The costs Of the! kind of legisla-
tion, which might be superseded by q new
;constitntion--ihe costs expended IN conse
dinence Of our miserable Judiciary system,
which might be saved 10 the people, would
be more than sufficient to pay the interest
on 4he State debt, yet a miserable cabal Of
f5arty tricksters in the Legislature, know.
ing thai the changes in the constitution
would be in consonance with the demo.
cratic spirit af the age, while protesting to
favor the measure. are delerminedy bent
; oh denying the people the poor boon OF
changing their constitution so as to adapt it
10 the warts of the third, if no, the second
state in the Unlon:> 70 pass the bill re-
duires lwo-thirds vote, and as we proph.
esied last week, SO We again say, that " hen
+. the bill comes on, lis final passage, few
whig votes, not mere than three or four,
will he wanting to secure its passage IN
one house or the other, and thus will the
measure be lost by the party trickery OF
of The federal party. Ii was thus lost last
session, and The signs show that such will
be its fale during the present session.
In both Houses, a large number OF bills
have been introduced, and large number
have passed. In the Senate, the number
reported amount to 225-the number pass
cd. 10 1876; Of which number, 40 have been
signed by the Speaker. The number OF
hills in,foduced in the House, is 33l-the
humber passed, IFS, and the Number sign
) ed BY the speaker, Ct. Many Of the bills
which passed the Senate are still in the
House awaiting definite actionj and bills
of1he House, which passed that body, are
S awaiting definite action in the Senate.
Tho whole number enacted info laws, and
deposited with the Secretary Of State. is 40,
fbat being the number signed by the Speak
, or of5the Senate, whose name IS last plac-
edto bills passed.
- Most Of these bills are local in their OBJ.
iects-to incorporate companies for rail-
roads, turnpikes, &C., and to amend tn e
charters of similar acts previously enacted.
Nearly all this local legislation could
Sc saved by few general laws, The
provisions we'll defined and guarded
which the new constitution, when we ge
one. should make it the duty Of the Legis
lature 10 pass. This class of Legislation
would then be uniform, and the time ane
money Of the people saved.
During the week United States Sena
tor, two Judges Of the Supreme Court, ane
one President and a host Of Associate Judg
es have been elected. The important e
ieciions having passed, and all parties, save
those known as the bunker Taylor wings
are passably well suited, and the grea
bug bear Of printing removed by the cav
ing in Of the federal leaders; the hope i
reasonably entertained thatth progress o
legislation for the future will glide on ca
sier than it has for some weeks past.
The federal leaders profess to advocate
an.early adjournment, for by an adjourn
Inent within the time named, they woule
have brighter hopes of getting rid of the
apportionment bill, and Of the bill TO pre-.
vent the people from exercising the snatu
raj, inherent and unalienable right which
the Declaration Of MISREPRESENTATION
stitution of the United States and of this
State, and the principles of free govern
nnent give them Of amending and chang
ing the charter which governs them. :
Should this session last until the frs
MONDAY in December next, and these OBJ
iiects be enacted iule laws, still though th'
iinconyenienee and cost would be great, ye
to .uss q ..mefcantife phrase. itj woul
s5sE NJ