The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-02-02


CONCLUDED.
Has such thing ever been heard of any where
in any court claiming to be court ofjusticel But
worse and worse It is claimed BY Senator that
we shall connect with their ogn loose and random
recollections, given under intense feeling, the ad
missions of the accused but only so far as those ad
missions sustain their aecusations. 1t is claimed
solemnly by senators, that while these admissions
so far as they operate against the accused must be
received; the statements of the accusers, in the
same BREATH in the same sentence, if in his favor,
are to be thrown away as thing of nought!-|
Such a thing would not be tolerated by the most
ignorant Justice of the peace, nor would it be at
tempted by the silliest petifogger in all Ohio Never
sir!
But let US, if we can, arrive at what was really
understood by the parties, as the terms of the ar
rangement under which an organization took place
Now, sir, it is understood that the first paper
drawn up by the senator from Cuyahoga and sub
mitted to the senator from Medina, was substan-
TALLY what called famliarly the "Randall pro-
position" except so much as related to Mr. john
sons being prohibited from voting in his own case
1t is also well understood that the senator from
Medina had announced in open senate he would
vote for, and pledge himself to carry out the Ran
dali resolution 1t is furthermore understood, that
this first paper, drawn up by the Senator from
Neil House, to which the senator from Medina had
been invited, and which Happened to be the room
of E. S. Hamlin, unknown to the Senator from
Medina however, as am informed, until be entered
it. 1t is further well understood that this paper
was there expressly repudiated and rejected by
the Senator from Medina, and new one drawn up
by E. S. Hamlin. And yet this rejected paper
contains the language which is extracted and put
into the preamble of the senator from Summit as
thaT T1Iad d0nt N VIII he
his word and honor as man and a senator and
for the violation of which he is to be ousted from
the Speakers chair.
But in addition IN drawing up a new paper
which the written contract often mentioned
there were, it seems other terms agreed to, which
were never placed upon paper. And here is a
strange fact that ought to be noticed, in this new
act of political diplomacy. Every item in the ar
raagement which was clearly understood, and
which was performed in one hour thereafter, a.
bout which there could be mistake, was care
fully reduced to aOriting by these unique scrveners
and negotiators; while the uncertain items which
looked farther into the future for their performance
about which there was great danger that the par
ties did not fully understand each otherand where
there might be afterwards an honest misapprehen-
sion, these were carefully left off from paper at
loose ends, floating at random, as have already to
be afterwards understood and Interpreted as circr-
stance might seem to require l can readily un-
derstand how the senator from Summit, who was
never present at any of these interviews, nav be
very honestly deceived in this whole matter: and
can as readily perceive how the Senator from
Medina could have imposed upon to the same ex-
tent can also see as clearly, the solemn duty of
all senators who engage in the investigation of this
transaction, to lay aside all excited partizan feel
ing, to avoid putting so tortured and unnatural con-
struction upon conduct and expression not clearly
understood; and if fair, reasonable, and natural
Interpretation will reconcile conflicting opinions and
remove mis- apprehension, to give such fair reason
able and natural construction in favor of one of
their own Peers. Senators it is your solemn duty
before God and man, to do this thing!
In the light of reasonable probabilities then
what was the nature and extent of the arrangement
as there understood and entered into by the senator
from Medina? The Randall proposition to which
the senator from Medina was was publicly pledged
was virtually adopted, far it is covered bv the
terms of the arrangement reduced to writing Be-
yond that it seems to have been understood that
Mr.. johnson was to retain his seat on the floor of
the senate as he had heretofore DONE until there
could be report on his case by the committee on
Privileges and Elections. Not that he was to re-
tain his seat as senator and be recognized as such
by the senator from Medina, when he was speaker;
for that was expressly denied by the senator from
Medina, as the published statement of Hamlin
clearly shows. Beyond this, it seems to have been
clearly understood, that Mr. johnson should not be
permitted to vote in his own case; it having been
expressly stated by the senator from Medina that
he had indirect assurances from democratic
senator that Mr.. johnson would not vote in his
own case and if he should attempt to do so, that
he, the democratic SENATOR would so vote with the
wings as to preventit
This understanding seems to have been fully ad-
mitted by the senator from Cuyhoga in his res
ponse the other day to the senator from jefferson
The only subject remaining, that seemed to involve
any difficulty, was the condition and claims of Mr.
Broadwell, the senator from the first district
Under the arbitrary rule of the Chairman of the
preliminary meeting of the Senate, the rights and
privileges of this gentleman had been utterly dis
regarded and set at nought. After a useless
struggle to induce that Chairman to recognize
his rights on this floor, Mr. Broadwe had announ-
ced his public and continuous protest against the
tyranny of the chairman, and his intention to sus-
pend for the time being the exercise of his right
so that the senate might not be embarrassed in
its efforts towards an organization remaining, how
ever in his seat on the floor of the senate at lib
erty to resume the exercise of his rights as sena-
tor at any hour of any day. whenever he should
deem it proper to do so, for the protection of his
own rights or the rights of his constituents. And
thus he remained up to the time of the arrange
ment for the election of speaker. 1t seems to
have been then understood by the senator from
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