The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-01-26
Ohio Senate.


Mr.. Blake, for the purpose of obtaining an in
vestigation into the charges preferred against him
by Senator Payne resigned his seat as speaker of
the Senate on the 18th inst. Before leaving the
CHAIR he said:
Gentlemen of the Senate: The position l have
occupied for several weeks past, has not, by any
means, been a comfortable one. And though ma
my harsh and bitter denunciatons have been hea-
Iped upon me, yet can truly say to the senators
that entertain unkind feelings towards any
one. In the excitement which has prevailed here,
may, and undoubtedly have committed errors,
but my chief object and effort was to bring this
Senate into that situation to do the business for
which the people sent here. In every effort to
discharge the duties of fthe Chair, was animated
by desire to regard the rights of the people of
the State
Some of my decisions may seem to be arbitrary,
but looked upon the resolutions against me as
attempts to dsorganize the Senate, and the
olution seemed to me to be the result of trick and
fraud, believed my duty required that should
meet them promptly.
/ so met them and on that responsibility | de-
termined to stand or fall But senators, am now
happy to learn that by resgning the duties of the
Chair, they will be assigned to a gentleman more
capable than myself to perform these onerous du-
ties My only object has hitherto been to proceed
to business, and that be now attained in the
manner proposed, l therefore, relying upon the
word of the senator from Summit resign my place
as Speaker of the Senate.
The Senate then proceeded to the election of
Speaker, with the following result
Chas. c. Conyers, Wing, received 25 votes; A
G. Dimmock l !; Myers blank 5. Mr. Convers
therefore declared duly elected Speaker of the
Senate, and having been conducted to the chair by
Senator Blake, addressed the Senate as follows:
SENATORS: l return to you my sincere thanks
for the honor so unexpectedly conferred upon me.
| The suddenness with which l find myselfplaced
in the chair by the voice of majority of the SEN
ate, and the embarrassment attending and
unforeseen position, prevent the full and proper
expression of the sense of obligation under which
l feel myself placed.
l will only say that it shall be my endeavor by
faithful and impartial discharge of the duties of
my place, to eyince my high appreciation of your
confidence and regard.
I must also express the great difidence with
which venture to attempt the discharge of the du-
ties of an Office not unfrequently, on ordinary oc-
casions, attended with difficulties and perplexities,
and peculiarly so at the present time. | am here
without any of that experience in parliamentary
proceedings possessed by those who have hereto
draw frequently and largely upon the experience
and indulgence of senators on this floor, and from
their ready aid shall hope to supply what will so
often be found wanting in myself
In confident reliance, then, upon your prompt
assistance and kind indulgence in my efforts to
perform the duties of Speaker of the Senate, ac
cept senator's the distinguished honor now confer
red in so flatterng manner; and renew to you the
expression of my thanks
After the Speakers taking the chair, Mr.. Eckly
offered the following preamble and resolution:
Whereas, Difficulties have arisen in the Senate,
growing out of bargain made by the Hon. H. g.
Blake and the Hon. H. B. Payne, with regard to
the organization of the senate; and whereas the
said H B. Payne represented that the said Blake
had, in said negotiation, violated his word and hon
or, and not kept his agreement in the premises but
had violated the same and whereas the said Blake
insists that he has not violated his word, and that
he has in all things kept his agreement with said
PAYNE, and that consequently the representations
of said Payne are untrue; which said conduct and
Misrepresentation on the part of said Blake and
Payne, or either of them, is highly derogatory to
their character as men and senators, and reflects
upon the dignity of this senate, therefore,
Resozued That said matters and charges now
RESTING AGAINST said senators or either of then be
referred to Harvey Vinal, Joel Wilson and John
h. Beaver, as select committee, who shall at the
earliest practicable day report said question or
charges and that to aid them in so doing, that said
committee have power to send for persons and pa
pers.
Mr.. PAYNE said If it is proposed by the senator
from Carroll to take up this matter now, he had
no objection, but he Would say to that Senator that