Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-05-26

port. Such, in brief, is supposed to be the
difference, IN this respect, between the gov
ernu ent Of Ohio anG that oil the United
States
The first General Assembly under the
now Conslsu ion, will consist of ninety
six Representatives and thirty Ave Sena-
tors. to be elected on the 2l Taesday of
October neAt for two years; ard viii as.
senble al Columbus on The frs. Monday of
January, 1852. Licking county will send
two Representatives, and with Delawa are
county, one Senator. That body when as
sembted, will find itself not only Subjected
to severer regimen than heretofore, III
performing It's duties; BAT also stripped and
shorn Of nuch--sery much of the powers
possessed by its predecessors, and which
has been used SO wantoniy and recklessly.
Lei US glance for mnmentat some of the
changes proposed in tire new Constitution,
! ia this department.
In the FIRST place the General Assembly
meets but once in two years this alone,
will save the State every other y ear, about
n hundred thousand dollars; and what is
better, save the people from yearly mass
OF crude Legislation, and give them time
! to become acquainted with the laws Of one
session, before rhey are repealed CT amend
ed by the next, which has not been the
case heretofore. Moreover, since laws
must remain in force at least two years
before they can be amended or repealed,
it is to be hoped lhnt the Legislature will
I! hereafter be more circumspect as to what
laws are passed.
Again, il will be observed that the Leg
islature will hereafter convene on the FIRST
Monday in January, instead, rs heretofore,
ON the first Monday of December. This
change will shorten the session at least one
month, for they will at all events extend to
the vernal equinox, and against that time,
the armer-meniber yeatns for bis fields,
and the lawyer member for his spring
court, and they will all be glad to reach
home before "all fools day breaks. which
at the worst will give but a three months
session in two years Moreover, by this
arrangement, we steer clear of the winter
Holy days, on account of which, hereto
fore, week or ten days of session has
been lost.
Some have regretted, that the term Of
Office for Senators had not been four in
stead Of two years, yet let it be observed
that,two years has been the term for that
Office in Ohio, for fifty years, without COM
plant. True, under the new Constitution,
the Representative holds his office for the
same length Of time, yet there is nothing
anomalous or unpreceden: ed in this. In
all the New England States, os we'll as
cfh tho ar,H
atlves are, and ever have been, elected for
the same period; and where will you Gnd
more stable, and if you please, more whole
some laws than in the New England States?
The Senate Of Ohio bears no analogy TO
the House of Lords in England, or TO the
United States Senate-nelher of them is
popular branch. The Senate of Ohio,
however, no less than the House Of Repre-
sentatives, is popular branch. 1t, like
that, and unlike the House of Lords and
the United States Senate, represents the
people and nothing but the people. The
qualification for the office of Senator and
Representative is the same. The advan-
tages of Two law-;naking bodies, arises
mostly from other considerations and cir
-cumslunces, than the mere duration Of office
of the e.ahers-indeed the oltener you
bring a mere representative of the people
home to his constituents, the nearer you
approach Democracy-the stronger guar
anty you have for his integrity set-
Elements make long friends.
Heretofore, upon more than once occa-
sion; delays, expenses, and the most dis
graceful scenes have occurred IN the organ
izalion of The General Assembly. The
Constitutional Convention would have been
derellct in duty to the people, had it failed
in providing against the recurrence of such
scenes. Hence, as well as for other rea-
sons, will be fourd a provision for electing
Lieutenant Governor, whose duty it is 10
call the Senate 20 order and preside over its
delibera lions; aud in the event OF a lie, to
give casting vote. AS respects the House
Of Representatives, the following provision
OH the Lew constitution, with proper legis.
lation, 10 viii:
''Fhe mode Of organizing the House of
Representatives at the commencement OF
each regular session, shall be prescribed
by law
Will secure that branch from tumult,
confusion and delay in lis organization.
The following provision upon the subject
Of the per diem Of members of the Legis-
lature, will be lound useful and econom-
ica.
''Fhe members and officers of the Gen.
eral Assembly shall receive fixed COM
pensation, to be prescribed by law, and no
other allowance o. perquisites, either in
| the payment OF postage or otherwise; and
no changing their co'nl easation shall take
effect during their Term of office"
This section will save The State many
thousand dollars heretofore squandered IN
paying from the public treasury for the
postage, stationery, &C., of members
None but those v ho have been members of
public bodies, in which these expenses are
paid by the public, can fully appreciate the
corruption pruclised in relation thereto, on
small scale upon the public. The Two
items of postage and stationery of members
during the last few sessions, cannot be less
than len thousand dollass per session.
| at tho ,l>o, III