Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1852-08-13
GRAVE MATTERS,
FOB THE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THE
PEOPLE OF OHIO.
CHAPTER II.
Total want OF Capacity. Character, &c.
in the Legislature.

/
dom aud practical experience, as al the first ses'
sion under the new constitution. Important
changes in our fundamental law had been made.
new judicial system was 10 be formed. The
constIulan had left almost everything TO the
Legislature, and, as the judiciary department is
one Of delicacy and importance, il especially
required wisdom aud experience TO mature the
deIails. and prepare il for practical working.
| The Financial system was TO be remodeed.
Laws regulating the practice Of old courts and
| defining the duties and limitations of new ones,
we're 10 be enacted All the entire range Of our
statutes relating TO finance, 70 banking TO cor.
poralions, private aud public institutions, &c.,
&C., were TO be remodeed and rebuilt. Here
was a wide, broad field for labor. Common
sense and ordinary prudence would have dcla'
ted the selection Of men for Representatives
aud Senators, who had established a reputation
for copacHy aud ability in thai service.
Bat, was il so! Did the dominant party
make this the criIerian IN their chocei And
was the Legislature when assembled, equal TO
the crisisl We answer with The frmesI convlc'
lion that we speak the sentiments Of nine Ienhs
Of the people Of Ohio, when we say. IL DdS
nou We but repeat the of expressed opinion,
not only Of Wings, but Of prominent Demo.
crals all over the Sta,e, when we say there was
never assembled in The city Of Columbus so
weak, frivolous and inefficient body Of men,
as composed the majority in both Houses last
winter
But. il may be asked, where is the evidence
of this assertion To those who were here.
who looked on day after day, aud who saw how
matters were maDsged, aud how matters had
been managed in years past, the question needs
no demonstration. To those who had not this
best aud pIainesI evidence, we will proceed 10
state some of The lac,s upon which We predicate
this opinion.
There was no understanding between the two
| Houses, about their business. Instead of know
ing what each other were doing, the cOmmluees
OF The Senate, aud Of The House, would be
spending their time in getting up bills on The
same subject, thus crcallng double labor aud
double expense. We affirm that there was
scarcely prominent measure during the enIlre
session, wherein there was not separate bills re.
ported thereon, TO each llnuse. The printing
question is in point Ahcr long time, nad at.
ter heavy, startling clap OF Ashland Mnaafr,
the House reported bill to dispose OF the pub.
Ilc printing by law. They finally passed the
bill, aud il went to the Senate, here II was met
by bill drawn up by Mr.. MUNGEN. who, With
an egotism not surprising in hm, thought and
insisted, his banIlIug was Tar superior TO the
affair that came frau me House. So. after
lew weeks labor. lhe Senate struck out the
! House bill, and put IN It's own. Invent back To
the House, aud that body with blind pernacl'
~, commended thar il was right, aud the Senate
was wrong, and refused TO concur Inihe Senate
bill. THIS made case where all the necessa.
ry time could be consumed in negotiating be.
tween commueeS of conference, &c., and just
before the adjournment kind Of mongrel, half
horse and half alligator bill was passed.
The Municipal Corporation bill, the Colgres'
sional Appointment bill, the Tax bill. the Fee
bill, The Court bill. &C., &C.. &c., all had pa
IerniIy in each House. 1t gave The printer
double job, and gave the the cOmmlsees double
labor, with no other practical effect than 10 get
10 u sOrI of feeling in each House, IN lavor oi
i1 own, and grind waste Of time in debating
and parying. and discussing in Conference
Committees which body should give way. We
insist that this was bad policy, there should
have been some understanding about division
of the labor. and that much time and expense
were spent for the want OF 1t.
Again, there was an entire absence Of order
ly, business demeanor, The more especially IN
The House. Time was spent, Tor days IN sue
cession, 10 the most frivolous, trfog. and rep
rehpnsbe manner. Witness the time spent in
discussing The merits and inn orlauce OF whls'
KEY in ,oaSh,ng sheep! We refer to this as an
example. There was no leader, to head no
man who had both the talents to do, and either
The energy or experience necessary to go ahead
10 accomplish business as il ought To have been
done. This was deplorably Ihe case in The
HuGse. The Speaker, though an honest well
meaning man. was totally inefficient. lie could
scarcely read bill, resolution. or amendment
al all, muca less distinctly. aud so ms 10 be un'
derstood by the House. 1t was boys play, all
winter anu spring; and generally mighty poor
bows play al tla, WELLER was senu'ns sand
boxes a. BEcKgL's head, Or some equa'y ouS'
ness like, profitable way OF killing 'Ip'S was
adopted.
The kind of work that was turned out as fin
ished, is another fair crileran Of The skill OF
The workmen. For instance, after months OF
labor. the tax bill was passed D'thOut containing
SINGLE rOuiSiOn for tdring real estate II
would scarcely seem possible that snch mon'
slrous bunder would have been committed.
And yet, i. is a solemn truth, and ii has onIy
remedled, some says a(terward, by supple
menlary tax bill.
Again, the new tax law repeals all the old
tax laws, and makes no provision or the coIlec'
lion of former years delinquent taxes. This
bunder is yet without any remedy.
Again. the Legislature adjourned and made
no approoriation for the pay ymenl of The inter.
es. on the public debt Of the STATE. The con-
stituuon expressly provides that no money shall
be drawn Gom The Treasury except by special
appropriation made by law. No special appro'
prIa.ion was made, and Ohio must have STOOD
before the world dsgraced, rePudia'ing STATE
if The officers in charge Of The funds had not
determined 10 pay the July interest al all haz'
ards, and even without the sanction Of law,
knowing that public opinion would uphold and
apOlaud them for so doing.