The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-05-12
nHMooRATIo NoNEINpEe.


lie session OF iDe ueneTar Assembly
has closed. II was the second choice Of
tho people after the adoption Of The New
Constitution. Much that had been ac>
compished under that instrument was
offensive TO the ultra conservative spirit
oEs the State, and though enlightened
Democracy has nothing in common with
ultra conservatism, unfortunately for pro.
sEess many Of the men Nho found their
way into both bianches were ready 10 do
its work Of reaction, and would gladly,
as lai 40 possible, have undone al! that
had been achieved, by friiteling away
The essential clemens Of change. They
had found their place in Legislation by
the struggles Of faction, in6del 10 the
power ofrelieion for human reformation,
inidel 10 the trust In moral and inlolIcc>
tlal progress for man, except by the force
Of law seeking human reformation by
means akin 10 the old theory Of FIRE and
faggot-the strong ann Of legal force
10 compel men 10 be what they con>
ceived good. These influences sent
meniio the Legislature selected on issues
foreign 10 the common welfare and TO
The proper business Of The State. Honest
and conscientious men, il is but jus, 10
say, but moi the men best calculated for
The emergency, and TOO ready for time
to be influenced by the reaciionsry in
fiuenceS thai surrounded them.
Much Of lie effoft Of Legislation was
therefore really spent in preventing a
backward movement. In The matter Of
education the effort was pertisienilymsdel
togo back 10 the old system Of county
leyiss, as If education was moi STATE
necessity, and was a mere question Of
expediency-the Constitution WITS sought
to bc amended thai an unequal tax should
if possible bs forever fastened on Tho
landed and producing interests Of tie
State, exempiing the monied and specul-
ating interests, with The exception Of in>
corporated Binks--and lho presses whicl,
should have been the voice Of the Dem>
ocratic masses in this contest, iniscalled
Democratic, forsook those whose common
interest they should lave defended, for
class Interests and exemptions, and for
the time succesded--lhe Probate Court,
which more than any other, ough, 10 be
moulded into the Peoples Court, was
agsin and again up to the very last hour
Of The session sought to bc mut;la,cd and
shoIn Of its proper jurisdiction. The
new Code Of Practice was attacked in its
sssensisl features and sought 10 DO framed
30 that its valuable Improvements might
quietly lapse back under hosile decisions
into 1 thing Of mere iechnicaliiies, 10
ihwart justice, and give 10 wealth success
in all lie contests with more honest indi-
gence. No vital change produced by The
new Constitution was LOFT unassailed.
Ignorance and prejudice were persever-
ingly appealed TO; and that body Of nav
men, nearly all Of them unfamiliar with
Legislation, finally wiihstood these as
saulis, and buiiiYd the s,olid spirit Of re-
action Is no mean evidence Of integrity
Of purpose, strong sense, and capacity
for correct public service.
The labors Of Tho present Legislature
could no, be made on distinguished OBJ
jscts. Their task, unlike that Of the
preceding General Assembly, was moi to
construct new system, but 10 add what
corrections might really DO necessary to
. system already marked QUITO make
apparently Sigh, bui important amend,
msnis in lie existing laws, where exper-
ience had shown what was already accom
plisbed 10 be defective. This task, we
think, will be found 10 have been reasons
ably well executed.
The choice Of UniIed States Senator
vas unhappily for The quiet, necessary
A. - 4 /