The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-02-14
OHIO LEGISLATURES.
SENATE.

ready to report until the Senate got into ex-
ecutive session. Justice should be bad for it
would throw suspicion upon their characters,
If the nominations were not soon acted upon.
A Senator said ten days had elapsed, and
If the committee could not report upon three
in that time, how long would it
take them to report when the nominations
for officers Of the fire regiments Of volunteerS
were sent in!
The motion was laid upon the table.
Mr.. Marsh offered resolution for joint
committee of the Senate and House to in,
quire what amendments were necessary and
expedient to the Constitution, and to report
to bvth Houses Pending the question, the
Senate adjourned.
The President announced that there would
be caucus Of the Republican party in the
Senate Chamber, at u o'clock.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
10 O'CLOCK, A. M.
Mr. Jewett presented memorial fran
the Western snti-Slavery Association o.
Salem, Columbiana county, praying the
House to ''decline entering into the elec.
ton Of the United States Senator; to re-
scnd the laws which regulate the election
of members Of the House of Representatives
Of the United States and electors for Presi
dent; to provide for On amendment of the
Constitution of Ohio, which shall re-
peal the 7th Sec. Of the 18th Article,
and forbid all State officers to take an oath
to support the Constitution OF the United
States; with such other measures as may
appear expedient to effect the peaceful with
drawal of fOhio from the Federal Uuion."
The petition having been read, a motion
to lay y,it on the table failed--Yeas 40; Nays,
81. e
Mr.. Sawyer moved to reject the petition.
Messrs. Underhil and Monroe argued
that though the House was unanimous as to
the ppayer Of the petition, yet the right sof
pet'n should be held sacred and no precedent
set which might hereafter be taken advan-
tage OF to reject every petition with the pray
er to which the body petitioned disagreed.
Mr. Monroe further contended that to reject
this petition was just what the obstinate fan
atics who had sent it here wanted. II it
were rejected, it furnished them top
ic to declaim about, which they much desir
ed.
Mr.. Truesdale recollected the presenta.
ton of a petition exactly similar to this,
once before. 1t did not frighten HIM in the
least then, and he was not at all alarmed
now. The way to treat the petition was to
follow the usual course.
Mr.. Slough argued in favor of the reiec-
ton of the petition. The time had been
when man who proposed to dissolve the Un-
ion would have been suspended between
Heaven and Earth, as high as Haman. There
would be danger Of dissolution of the Union
| if such sentiments as these were dissemln.
ated and such petitions received. The gen
tleman whom Mr.. Monroe supported for
Senator had given utterance, to such sent
ments on more than one occasion.
Mr.. Monroe took the opportunity to de-
clare that he would not vote for disunion'
st for any Office.
Mr. Underbill proceeded to define and de-
fend the position Of Mr. Wade.
Mr.. Langdon thought that instead OF Mr.
Underhill reproaching him and his friend:
with being thinskinned upon the subject
of the Union, he might be charged with be.
ing nervously anxious about the right o
petition. lie was in favor Of that right-i
would never be endangered as long as the
petition was read, even if it was afterwards
rejected. IF it had been rejected without
reading, there would have been violation
of the right. Bot these petitioners had been
heard, and now he was in favor Of rejecting
the petition knowing the object of it. Bill,
might be rejected. why not petitions!"
Mr.. Smith Of Montgomery, spoke in favol
of rejection.
Mr.. Caldwell spoke against the rejection
of the petition. The right to petition wal
guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill
of Rights, the member from Auglaize hat
assisted to form them, and now he was tht
first man to rise to propose the violation o
| them.
Mr.. Flowers would vote to reject the pc
tition because it was outside the consttu
tional provision for the right of petition.--
1t prayed for what this House, having sworl
to support the Constitution of the. United
States, could not grant consistant with tha
oath. He would therefore reject petition
which asked him to violate the oath he ha
taken. He feared that if ever the UnioT
was in danger it was now. And if propo
sitions of this kind were received in the Mort
and other disunion sentiments received il
| Legislatures of the South, and then ban
died about between the two great sec
tions OF the country, there would be sore
reason to regret their reception.
The Speaker decided that motion to re
fer to the committee of the Federal Rela
tons, with instructions to report against tn
prayer, had precedence Of the motion to re
i ject, the petition having been virtually re
Ina..,oI hos Il. raoA the nd
| Mf. Yaple Thought that the petition shoul
be laid upon the table.
Mr.. Hutchinspn thought that it ought
be rejected, for the reasons presented BY Mr
Flowers.
! Mr.. Hunter was in favor of the motion /
refer. for the reasons assigned by speaker
i who had proceeded him. Though the pet
tion had been read twice, it was not quit
Il understood by the House. 1t asked tn;
the petitioners be heard by council at tn
bar of the House; and and it was intims
ted, that Wendell Philips of Boston, WI
to be their counsel. There was not I
large number Of Disunionists in TColun
biana County now as there had BEEN II
n was not one. of those who believed th,
i the Union could not be dissolved. He b
lieved that the time might come when
would be dissolved. The Disunionists 4
the South backed by the Northern DemOcr
, cy, would recede, and thus dissolve Il
Union. Pending the question the Houl
, took a recess.
Il. III 2A O'Clock, r. N.
, Mr.. Slough bad the Aoor and proceed
) to substantiate what he had asserted wi
reference to the disunion sentiments avo,
4 ed by Senator Wade in his speech at Poi
Z land. Maine. Ha Fhad thu renOrt Of IN