The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-05-20
The Ohio Legislature, and the 0hit
.Ui anl Kansas Election Laws.

. No Univ ASoioa"suiC, "hu WIZ onio
Ill and Kansas Election Laws.
IT seems almost ike waste Of time to
show up any more of the follies and blum
ders of the Republican majority in the
~ late Legislature, as it is now generally be-
. lfesed to have been the weakest and silliest
body that ever, in this country, attempted
: to make laws. It's own party presses. with |
few exceptions, instead of defending it. are
content II they can fnd o few excuses and
10 apologies for its wretehed enactments.
hiins1 II was not expected that ii would in
ei troduce any new system of State policy
g founded. on well considered principles.
Ths composition of the party forbade any
such an idea. for on no principle, or even
important measure, of State policy, was
= iss factions all united
o. Made up of the remnants of the old
Wing and the Abolition parties, together
with such gullibIe Democrats as could be
9adetachcd by secondary Issues and humbugs
= II found itself in power with each separate
9 factron clamoring for the fulflment of the
promises which had won it to the cause.
These promises, being one thing in one
locality, and the reverse in another-re-
dnction Of the taxes here, and exemption
Of the banks some place else-reducing
the salaries Of the Judges here, and in
creasipg them where it was thought to be
popuIar---the Maine Law in one county,
snd silence, or opposition to it, in another: !:
Being thus antngonistic, of course led to
disappointment This is our apology for
the Legislature for what it did not do; for
what it did do. there is no apology bnt
weakness Incompetence and fanaticism.
Failing in It's first session, in order that
hopes OF the promised reforms might be
entertained until after the Presidential
election, an extra session was called.
Seven months were consumed and nothing
produced but laundering, impracticabls
and unnecessary laws, and fanatlcal reso-
Iutions. Nothing but the partisan favor
itism Of q portion of its party saves it from
universal contempt
s'HeN5 one thinks Of discussing its acts scri-
ously and elaborately The best method
of disposing of them is to set one against
another, Placing two Of them side by
ssids is Hike holding up two cats by their
tails. they devour each other. To give
an example Of this, we will con-
strast one of their fayorite hobbys with one
of their favorite Legislative enaetments.
saiThe loadest howl Of the party just al
this time is against the election law in
Kansas. They are shedding tears because
II requires three months residence before
arsgistry; claiming that it is so unjust and
Soppressive that the Free State Men are
almost disfranchised by it, A law requir
ing three months residence in Kansas, pre-
yious to voting. is an intolerable outrage
II Is to be their whip and spur in the
next campaign.
In Ohio It requires one years residence
10 entitle man to vote, but even thil
was not strong enough for the Kansas
.shrickers.I The late Legislature passed I
law requiring residence of thirty day
inthe county and twenty days in the town
ship. to entitle man to vote!
Now, is not this ridiculous? That which
they sdenounce as outrageous tyranny il
Kansas, when doubled and trebled il
Ohio becomes favorite measure. Para
graphs commencing it have gone tn
rounds of the Republican papers, while
perhsps, the same column would be load
cd with abuse Of the Kansas law, whicl
- IS not o fourth as seyere-whie mem
ber Of the Legislature was speaking il
favor of the Ohio law, his pockets woul
be filed with T'ibune's from which t
gather abusive epithets to apply to til
Kansas law.
Just hang the two cats up by thei
tsils, sad let them fight it out
That Lake ExcursiOn.