The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-09-16
HOW 1T WOULD HAVE REA d HA b
THEY BEEN HONEST.

The whole pithrand substance Of the
act passed by the Republican Legislature,
April 10, 1856, is embraced in the last
section. Unless a member Of the legis-
lature had been forewarned, and strongly
suspected the rottenness in the Treasu-
ry which then actually existed, and
which was kaown to exist by the lad
ing ccnspirators who got up the bill, he
would have voted for it as Messrs. Mus
GRAVE and CowEN did. Looking at
the title, and reading the first, second
and third sections, almost any man
even friend OSBORN, sound and able
lawyer as he Is acknowledged to be
would have voted for the bill. But the
whole mischief-tRe pandora's box-is
in that last section. Chase, Gibson,
Kelley & Co., although they got up
sort Of sham fight among themselves, for
the purpose of amusing the out siders,
fully understood what they were about
Had they acted in good faith; and been
really anxious to cohfics the offenders
criminally Under the law of 1916, they
would have adopted the Usual phraseolo-
gy-a phraseolog5 which has been SO
carefully observed in all the enactments
changing the criminal statttes, as to be
almost uniform. An example of this is
given in the "act providing for the pu-
nishment of lines, passed March 7,
1885, [see Swans Statutes, page 275 j
and which we here quote:
"(42.) SEC. XIII. That the act en-
etitled an act for the punishment of
"crimes,' passed March Sd, 1881, be and
"the same is hereby repealed: Provided,
"that any person or persons who may
shave committed any crime punishable
"under the provisions of the act hereby
"repealed, prior TO the taking effect Of
"this act, SHALL BE PROSECUTED AND
FURNISHED ACCORDING TO THE
"PROVISIONS OF THE ACT
"HEREBY REPEALED, IN the
"sanse manner such person or persons
tnsight or ought to be prosecuted and
"Dunishcd IF THIS ACT HAD NOT
"BEEN PASSED"
A similar phrascology characterizcs
all the acts repeating or disturbing cri-
miual statutes. If the object of the
leaders in the Republican General As
sembly had not been to permit the pluu-
derere of the Treasury to escape the Pc
nalties of their crimes, they would have
adopted the usual language, as above
quoted. But the veay regeyse being
their object, they executed full and
release to the Treasury thieves,
and here is
WHAT, BEING DIsHoNEsT. AND
GGBsoNH SHasS5s"T / S5., THEx Mta Did Jose 30.
We quote the last section of the act
under the false title of IAN act to ptni5h
the EN- zzlement and Unlawful use of
the public moneys" passed April 10,
1856:
"SEc. 5. The act to punish the en-
"bezzlement of public moneys and for
"other purposes, passed March 2, 1916,
"shall be and the same is hereby re-
"pealed. But all suits pending and
"rights accrtaed under said act are here
"by saved. This act shall take effect
"from and after the first day Of June
"next."
Thus it will be seen that unless there
were "suits pending or :" rights had
accrued" which mean, of course, eiviI
rights, the law of 1916, by the enact
ment of this Republican legislatdre, be-
came a dead letter, working an absolute
pardon to all offenders of its provisions.
This is the opinion of Mr.. WILcox, of
Columbus, and of several other distin-
guished lawyers whom We have consult
ed.