Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-02-09
E EDITORIAL ooaRBsPoMDnNon.
GooDALE House, CoLUMDUs,l
january GO, 1858.

V"uudTy Go, 1000.
DEAR TELEGRAPH: The bill to transform
tlpe jails Of Ohio into slave pens has lust
passed the House under the lash Of party
discipline. When the bill was last up, on
motion to postpone indefinitely, n num-
Der of Democrats voted with the Repub-
lic.lns. and the motion was only lost by n
tie vote. Another vote would have killed
the bill and saved the State from the dis
grace of the enactment. This vote ala. nled
the leaders of the party-an Adjournment
was forced, and an announcement made Oh
the floor Of the House that caucus vi the
Democratic members would be held at
night. The caucus was held accorGingly,
aud the refractory members duly whipped
in. In accordance with the declec vi the
tin-pan, tie bill was put upon its iinal vote
to-day, and engineered through. Several
members who, up to the night of the eau
Gus, had publicly and persistendy declared
that no power on earth could compel them
to vote for the bill, were found absent
from their seats. But they were not to be
permitted thus, even silently, to evade the
tint of the leaders. A call of the House
was ordered, and the Seargent-at- Arms
dispatched for the truanls, who we've in
due time captured and placed on the stool
Of repentance, whom the vote was taken
by yeas and nays.
1t was truly pitiful sight to see the
representatives of freemen with COM
pressed lips and faces of deathly paleness.
at the dictate of an irresponsible conclave,
ren"unce their manhood, suppress their
honest convictions, and record their votes
for measure the only object Of which
seems to be to humble the State of Ohio
at the footstool of the slave power for the
benefit alone of doughfaces who can only
ingratiate themselves into the favor of the
Administration by such subserviency. IfI
the forcible rendition of fugitive slave
be sight to call forth feeling of pity
and commiseration, what must such a
spectacle be to those who have not made
up their minds to be slaves? We leave
our readers TO make their own comments.
From the speeches made hy the leaders
of the majority, stranger would hardly
suspect that this was Legislature profess
ing to act for Ohioa an independent State.
We have been in session nearly four |
weeks, and to provide facilities for South
ern slave cstchers and encourage kidnap- |
ping would seem to be the mission of the |
orators so far. Some Of the most ultra
and fana.ical dogmas Of the extreme slave
holiers have been reproduced here and |
unbIushingly maintained. Among other
arguments it has been urged that, as Ohio
aid other Western States once belonged
to Virginia ana were ceded by her, any
law on our statute books to whieh she OBJ
jected ought to be repealed! In fact, the
whole argument ignored State rights and
equality, and assumed that Ohio WAS vir-
tually mere province of Virginia, and
bound to submit to her will aud die .ation.
The House has passed in one short
month, the following bills: First, 10 re-
peal the act regulating the fees of county
officers. Second, to turn tho jails Of
Ohio into slave pens. Third, making
partial appropriations for the year 1853.
We have but one hundred anI twelve
House bills left on our tables! 1t is true
there are notices Of intention to introduce
q few hundred more, but IL will be seen
from the above that our mission will soon
be accomplished here. and members per-
mitted to return to their respective
homes.
While we have been compelled by
sense of duty to characterize the mere par
'isam proceedings of the majority as we
nave, it is equally duty and pleasure
70 say that, personally, and in social in
.ercourse, it would be hard to find a more {
Igreeable and gentlemanly company.
A very strong effort is being made to
change essentially, the interest laws. A t
bill for that purpose has been under dis
'ussion for several days. 1t proposes to
tx the uniform rate of interest at seven ;
DER cent, with very severe penalties for l
my evasion. Not knowing the wishes Of 5
he people of Meigs County on the sub
ect, but believing that SO radcala change
1t this particular time would be at least :
if not ruinous to the inter t
sts of our business men, we shall vote to =
ct the law remain as it is. The ind;ea-
ions are that the vote will be very elise. :;
t does not in any degree partake OF q
'artisan measure, Democrats and Re- t
taking sides as each honestly be- /!