The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-02-01
Legislative proceedings.
9 Spirit of the Ohio Prsss.

TIE Elyria Democrat. (Repablican,l says
A bill has passed the Senate. at Columbus
repeating the law authorizing The publication
of the laws in newspapers. Why this is done
we cannot imagine. unless our solons arr
ashamed of their labor. They had better
adopt the plan of the Roman tyrant, who
had bis edicts printed, but hung them up sc
high that no person could read them, and thet
visited the innocent violatofs of item, with
torture aRd death.
The people want to know what laws they
are expected to obey. and the only way they
can know, is to print them in the newspapers.
The Statutes are not printed for months after
the Legislature adjourns, and then none but
officers of the law have copies furnished them
If tie objection is on the score of economy,
we think it would be the poorest kind of
economy, to keep the people ignorant of the
laws and then punish them for their violation
We are glad to see that Mr.. Monroe voted
against the repeal and hope the bill will he
defeated in the House.
The Steubenville Herald, the Leading Re.
publican paper in Jefferson county, closes a
long article in this wise:
If the Republican Legislature cannot find
anything more important to legislate about
than TO be quarreling over publishing the few
laws Of general interest which they pass--the
publication of the report of their proceedings
in the Journal and Stdtesman-wi,hdrawi awing
from the local printing Offices the printing of
blanks for county officers, and other subjects
of like nature-they had better adjourn and
go home, save their own credit, and the party
from ruinous defeat next October. which
they are working for as faithfully and effeetu.
ally as though they had been elected for that
especial purpose. ass aos----7zTs ~
Legislative majorities generally prove a
curse to the parties having then-and, from
the manner the present majority in the Ohio
Legislature is consuming the time in frivolous
legislation, there is very hattering prospect
OF the Republican party in Ohio. at the next
election, being "doubly damned"
The Trumbul County Democrat says
The Senate of this State has showed its
good will to the press by passing bin for the
repeal of the law authorizing the publica.
tion of the laws in newspapers. The Sen
ator from this district supported the bill
and voted to repeal the law. We hope the
idea of retrenchment will not stop with taking
this moiety from the county papers of the
State, but that Senators will have sufficient
patriotism to say, of themselves, our services
are not worth more than two dollars day
(which is n ct)-and we will reduce our per
diem from 81 to 50. 5's
1t is possible come county editor, on the
strength of the lift he got from printing the
laws, put on airs, and spoke his mind of some
pretender for Senatorial honors, and it is thot
necessary to reduce his rations and humble his |
independence. II there is a class of men who
are the victims Of political ingratitude, il is |
county editors. They must puff every pre-.
tender and aspirant, be abused because they
do not print as good and cheap pepor as the
Tribune" the Post" or some big eastern
fash sheet, and run in competition with these
papers, in their own counties work at case
or press all day, write, read and select at night,
to Keep square with the world, yet there are
men so narrow and mean that they would de
ny them chance of getting dollar where
they can prevent it. The publication Of the
laws has for years been regarded as Justice to
the people who are to submit to them. Per
haps their publication has been the political
death of some bombastic law-making quaeks.
Others fear similar fate, and aim to keep
their acts from the public eye. They will pass
laws as usual, but no one will see them but
lawyers and of course people win be obliged
to go to the lawyers for information which
they might have had in the papers, as to the