The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21

and sustained when the yeas and nays were
demanded on The amendment of Mr.. Baldwin,
which re- -ulted--seas Is. nays IS.
MIR, Welsh havihg renewed his amendment
the vote was called upon it, which resulted
yeas 38. nays IA
The amendment failed, there being no quo
rum voting.
The facts sought to be brought to light
were fully laid before an investigating commit
tee of the last Legislature. and then when the
Democracy had the power in the General
Assembly. no further action was by them
deemed necessary. The facts concerning the
Stealing flor that was the digni6ed name CIV
en- to the act) are these.
In the summer of 1858, an unprecedented
freshet in the southern part of the State. Sc
riously damaged and obstructed the Hooking
canal, and the appropriations were exhausted
and rather than call the Legislature to make
the appropriation, $4,000 were used of the
Sinking Fund and the canal earned after the
repair was completed, $4,000. And now the
few remaing Democratic members of the last
Legislature here-'sore headed and p0nting g
because Governor Chase did not convene
preparation, but taking the advice of the sew
eral Secretaries of State completed and payed
for the repairs out of the Treasury. have rails
ed this ruse to prejudice him 10 the Chicago
Convention. An amendment was offered to
extend back to1S55 and enquire whether or no
$500 600 had not been overdrawn by Dem
Governor, and a Republican Legislature re-
funded the amount. 1t is admitted by all, that
no officer of State ever handled one dime ol
of the money for the Hooking repairs. But
yet larceney' and 'embezzlement,' and fl
for the Penitentiary' were common word;
during the debate.
u When the amendment to reach back tC
1855 prevailed by large majority present. al
though not quorum present to pass it, {
determined effort to adjourn showed the desire
of the parties in the premises.
i The Finance Committee have finally sue
ceeded in driving the Legislature to hold al
adjourned session, and although they have
been repeatedly requested to bring forward al
appropriation bill, ten weeks of the session
have elapsed and none has yet been introduc
ed 1t was accomplished by filling up somt
of the committees with men opposed to tht
measure and sending them off to visit the AS
sylum at Dayton, while those of the standing
Icommittes in favor of an adjourned session
were in their seats, and quite number 'dodg
ed Fifteen Democrats voted for and sixteen
Republicans against it.
Members of the Finance Committee werI
busy informing members that ii sOas 'rumOred
that there ,Uas a difficulty in the accounts o
the Auditor and Treasurer, and it would no
do to leave them ttOo years without watchihg
The discrepaD' is alarming >very. A fgur
six, (6J in the unit column of cents had beel
copied as cypher (0) and on balancing tn
books showed just that difference and no more
1t caused the clerks some labor to find jus
where the mistake was made, and by whom
1t was told by the clerks themselves week
since and attracted no attention, but comm,
lust at this time to the notice of members o
Finance Committee, who are and hare bee
extremely anxious for an adjourned session
they used it on the members who were know
to be shaky' at this point, aad it 'brough
them down or they 'dodged.' They adjourn
on the 26th inst. to meet in Jan. 1861.
seems that after about two months the men,
bers have let 60 the purse of the people
and undertaken to manage the affairs of Stat
without consulting those they represent.
In haste, yours &c.
RANDOLPH. p