Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-03-06
Columbus Correspondence.
Corrupvs s'srsh 81

COLUMBUS a'arei > ! 81
Ds7~ C- ca; Last We / the pesn
ceracy ,4s;ai C.c4ssly-. u n4kus a re.
cord IN The House o5 ReF5a%us.5ye> aAi,.,
masy O them viii VISA unmadc tcfqre
many months. A bid vas introduced by
one Of them (ShaE, Of Pike county, to
punish by imprisonment in the penitentiary,
the giving of any ard or comfort to a fugi.
tive slave trying to escape from bis mas. er.
In pursuance Of the tactics they haze per
mancntly adopted, and relying. as they
knew they could, upon. the nominal Re-
pubEcans to prever.c their being chOked OF
from discussion, they insised upon venti-
tating their negrophObia IN ertenso upon
this bill. Five full days were taken up. in
the discussion. With their friends the
rOminals. and few who are conscientious
ly opposed to the previous question as a
gag, they voted down every motion to cut
off debate. Now and then a Republican
got a speech in. NJ. Plants of Meigs
made a most able, earnest. and thoroughly
Republican speech. in which be exhibited
the advantage which high principle always
must have over the mean and eOwardiy
make &ats of the low politician. But, in-
credible as it may seem, after spending d
week thus IN g~lorifca,ioas of slavery, de-
Tending it as q divine Institution. apOlogiz.
ing for it as a system which could not be
opposed without destroying the country,
declaring the bill 3 necessity as a peace
measure, and using every conceivable de-
vice and trick to force Republicans to ooun-
tenaRce or vote for the measure, when. at
last, it anne to the question of engrossing
the bill for 4 third reading. not a Democrat
of them all. from biggest to %littlest dared
vote for it, and the bill was lost unanimous
ly, leaving these gentlemen to account to
the people for thus wilHully prOtracting be-
yond example the debate IN a measure
which none of them were bold enough to
stand by to the end.
The people should understand that the
reliable Republicans of the House ale in
fact in a minority. and are not to be held
responsible for such abuses of the privilege
of debate and such waste Of the time Of
the assembly.
A number of important measures have
been under discussion and made some pro-
gress this week. The erection of a new
~penitentiary; the management of the Ca
nails; the bank taxation question. the bill
to enlarge the property rights of married
women. and some others. The "woman's
rights bilI' was defeated on its engrossment
by the casting vote of the President of the
Senate. 1t will however be up again in a
modified form and may pass. 1t proposed
simply to give to married women the sepa-
rate and absolute control of their own
property. Hbether held by them before
marriage or bought with their separate
money after marriage.
The other important measures named
have not reached a decisive vote, having
hecn referred again to committees to perfect
them in some respects.
The election of a new Senator in place
of Mr.. Chase seems now almost certain to
devolve upon this Legislature. If it does,
it will make a warm fight, for the straight
Republicans will have no votes to spare
even in joint convention of the two houses,
and any new detection to the ranks of the
uominals might defeat the election of a re-
liable man. Dennison, Sherman, Galloway,
Swan, Ewing, Horton. Skenck, Corwin.
Ashley, Stanton, Gurley, and others are
Of. Sherman's chances would be
perhaps best if he did not live in the
northern part of the State, which is allready
represented and glOriOusly Represented in
s'Old Ben Wade" 1t now looks to me
NEST probable that the radical Republicans
will concentrate upon Gov. DennisOn, but
no ones judgment can be relied On in this
matter, till it is absolutely settled hat We
are to elect q new Senator and the work
of canvassing among the members really
begins.
1t is now pretty generally agreed that
we must lose three members of Congress
in the appOrtiOnment under the new CEN
sus, and have only eighteen. A joint CON-
mittee of the two houses have the matter
consideration and are preparing a bill
On the subject c.