Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-17

lHlb pUpuluuOu buuh III thO n @NNP~,''
He was opposed toMr. GarHeld's motion.
Mr.. GARFIELD explained his remarks made
when the matter first came up. Heobjected to
printing certain documents In German, because
they do not desire them, and because well In
formed Germans had complained that such doc
uments are generally sent badly translated. he
was in favor of doing q great deal more Tor the
German population In this respect, or great
deal less. What Is done should be either well
done or omitted. lie was In favor OF referring
the subject to committee, who should investi.
gate the whole subject.
Mr.. SMITH said the Committee had con-
cluded that the printing of the Governors mes
sage, and report OF the Treasurer would be
ample to inform German citizens, concerning
the financial and general condition OF the State
The expense Of translating and printing oil the
documents is heavy, and appears TO De super
1uous.
Mr.. ORR contended for the German printing,
alleging the desires and necessities OF Germ an
citizens advanced in life, who are thus excluded
from any successful attempt to learn our Ian
guage. They pay taxes, and discharge their
Obligations to the State, and should ENJOY these
privileges. He was aware that the English
language, is that Of the country, but apprecia-
ted the fact that tho policy of our country In
informed upon all matters which interest nll
citizens. All documents should be printed -
The Report of the Board of Public Works had
been mentioned as an exception. This docu:
ment especially, he thought ehould be printed
In German for it's intrinsic Importance.
The plea of expense is pitiiul. IL there was
an election on hand, no such argument would
be made. Every man would do everything pos
sible TO catch German votes, and would adopt
the policy Of printing documents In German.
The expense Of printing would not amount tc
the value of time expended in debating thesu6
iect Mr.. Orr said he spoke with some warmth
perhaps, on tho subject, because he has large
German constituency, and he contended for the
principle of printing all documents for their in
formation. He wanted the House Joint Keso-
luton adopted.
Mr.. SMITH thought the establishment OF
State policy on the subject is desirable, and the
way to do it is to insist on the Senate amend
ment.
Mr.. JONES concurEed in this remark. Bu
il seemed TO him that some Senators considered
that there are two classes Of people in Ohio
German and others, and they seem to regard
the former as the principal class, whose inter-
esis are 10 be specially promoted: He desired
TO Go Justice to all. He was willing to submit
this question to the intelligence OF the Ger
mans. Altogether, we propose to print bu
5000 for the whole English population, and hall
as many to be printed In German Now per-
ceive the disproportion. There are other citi
zens in the State who speak foreign tongues
Welch among others. They do not ask for doc
uments in their Language, but they have the
same privileges that are demanded for other
naturalized citizens. The nativity Of citizeni
is no argument for or against them. All should
stand upon common platform. But 10 settle
the question let there be q committee OF confer
enee, to strike proportion of documents which
should be printed in German and English, and
then settle the question by statute.
Mr.. ORR was agreed to the passage OF Law
on the subject.
Mr.. PARISH agreed that documents had no
been printed In the German language in manne
acceptable to intelligent Germans. The repOr
of the State Board of Agriculture has beer
printed (translated) In such u manner that goo,
Germrn scholars can scarcely read it. He didn'
know whose fault it was, but it ought to be cor
rected. Mr.. Parish continued to argue The jus
tice and policy Of printing documents in Ger
man, and held that the whole subject should
Investigated and definitely settled
M. GARFIELD said he did not wage an
war against the Germans Of Ohio; but he di
hot think we ought to bestow peculiar favor upo
a man because he is German. He did nc
take ground against printing any documents !
German; but there were many of the document
which il did not seem necessary to print in tbs
language. The population Of Ohio, in 1851
was |, 955, ,O50; of these Ill 1851 were born !
Germany-or little more than one.twentiett
Now, pr obably one.third Of these. that lie, one
sixlieth OF the people of Ohio, can read no othe
language than than the Germsh.
The resolution before US requires US to print
one fourth of all our documents in German
As often as it gives one document to an Amer
can born citizen. 1t gives fifteen to German
Moreover, we have no adequate mode provide
by law for trsnslating these documents. A
intelligent Germana will tell you that our Ger
man documents are wretched and bunglin
trauslations-done by whatever German hal
pens to get the printing He.made the motto
to insist in order that we may have commit
tee os conference OIL the whole subject.
Mr.. MCCALL said this subject was perpet
ally before the Legislature. Senators took adva
tage ofthe subject to eulogize their German fe
low citizens. He was in favor OF cnlighteniL
them but was opposed to enacting bill upon Il
subject because it would deprive gentlemen Of d
luxury OF expressing their opinions upon the
naturalzed fellow citizens.
After long discussion motion to lDsi
and ask the House for Committee OF conte
ence was adopted.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES.
Mr.. MONROE, from the School commi!te,
reported back S. B 1873, by Mr., BIewer, for Il
amendment of the school law of February 2ls
1S49-with recommendation that it pass.
Agreed to, and the bill was read third time al
} passed.
Mr.. FERGUSON, from the committee {
Municipal Corporations, reported S. B. N
1874: To amend the act of May 81, 1852, rela
tive to incorporated cities and villages. Res
fret time.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Mr.. HARRISON offered the following:
Resolved, That the Standing Committee
Common Schools be instr ucted TO inquiI
whether the school law cannot be made mo
useful, and far less burthensOme to the peop
generally, by modifying 1t so as to abolish thu
mart of the system which provides for Hi
Schools, and that said committee report by b
or otherwise.
Mr.. HARRISON said his attention had be'
drawn to this subject by many persons. II
alleged that the greater portion OF the mon,
for Common School purposes is applied to Hil
Schools to the detriment OF the Primary School
The resolution ia intended to cause an examir
alton Of that subject, in order to determir
I whether the common schools for the educstio
of the children oil the mass OF the people, will
| be promoted by the abolition Of the HiG
School system, n 4. a u.
J. The resolution was adopted
oovERsoR's MESSAGE
The Secretary of the Governor presented
message from the Chief Executive, commuu
eating sundry reports Of examiners Of the var
Gus State Departments.
The Message and ACCOMPANYING documents, {
. motion of Mr.. HARRISON, were tabled al
nrdarod IN ha nrintad