Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-04-10
Letter from Columbus.
" Of the Belmont Chronicle.

EDITOR CHRONICLE: An unusual amount
of business has been transacted by the SEN =
ate during the rast week but the House !
has been somewhat unfortunate in this re- :
spect. Much time was spent in that branch !:
on a motion to reconsider the vote by which .
the House passed Senate Joint Resolutions :
in relation to the rebel prisoners at Camp
Chase. Col. Moody, who is in command at G
that post, aud Has charge Of the prisoners !.
there, made the discovery that the wording ,
of a part Of the preamble to the resolutions 4.
might be construed so as to reflect slightly
on his conduct and management Of the pris-
on. This fact made him anxious to obtain
a reconsideration, and he exerted himself
a~ssiduou.ly in the lobby to produce that
result. A reconsideration was moved and
debated at great length, supported by. the
speciel friends Of the Colonel only, and the
enemies of the resolutions, two parties
thus coming together for n common purpose,
from directly opposite motives. The one 10
amend, the other to destroy. The awkward
ness of their position soon became manifest
to themselves. They had passed the reso.
%lutions, and they had went into the hands
of the Joint Committee of the two houses on
enrolment, and the committee had reported
them back as correctly enrolled. After
this report was made to. the House, tho
House voted to reconsider. Pervious To this
reconsideration, the House sent q message
to the Senate requesting the return OF the
resolutions. The Senate replied that the
!, engrossed resolutions had performed their
functions ; that after they had been passed,
, and enrolled, and the Joint Committee had
q reported them as correctly enrolled. the on
Q rolled resolutions took the place Of the en-
n crossed ones; that the latter ceased to be any
y longer the subject oflcgisiative action /; and
thatthe enrolled resolutions were in posses.
sion of the House, awaiting the signature
Of the presiding officer. The Speaker Of
the House had decided previous to reconsid.
GRAFTON that their action ON tile resolution,
would be null and void, unless the engrossed
resolution Should bereturned by the Senate
Upon the receipt Of the Senate message
the Speaker remarked that the power Of tht
House over the subject, according to tb'
joint rules Of the two Houses, had ceased
and that 1t only remained for him az thu
0, presiding officer Of the House, in the dis
J, charge Of ministerial duty, to sign the res
<, olutions; which he proceeded to do, annie
n, all manner OF motions and resolutions t
rs prevent the signing. But the resolutions
h. were signed. ey l %
&, A resolution was Immediately offered b.
10 WIN. j. Fagg, one Of the Hamilton coun
ty members, to expel the Speaker, Mr.. HUI
O. bell, from a seat in the House. This wen
or over under the rule. Motions were mad
70, to require him to erase his name, and to re
quire the Clerk to erase it, and for the .Cler
TO to hold the revolutions, &C., 30. Sevor'
ed days were thus foolishly and uselessly sper
y In arguing the subject after the resolution
No wero signed. Mr., Flagg succeeded admire
ur- bly, in rendering himself, and the House, {
far as he could, ridiculous 10 the eyes Of Il
world. He had others to assist him, bl
nd they were Of those who had less power f
ole evil. The Speaker discharged his duI
by firmly and promptly, according to the rulI
Of the two Houses. He might have bee
IN. slower to act. 1t would no doubt have be,
he better had he deferred the signing for
time. Il would have given beligerent mer
he bers time to cool of, and become more Sc
Of sible. o", 3, Er,. M
The only blunder committed by the cha
1s- was In entertaining the motion to reconsid'
to- when the engrosscd resolutions were not
IL possession Of the House, and from tho u
be ture Of the case could not be. This, {,
doubt, led to all the trouble. The MAORI
ley in the House have b. this proceeding learn
one lesson, although j. may have been
nos the expopse Of the State ,-that is, to n
ast permit certain members Of the minority
lead them again, unnecessarily, into such
on labyrinth of difficulties, to their great anne
- ance, and to the discredit of the body.
th. is to DO hoped that the lesson will NOT
om entirely lost. There are many good men
in the House, and the majority seem determi
cd now to 50 on with the business Of d
les, session, and not permit q few Of the MINOR
to rctard its business F ned fioai nalo
Among the bills which passed the Soma
os is ono to .district the State for Congrcssiol
and purposes. After voting onthras difars
was substitutes, oil Of which wore rejected,
bill as reported by . majority Of the %
bio, nAittee passed. II puts Belmont, Guerns,
Noble and Muskipgum n l district, 7
'sal district South Of that, Is Monros, MorgI
n. Washington, Athens and Msigs. 7
ness House has not acted On II yet. The Hot
akh Surgeon Bill passed the Senate. and Ism
. Of . law. Il pays $ioo per month, but NAL
. i, no provision for transportation or subsi
not ence the Surgeon bearing all his own
Few penses A bill passed the Senate 70 abol
Ding the Superior Court Of franklin county,
, Also = bill to repeal the several acts, pas,
most Ia 1858, authorizing the election Of ssv
was additional Common Pleas Judges The
not 70 effect present i~neambsnta Also