Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-01-22
Letter from Columbus.

The business before the Leoisiaturc- The
M't,f,d B.u-Reiief for families Of poi
unfeersm Bounty for our Belmont volun-
The pay of soldiers Consolidation
0f re0tments-.Sendtor Wade-.State Au
dfor--IM. Kennon-The reasonable
doings Of The Democracy hen threaten
to hand Ohio. Indiana, and the North
'oest orer to JEFF Dacis.
COLUMBUS, Jan. 10th, 1868.
The business Of the Legislature has been
progressing slowly, as is Usual at the com
mcncement OF session. Several impor-
tant bills OF general nature have been in
troduced IN both branches, and are now in
the hands OF the appropriate Committees.
bill to organize and dcipline the Mill
tia OF the State, is one among the most im-
portaet and will doubtless receive careful
attention The bill has not yet been print
ed, and of course not considered in detail.
A bill introduced into the Senate by Mr.
Ready, to levy a general tax for the relief
of the families Of soldiers in the service,
has been considered at some length in Com.
mit;ee of the Whole. The bill provide.
for levy Of two mills to the dollar. In
Committee two mills was struck out, and
one mill inserted, with the further amend.
inent, that the County Commissioners be
authorized to levy an additional tax Of one.
half mill on the dollar. With these amend
ments the bill will doubtless pass the Sen
ate, and probably the House.
A bill was introduced into the Senate re.
quiring the Commissioners of Belmont
County, to levy tax to pay bounty money
promised to volunteers. l will send you d
copy OF the bill when printed. @
Resolutions were passed by the Senate,
requesting our representatives. in Congress,
to vote to increase the pay Of the private
soldiers TO 5 Il per month also to CONSOLE
date the regiments 50 as to reduce the
amount paid to officers. The vote on the
former proposition was unanimous, the
latter was carried only by the vote of the
President.
On Friday night last, the Hon. b. F..
| Wade Was on the first ballot nominated for
U. 5. Senator. The voto stood, Wade So,
! Schenck 6. blank g. The nomination was
then made unanimous Thursday next
was the day agreed upon to 60 into Joint
convention to elect. About twenty Union
Democrats, and few Republicans we're not
in the caucus, but enough was present to
elect, and several of those not present will
vote for the nominee.
Mr.. Iayler has not yet sent in his resig-
nation OF the office OF State Auditor, but
! VIII, no d0nbt, do 50 on his return from
New York, whittier he and Mr.. Kennon
have been for tho last three weeks, paving
interest on the State debt.
| The appointment has been rendered to
the Hon. w. 3. KennUn, in case a vacancy
occurs, and have good reason to believe
he will accept. This is an appointment
which would be eminety fit to b., made. =
MIR. kennon, by virtue Of his Office AZ Sec.
retary of State, has for the past season been
u member OF the board of Fund Commits.
sloners, and an active member, having
fumiized himself with the finances of the
State, and with the history and duties of
the Board. No pers IN without experience
could take hold Of the subiect aud run the
machine as Mr.. Kennon would be able to
| do.
Some strange developments are being
made in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and at other
points in the North aud West Previous
to the elections OF last fall, the leaders of
the Democratic party III those States gen
orally, profes'cd to be Union men, and in
favor of a vigorous war policy to put down
the rebellion. With these professions, and
most persistant declarations tina; their cle-
walton to power would bring peace and pre-.
serve the Union, they succeeded in getting
the votes OF thousands and tens of thous
ands OF as good Union men as were in the
country. With what chagfin and mortifica
ton must such now look upon the bold and
reasonable demonstrations being made bv
thesc same leaders, and by those who have
been elevated to place and power by their
votes. Propositions are openly made, and
boldly discussed for the disntegration of
the Union. For cutting off the n jrthwcst
ern States, including D no. and attaching
them 10 jeff Davis Government. How
would such a proposition have been taken
last fall previous to the election? Ii would
have consigned its authors and promulya
tors to merited oblivion But now there
Is greater danger. A desperate effort is
being made to reach aud poison the masses
with this most accursed heresy. Some of
the friends OF this unholy scheme here
ca'n that there are ninety thousand
knights OF the Golden Circle" in Indi.
ana, enrolled under the name of the uni
ted Brotherhood. And no doubt exists
that the organization is general in Ohio and
other States. That it exists to the oxtent
claimed by some in Indiana, / think i'm
probable, and that all its members have
reasonable designs | think equally impro-
bable But it is none the less dangerous.
Let every true man, every lover of his
country, watch their movements and expose
their, designs. The country never can be
saved by divided North. This isa pro
position which the masses can understand,
and will sooner or later appreciate. The
country never was, perhaps, in as much
danger as at present. Let the masses be
Informed and they cannot be- forced into a
reasonable organization, except by decep-
ton and fraud.