Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-15

"~-~~.~~-~~N-@ -
and Political Opponents. @ II
On Saturday, the 2lst Of February, 1863, Mr..
Of Clsrmont county, offered for adop- |
ion, In the Ohio House Of Representatives, the
1NTTENDEN resolution Of July 22d, 1861, de-
,laring the object and policy OF the war. Mr..
WEST. the Abolition member from Logan coun'
~, Immediately arose and gave notice of his in.
tenti6n to discuss it, which, under rule Of the
House, laid IL upon the table. The acting
Journal Clerk (DAviD c, Cox failed to state
that WEsT had put the resolution on the table
thus leaving bis report Of this transaction IN
complete. The omission was supplied at the
reporters table, after the Journal Clerks I'M
finished pages we're laid thereon, by Mr.. LAY.
MAN, of the SrATEsMAE, Just as many other omis-
slons had been supplied and mistakes correct.
cd by other members Of the press. II had been
done very frequently. as may be seen by refer
ence to the original minutes Of the proceed
iugs Of the House, during this session as well
as past sessions. The ipeficlency and inac-
curacy of Journal Clerks often rendered the
friendly aid OF reporters necessary. Sucn ala
was again aud again invoked by Clerks ana
was generally chserfully given.
In this case, 1t seems, MIR. WEST, for some
reason or other, preferred that the Journal
should not state the truth, as to his putting the
CRIrTrNDEN resolution upon the table-Whiie
other members we're always made responsible
for such action, upon the Journal. Mr. WEST
was informed of this correction, and it was ex-
plunged. Thereupon, on Monday morning,
February 23d, he rose to question Of privilege,
and satisfied the Abolition majority that he had
discovered "mare's nest;" when he offered q
preamble and resolution, alleging that the
Journal of the preceding Saturday had been
"tsmpered" with, and that somebody had
"fraudulently ipterpolated" matter therein;
and providing for select committee OF three
to investigate and report. Messrs. WEST, Con-
VERSE aud PuReELL, were appointed said COM
mittee. When the Journal was read, the same
morning, for correction and approval, the House
OIucIcu tu6 luShsiSbA SVASSN'SH ~ ~
which Mr.. LAYMAN had made.
WEST went to work, soon after the commit
tee was appointed, and prepared report IN
which his intensified partisan malignity ana
hatred were abundsntly manifested. Ever
since his igneminious defeat for Congress, in a
District which he had himself gerrymandered,
wherein his party had immense and oyerwhelm-
Ing msiorities at prior elections, he has been
afflicted with species of political hydrOphobia,
and goes into sIasms and froths a. the mouth
whenever you name the Democratic party, or
Democratic editors and Democratic newspapers.
Mr.. PURsELL, the other Republican member
Of the committee, who is, we believe, very
clever gentleman, signed WEsT's malignant
partisan report, perhaps without much consid-
GRAFTON, Without consulting with Mr.. Con-
VERSE, the Democratic member of the commit
tee, or showing him the report, they presented
| It to the House, together with resolution to
exclude Mr.. LAYMAN from the privileges OF O
Reporter. A statement from Mr.. G. brought d
motion to recomwit the report to the committee,
which prevailed without much opposition.
A meeting of the committee WAS called, and
Mr.. LAYMAN was desired to attend it. He did
60, and made a statement as to the authority
for making corrections in the unfinished Jour-
nal pages upon the Reporters table. Mr..
WEST would not consent to hear such testimo-
ny as it was proposed to introduce. The com
mittee adjourned to meet the next day; but nc
meeting was held, IS but one member made
his appearance, Mr.. LAYMAN being on hand
promptly at the appointed time. Sometime
afterHard, he was invited to another meeting
of the committee, but was unable to find it
none Of Its members being at the appointe
place, at the time indicated in the note Of In
yitation. The committee had no other meet
Ing.
After caucusing the mstter for ssyen weeks
Mr.. wEsr, on Saturday last, had Mr.. PURsEL
excused from the committee and Mr.. Goa
appointed in his place. The latter readily di
the chairman . bidding, and signed the MAORI
ty report without having an opportunity to know
whether 1t was true or not. 1t is the orlglna
majority report, together with an additi ,ns
statement as false and malicious as WEST cuult
i make il; and recommends the exclusion Of Mr.
LAYMAH from his place In the House ss Re
porter. At the Saturday evening session, b,
succeeded in getting in his report, on question
of privilege, to the disgust of a large proper
tion-of the members of bis own party. Mr.
CoHvRRsF then submitted the following miuoii
| ty report, which speaks for itself:'
| Mr.. coRvERsR's MINORITY REPORT,
The undersigned. minority of the commit
tee appointed under House resolution No. 1856
beqs leave to report that said committee have
discharged the duty assigned them by the
| House. But the undersigned can not agree To
the statements and conclusions of a majority OF
said committee. The words said to have been
inserted In the journal Of February 2lst without
authority are ss follows "Mr West giving
notice of intention to discuss" Ia the inyes.
tieation of this subject under the resolution.
there are two questions presented 1st, Was
the entry of the words in the Journal made
without authority I'd, Was 1t fraudulently
and sureptitlously made
The evidence shows that MIR. Layman. a
reporter Of this House, made the entry upon
the sheet which was to become part of the
Journal and which was not yet completed bv
| the Journal Clerk, while the House was In ses.
sion and within few minutes after the notice
| to discuss was given by Mr.. West. Was il
without authority The evidence before the
committee, none of II under oath, showed that