Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-09-25
Democratic RetEonohment in Ohio.


Democratic Retrenehment in Ohio.
-, With more zeal than knowledge GER
tain Democratic partizans assert that
great things have been done BY the
present Legislature, 10 the way Of ''re-
trenchment and reform" The asser-
ton is wholly gFataitous. A little ez-
animation into this subject will be suf-
fcient to make all good people pray
that the State may be delivered. from
any more such reform or retrenchment
Last winter the Democracy had q
working majority in both Houses and
controlled the entire machinery of leg
islatioH, Having an open field they
did things in their own way with nc
one to molest or make them afraid
And like the bull in the china shop
they ''played smash.
In the first place, they held a ses-
sion Of one hundred and thirty-fouY
days, the longest eUer held an the STATE,
The following table, giving the lengths
of the different sessions for more tkan
twenty years past, viii show up to a
good advantage this peculiar style of
retrenehment.
In 1915 the session lasted 102 days
in 1916, "a; in 1917, 81: in 1913, 80; in
1919, 113; IN 1850, 49, in 1851, lis
in 1852, 119; in 1888. 12O; IN 1854, 12O;
In 1856, SO; in 1857, 104; in 1858, 80;
in 1859, 94;i in 1866, 85; 1861, 127 in
1852. 1I5i in 1863, SO; in 1864, SO; /; in
1865, 1906 in 1856, SO; in 1867, 101; in
1858, 1S4.
The Republicans first came into pow
er in 1856, since which time the aver
age length of the sessions excluding
that of last winter has been but SO
days. During the whole time the Re
publicans were in power they held but
four sessions exceeding 100 days in
length The Legislature of 1861 was
about to adjourn when the necessity
was forced uTpn it Of extending the
session in order to provide ways and
means for crushing a Democratic Re-
behion. The work Of organizing and
equipping troops and providing for the
expenses incident to the war necessi-
tated a vast amount of extra legisla-
ton for which the Democracy who
waged the rebellion are. themselves re-
sponsible. This work prolonged the
session, which would otherwise have
been a third shorter. to I27 days. The
Democracy came back into power in
1857, at a time of profound peace, af-
ter all the legislation incident to the
closing up of the war had been accom-
plished, and held an unparalleled ses-
sion of 1874 days
For this whole time they drew a per
diem of JiUe dollars day, while no Re
publican Legislature ever drew more
than three dollars. IF the Democra-
cy had been earnestly bent on retreneh-
ment, they could have declined taking
over three dollars day, or they could
have repealed the law paying five, but
they did neither. They all drew five
dollars without any perceptible scru-
pies, and continued bowling about
Radical extravaganza" and "oppres-
sive taxes, as usual.
Now let US compare the expenses of
the last session with the sessions held
when the Republicans were in power.
The figures we are now about to give
we have taken from the books Of the
Auditor of State and therefore know
to be correct.
The vouchers Of the State Auditor
show that up to the 9th Of the present
month there had been paid out of the
State treasury for the mileage and per
diem Of members and expenses of com
mittees for last winters session, $125,
zoe 54 The books show there was
paid for precisely the same items for
the session of 1867 only $62, 400. 80.
So that on the score of mileage, per
diem and committees alone, the Demo
Gratis have 'retrenchedn out Of the
pockets of the people exactly SIXTY.
THREE THOUSAND, TWO HUN |
DRED AND NINETY-NINE DOL
LARS AND SIXTY -FOUR CENTS.
that is, the Democratic session of 1868
cost more than tl0ice as mach as the
Republican session Of 1867.
The disparity is quite as striking if
we compare the cost Of last winters
session with that of the Republican
sessions held prior to 1867. The fol-
lowing table will show the expendi-
lures on account of per diem, mileage
and committees for the different ses-
sions as far back as 1861:
Session of SIPS, ,7O954
- -. .nl.I