The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-08-06
From the Salem Republican,
JOURNAL LEAVES OF 4 DEMOCRATIC
LEGISLATURE.
Passage of an Unconstitutional Law.
What Democrats Voted for and
Against.
REBEL SOLDIERS ALLOWED TO
VOTE.
Union Soldiers, Maimedand Wounded,
SHALL NOTVOTE
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRE-.
sENTATlON ENDORSED.
White Male Citizens Disfran-
chised!
Damaging and Damning Rec
ord!
lREBEL SOLDIERS ALLOWED TO
i VOTE.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRE-.
sENTATlON ENDORSED.
White Male Citizens Disfran.
chised!
Damaging and Damning Rec
ord!

Ulu
We propose, briefly as we can, to
lay before the people a few pages OF
the Journal OF the Democratic Leg
islature of 1868 and '69. In order
To fully understand the recklessness
and want of principle that actuated
that body in the passage OF so many
vindictive, arbitrary and unconstitu-
tional laws, their acts must be view
ed as emanating from a selfish, un-
considerable partizan spirit, instead
of from an impartial, honorable,
|high-minded statesman-like effort TO
legislate for the public good, in
which the civil and political rights
of citizens should be defended and
maintained.
From the opening of the session,
the ''msin question" among tho Dem
ocratic majority in either branch of
the General Assembly was not, "How
shall we be of most service to the
people of the State, and the more
nobly sustain the government and
dignity of the Commonwealth 2" but,
"Hsw shall noe ddoance the interests Of
our party and secure its continuance in
poioer p To that end, everything
Justice, Honor, Principle, Precedent,
Law, Constitution had to yield, and
unceremoniously, when party inter
est required, be trampled under foot
Such a record was commenced on
the first day of the first session by an
attempt to rescind the ratification of
the "Fourteenth Amendment by the
previous Legislature, and on the fifth
day, by the introduction of the in
famous "VIsIBLE ADMIxTURE BILL,n
with the villanous provisions of
which, our readers are well acquaint-
ed.
We referred to the manner in
which this law was passed, at some
length, year ago. We now pre-
sumo to do so again, not that the
enactment itself is of any account
mo fault of the Democratic party,
however, but to show how openly
that same party, which is again ask
ing to be re-instated to power, vio-
lated every long-cherlshed doctrine
of their political faith--laws, ccnsti-
tuition and most sacred obligations,
in their effort to disfranchise CITI-
zENs and SOLDIERS, simply because
they voted the Republican ticket,
and were loyal.
To accomplish this, the famous, or
rather infamOus "Visible Admixture
Bill'' was introduced by Senator
Hutcheson of Franklin county. 1t
was remarkable, more for its vindic-
tiveness toward the colored race,
than for any literary or legal merit it
possessed. Not single section, but
that was full of abomination, and
therefore Objectionable to every per-
son, except to the Democrats who
voted for it.
When first called up, therefore,
Mr.. Conant, Senator from Portage
county, novel 10 strike out Of sec
tions 3, 4, and 3, that part "requiring
the person challenged to produce tlOo
credtabie acitnesSes WtO shall be com
PEELED to anslcsr certain prescribed
questions under oath or affirmation REL
dtiUs to the marriage Of challenged
person's parents" dc. Also 'that no
evidence of reputation, as to parsntage
shall be received, unless the parties,
about iohons such reputation ezists are
first proved to haos been married"
The absurdity of endeavoring to
compel men to swear they were per-
sonaHy cognizant of their parents
marriage--that is, lin effect) that
they were Individually present at the
wedding, may be good Democracy,
but very suspicious and questionable
morality. However, Judge Conant's
motion, though so clearly just and
proper, was lost by a strict party
vote.
Next, Mr.. Keifer, of Clark county,
moved to amend $50 as to make at a
penal ofe,ase to receive the vote of a per-
son not being WHITE male citizen of
the United States" instead Of "receio-
ing," contrary to the provisions Of The
bill, "ths vote Of any person hacing a
distinct and visible GdmigtUre Of Atri-
can HOOd'
That motion was also lost, though
in accordance with the con-
stitutien, and designed to save it.
Every Democrat in the Senate re-
corded his vote against, not negroes
not foreigners voting, but "aohite
male citizens Of The United States"
The same men swore to support
the Constitution of the United States
and the State of Ohio,'' when they
took their seats as Senators. Both
of those instruments guarantee the
very right to that class OF citizens
which the Democrats sought tc an
null.
Mr.. Potts, of Carroll county, then
moved to amend by inserting after
Lhe provision making it the duty of
the judges to challenge and reject
the votes of persons having a dis
5inct and visible admixture of Afri- |
can blood, the following words: ''or
my person aOho has borne arms in sup
port Of any insurreetion or rebellion
against the government Of tie United
.States.'
This proposition was also lost by
every Democrat voting No, thereby
declaring they were will
ling that REBELS, who fought against
the government in the late rebellion,
should vote, whilst men who fought
for the government, should not vote.
The sympathy for armed traitors,
engaged in actual rebellion against
the general government, was so bold
ly and unanimously expressed in
this vote Of Democratic Senators,
that we give the Yeas and Nays in
full on the amendment
Yeas. II Msssrs. Conant, Corey.
Dangler. Everett, Griswold, Hall,
Keifer, Potts, Simmons and Yeoman.
All Republicans
Nays.-Messrs. Berry, Campbell,
Cater, Dickey, Dowdney, Emmitt,
Evans, Godfrey, Democratic candi-
late for Lieut.. Governor, Golden,
Hutcheson, Jamison, KenneY, Law
'ence, May, Onderdonk, Rex, Scrib-
Ter, Stambaugh, Winner. (All Dem
,crats.
Mr.. Hall of Lucas, further moved
o 'ercept from the provisions Of the
I'D such alersozs of q pfsikle nf1saaia-f., 70 |,