The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-07-13
From the Ohio Statesman
The Morgan Raid Claim E.ayy--
Cheating Round the Board,


Cheating Round the Board.
Before the nominating convention of the
Radical party held its session, and nom,
mated Col Pond, OF Morgan, for Attorn-
cy General, because he had voted for the
payment of the Morgaa raid claims, the
Cleveland Herald was anxious 10 make
the refusal of the State officers to obey
the law question at issue to be decided
at the polls.
Fearing, however, that such question
might lose the Radical votes in Southern
and Eastern Ohio, Attorney General
West, who had given an opinion adverse
to their payment, was compelled, by the
orders Of the leaders, to back down as a
candidate, and, rs if to prove the truth of
the adage, "the devil is hard task
MASTER" Mr.. West was made to nomin-
ate, as a successor worthy to occupy his
place, this same Morgan raid voting
claim Pond.
We thought at the time VIC heard Mr..
Vests speech in favor of Pond that
there was something back-that the At
torncy General was too old bird to he
caught with chat. we are now convin-
ccd that VIC were right in our conjec-
! turc.
Col. Pond, the nominee Of the Rad-
Gals for Attorney General, as a member
of the last Legislature from Morgan
county, was, or professed to be, a warm
advocate of the passage of the bill to pay
these claims. Because Of this fact, we
arc assured he was nominated fora the
office of Attorny General, and because of
this Mr.. Attorney General West was
forced to decline. With Pond on the
ticket, the leaders in Southern Ohio,
where the payment OF the Morgan raid
claims is popular, could proudly point
to Ponds vote in favor of the payment,
and to the fact that the convention noml
mated him,as proof positive that the Rad
ical party in Ohio, notwithstanding the
action of the State officials. in nullifyino
the law, were in favor of the prompt pay,
ment of these claims. This was to catch
the giddy in Southern Ohio.
In Northen Ohio, where the payment
of these claims is resisted, another tale
was to be told. The Elyria Democrat
(Rad. thus lets out the secret of Vests
willingness to nominate Pond, and the
reasons why the anti Morgan raid claim
payers in the Western Reserve were will
ling to swallow him. In reply to the
question of the Plain Dealer, "Will the
Herald support man for Attorney Gen
eral Vests decision against the pay
ment of these claims ?" the Elyria Demo
crat thus responds. a..
attorney General West, who nomin-
ated Col Pond in the Convention, in
formed us that he knew personally that
Col. p fully indorsed his decision as to
the unconstitutionality of the act on
which these claims are sought to be col
lcctcd. Indeed, no good lawyer has at
tempted to controvert that opinion.
Will the P. D. do Col. Pond justice in
this matter" ......
In this extract we have the whole Sc
cret. Pond, who voted for and advoca-
ted the Morgan raid claim law as mem
ber of the Legislature, gave to Attorney
General West his secret assurance that
he was opposed to the payment on the
ground of unconstitutionality. This Sc
cret assurance made West, when he found
that he was to be drawn from the track
recommend Pond as worthy sue
cessor to himself. Pond was nominated
to please the men of South and Eastern
Ohio, who had their property taken by
the State and federal forces, without
compensation therefor, when Morgan
and his raiders were being pursued, while
in Northern Ohio, where no damage was
done, and where the payment is resisted
Ponds secret assurance to West is be
ing used to show that although he voted
for the measure and advocated it, yet he
believed it to be unconstitutional.
In the House Of Representatives, this
Morgan raid law received sixty votes
In the list Of those voting fort, we iind
the following Radicals.
r. w. Anderson, Guernsey county
D. w. Garfield, Geauga county; George
Crist, Hamilton county; j. II. Dickson
Loraip county; Charles Hare, Noble
county; Benjamin S. Hill, Erie county
Amos Hill. Fulton county; w p. John
son, Athens county; Samuel c. Kerr
Jefferson county; Lewis Newton, Harri
on county; Fred, W. Moore, Hamilton
county; Francis B. Pond, Morgan coun
ty; VIM. Reitzell, Trumbull county
Thomas Rough, Hardin county, j. X
Rukcnbrod, Columbiana county; James
Sayler, Preble county; G. H. Scott
Hamilton county; John Sinclair Lucas
county G. W. Skaats, Hamilton county
j. G. Ullery, Miami county; Maryin
Warren, Logan county; Thomas A
Welsh, Meigs county Henry L. Wood
Wood county.
The House consists of 107 members
Every bill passed requires majority vote
of all the members elected. Out of the
sixty votes the bill received, twenty
three, incluing "Mr. Francis B. Pond
of Morgan" who wishes itnow believed
thought it unconstitutional when he vot
ed for it
In Senate, the bill received nineteen
votes-just the number required to pass
it. In this vote we find the names OF
Senator's Thomas r. Biggs ofHamilton
David A, Dangler, of Cuyahoga; Charles
A. King, of Lucas: Jno. f. Terrence, OF
Hamilton; Abraham Simmons, of Noble
either one of whom, by voting against it
could have defeated the measure. But
they thought it just, and gave it theil
support.
How these gentlemen will feel at being
sold out by their fellow member Pond
who now denounces the law which they
and he supported, as a violation of the
Constitution, which should be disregar
dcd by the State officers
The people of Southern Ohio, whose
property was taken from them by the
State and General Government, and,
when sold, the proceeds paid into the
Treasury, finding their promises to pay
withheld, by order of the Attorney Gen
eral who had a successor nominated who
| altbouoh hn votod for the law stands