The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-04-28
Letter from DR.. Williams.
PORTLAND, April 25, 1870.

PORTLAND, April %, 1870.
Mr.. Editor!
The closing scenes OF the last session Of the
General Assembly were very stormy, and of but
little credit to the State Of Ohio Both Houses
held protfncted sessions ON Saturday night, that
ofthc Senate continuing long into Sunday morn
Ing Everything went quietly In tho House un-
| I'll about nine o'clock when Mr. Hughes OF High
land presented protest signed by portion of
the Democratic members, In reference to the rat
lhcation of the XVIII Amendment by the Gen-'
eral Assembly. 1t charged that its ratification
had been secured by the introduction Of fraudu-
lent members into the House, and that the four
Republican members from Hamilton county
had mis-rcpresented their constituents ia voting
| for II. II was q document unworthy, even II II
had been drawn In respectful language, OF any
sot Of men. A number of Democrats refused to
sign 1t, and several who had signed It afterwards
erased their names The presentation Of the
document produced quite q cOmmotion. Mr..
Hitchcock was in the chair Mr.. Denis raised
polnt of order, and the speaker pro tenn ruled the
protest out OF order, as containing language dis
respectful to members on the floor. An appeal
from the decision Of the chair was Immediately
taken by a Democratic member A long discus
sion followed. Mr. McVay, from Shelby county,
who Is very quiet gentleman, got very restive
under the party lash OF Democratic leaders, saw
fine opportunity to give Parr OF Licking, (who
q few days before had accused McVay OF desert
ing the Democratic party, because he voted for
tho repeal of the visible admixture law home
thrust. He said In o very pleasant way that he
feared that his friend Parr had got weak In the
back and deserted the Democratic party because
he had erased his name nom the protest, Im-
medlRtely PRrr came bounding across the Hall,
utterlng fearful oaths, and calling McVay q liar.
Several members interrupted PARIS progress,
and one good old brother Democrat moved that
the honorable gentleman from Licking should
have leave OF absence long enough to pull his
shirt on After great effort on the part OF Mr..
Hitchcock, order was restored.
Mr., Speaker Cunningham then got the floor
and madeN fiery and scathing speech In defense
OF the four Hamilton county Republicans who
voted for tho Amendment During its delivery,
Baber of Franklin, tho reputcd author Of the
protest, became so excited that he rushed for
ward like a mad bull, and shook his fist at Mr.,
Cunningham aud uttered something that sound
ed very much lse--"You are id liar" The
uproar was terrible, aud for n time II seemed as
n the session would break up In free fight, and
that the services OF all the medical members
would be needed to caro- for the wounded Order
was finally brought out of chaos however; the
decision OF Mr.. Hitchcock sustained, and the
protest kicked out of the House.
| While these stormy scenes were occurring In
the House, events of equally exciting character
were taking place In the Senate. About lOo'clock
that body went into executive session, for the
purpose OF considering the Governors nominees
for Trustees OF the soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home. All winter 1t had seemed TO be the de-
sire Of the Democracy to kill this proposed insti-
tuition indirectly, although they did not dare
oppose 1t openly. When the Senate got into ex-
ecutve session they found that there seventeen
Republican Senators and seventeen Democratic
Senators present. Here was n tie, and by the
Democrats voting solidly against the Governors
nominations the Home would be LEFT without
Board of Trustees, and thus the institation kill
cd. Votes were taken ON three or four of the
nominations, but each time the Democrats sue
ceeded in defeating the confirmation by voting
In body against the candidate. Tho Republic
cans, seeing the place they were in, telegraphed
for senator Catch, who had left for his home At