The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-04-01


and then turn around and confseate that
property. Gen Grosvenor replied that
this idea was so original that he thought
it could be patented. He said the State,
when it owned the turnpikes, had the
power to regulate the tolls. When the
State sold them, could it convey either
more or less than it owned? Now to an
outsider, who, of course, has not the wis
dom OF Granger or a Legislator, this
looked like Foolishness. l own horse.
have the right to work him only four
days in the week l sell him to Gen.
Grosyenor He undertakes to work him
six days. Hold on" / cry. You must
only work your horse one day in the
week. You got him so cheap that one
days work in the week will be ample to
pay fair per cent. on his cost Bat
says he, 81 paid you all you asked, and
now he is mine, and propose to make
all 1 can out of him" l reply that 1 had
the right to regulate the amount of work
the horse should do, and l could not con-
vey more than l possessed. 1t looked to
man from the rural districts, like this:
the State of Ohio made a contract with
Mr.. Emmitt, and sold him certain turn
pixies, for certain sum, which he paid.
There was no reservation in the contract.
The State had the right, when it owned
the turnpike, to fix the rate of toll
When it sold the road to Mr.. Emmitt, it
transferred that right to him, and if he
fixes the rate of toll too high to suit the
travelling public. let them take some 9th
er road. 1t is precisely the same dan
gerous error that has got into the heads
of some laboring men, that if the employ
er does not pay them as much for their
| labor as they think is fair, they viii not
work themselves, nor permit others to
work, and they will bring the employer
to terms by running him, his wife and
children, from their home, and burning
his property, as they have recently done
in Gen. Grosvenor's neighborhood, thus
practically carrying out his theory. This
rascally bill passed while l was in the
House. thus robbing a man of his proper
ty, and squarely violating that provision
of the Constitution which declares that
private property shall not be taken for
public use without just compensation.
Mr.. Emmitt told a member of the House
after the bill passed, that he would never
touch the Narrow Gauge railroad project
again, nor put a dollar into it, as the
same power that could rob him of his
turnpike stock, could rob him of his rail
road stock Who can blame him?
Next came up what is known as the
Geghan Bill, which was debated at some
length. 1t was bitterly opposed by the
Republicans, as move in favor of the
Catholics. 1t was passed by large ma
jority Seven Republicans, and among
them MIR. Harrison, voted for it. For
my part, 1 cannot see anything very OBJ
| ljectionable in the bill. 1t is as follows:
SECTION l Be it enacted 5y the General
assembly Of the State Of Ohio, That as lib
erty Of conscience is not forfeited by rea-
son Of conviction for crime, or by reason
of detention in any penal, reformatory or
| eleemosynary institution, or any house
of refuge workhous jail, or public asy
! ium in this State, no person in any such
| institution shall be compelled to attend
religious worship or instructions of
form which is against the dictates of his
or her conscience; and it shall be the
duty OF every director, trustee, superin-
tendent, or other person having in charge
any such institution to furnish ample
and equal facilities to all such persons
for receiving the ministrations OF the au-
thorized clergymen of their own religious
denomination or persuasion: Provided,
IL, oTf
pense on the public treasury, or only an
equal amount for all, according to time
consumed and the number of inmates ac-
commodated
SEC 2 This act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage.
Next came up the bill to prevent town
councils from passing ordinances to pro
hibit tippling houses, or, in other words,
an act to repeal the act under which the
celebrated McConnellsville ordinance
was passed. The Republicans conmenc-
ed fillibustering. There was for a long
time little done except the calling of the
names of the members, on some frivolous
motion. I soon got tired of the monoto-
nous voice of the clerk, and left. The
act was repealed before adjournment.
I would not be member of the Ohio
House of Representatives for any consid-
Grafton 1t is surely the most dsorderly,
ditgraceful body of men l ever saw,
There was a constant loud talking all
around the outskirts of the seats all the
time, while those who were in their seats
were engaged in reading newspapers, or
in writing. Gen. Grosvenor and Judge
Haag are men of decided talent, fluent,
eloquent speakers, but during the Tina
they were speaking of the eighty or
more members in their seats, at no time
could l see more than five who paid the
least attention in the world to what they
were saying | mentioned this outra-
geous conduct to several members, and
they laughed at me, and said l did not
understand it. OF course | did not
Here were men sent to transact impor-
tant business, effectng the welfare of
millions of people, and these representa-
tives were destitute of common courtesy
gentlemanly department, and even COM
Senate Chamber, and the members con-
Quoted themselves as gentlemen gem
tleman with whom l have been acquaint-
ed for twenty-five years, and who served
me that he never had much desire to be
a member of the House, but that he liked
the Senate. He said l ought to be in