The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-03-05

"oN OUR LOCAL INrEREsTsn

CON OUR LOCAL INTERESTS"
Is document which many desire to see
published in the Press. Its length and
the fact that many are determined to
publish it in pamphlet form for free dis
tribution, are reasons for its now ap-
pearance now. When the order comes
for printing it for free distribution we
will treat our readers to its mastery
and praise worthy contents.
For the present we content US with
glance at few of its points.
IN 1918
the county seat was not only located in
Somerset by agency of the state of Ohio,
but established there. The consideration
for this, on the part of Somerset, was a
donation of 5000, to be used for pub
lie buildings. This was contract. Its
terms cannot be broken only by consent
of both parties, Somerset never gave her
consent. The State attempted to break
the contract in 1851, but having no pow
er to do so. the vote of 1851, was illegal
for want of power on the part of the
Legislature to authorize it, and it was
illegal because of fraud in polling the
votes. Under
THE VOTE OF 1851
the county seat IS in fact at Lexington,
but in lau and right it is at Somerset,
for the Constitution provides that no
" Expost facto law or law impairing the
validity of contracts shall be passed"
Such law tcas passed in 1851 to violate
and impair the contract of the State
with Somerset, after the State had levied
Sc, 900 as the consideration and received
the money for establishing the county
seat at Somerset.
THE VOTE CAST BY SOMERSET
in 1851 against removal was fair and
honest majority of the whole vote OF the
county at that time. This is proven by
the vote of the county for years and by
the enumeration of the voting inhabi-
tants of the county before and after the
vote of 1857. Seeing herself the vic
tim of an unlawful act of the Legisla-
ture and of fraudulent voting after
wards, Somerset saw no other remedy
than to meet fraud by fraud, and in
1858 carried a majority of 25OO in her
favor. The difference in her fraud and |
that of Lexington was in the size of its
poll.
The vote of 1859 resulted in 1859
votes for Somerset This was more than |
half of any vote ever cast in the county |
for Governor or any other office, except
when fraudulent, more than half of the |
highest vote ever enumerated, and ought |
to have entitled her to the county seat |
No man has ever run for office in Perry
county who obtained even 1900 votes
that was not elected. Indeed the man |
who is sure of 100 to 1900 is generally |
considered out of the woods, 1900 has |
often elected, 1900 was never fairly |
beaten.
SINCE 1859
Somerset has lost none of her 1859 votes |
She has expended in money, in |
terest, labor and time, not less than half
a million dollars to furnish the people |
of jackson, Pike, Coal, Saltlick and
Mondaycreek with better reason TO
support Somerset than they had in 1859 |
She thinks she has succeeded. She
thinks by the building of the
N. s. & S. R. R.
about two thirds to three fourths of the |
of Perry can get to Somerset
easier and cheaper than to New Lexing-
ton, or equally so. That road has link
ed the North to the South, so that we
now have a Western Perry with common
interests and power enough to locate the |
county seat some where on the line of our
r. r.
Lexington acknowledges this in op-
posing our road.
Her only hope is to divide the people
along its line. If she can do this she
the county seat.