The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-05-07

Total vote 1880. And a gain over the
highest vote ever cast, that of 1848, 1867
votes.
The majority obtained by this increase
of vote for New Lexington was 292
votes Conceding to her the highest
vote ever cast before in those five town
ships, New Lexington would have been
beaten 90 votes in 1851. This great
fraud, proves majority to have been
with Somerset; that the Represent
ative did not represent majority in
asking vote; that if he did, Perry
county alone had not elected him; and
therefore he was guilty of a breach of
confidence in springing the question.
This proceeding, as might be expected,
greatly excited the friends of Somerset,
who had good reason for believ1ne them
selves the victims of perfdy on the part
of the Legislature in permitting vote,
of fraud in polling the vote, and of
treachery on the part of their Represent
ative, who disclaimed any intention to
press the question before the Legislature,
whilst canvassing for his nomination.
believing themselves thus victimized,
the friends of Somerset enjOined Remov-
al and demanded another vote. This
was granted by the first Legislature un-
der the New Constitution of Ohio, and a
vote was taken, resulting in. majority
for Somerset. But this vote was even
than the first vote on the part of New
Lexington, and the law under which IT
was taken in 1858, was pronounced un-
constitutional for want of form. The
vote, therefore, of 1858 was null and
void. The county seat, therefore, after
having remained at Somerset SO years
from the date of its establishment, was,
in January, 1857, removed to New Lex
ington by virtue of the vote of 1851--a
vote which have shown to be fraudulent
It has remained there ever since, and is
there now by reason of that fraud, and
because the bill passed to give us sec
ogd vote was not drawn so as to conform
to the New Constitution. Thus you
have the reasons
WHY WE LOST THE COUNTY SEAT,
and the reasons why New Lexington OBJ
| tanned it. / now come to the vote Of
1859. This was obtained for the reasons
already mentioned, and because the Leg
islature was swift to grant us a chance
to redress our wrongs. We took a vote
in 1859, and the majority of New Lex
ington was 800. The friends of Somer
set petitioned for this vote. On theil
petitions were 1924 names, which thu
Legislative Committee says it has reason
to believe were all genuine voters. Thi
was proved to be correct by the vote fol
lowing for Somerset, 1859 in number
The committees of both Houses believed
the 1924 petitioners to be a majority o
the legal vote at that time. The high
: est vote ever cast at any Presidential
election previons to 1859, was the vot
of 1S48, and was 3803-the vote of 1856
was 1925. Somerset having, in 1855
cast in her favor 1859 votes, a majorit,
of the highest vote ever cast at any cleo
tion for President, or any other office
may dispute that she was fairly beaten il
1859.
THE EFFECTS OF LOSING THE COUNT,
SEAT
on values of property was disastrous be
yond description. The sum total wa
placed year after by good judges a
100000. This may readily be concede
} when, in a town of 1900 inhabitant
property, which cost $4,000 to bull
when labor and material were cheaI
r was sold for 81 ,666s. 1 allude to thi
r only as an illustration Of the sufferin
|. in those times, and from those cause
Some of our business men thought then
!; selves as entirely ruined as if the tore
;; of the incendiary had done its dreadfI
q work of desolation.
o AS winter Is followed by Spring tim
e so are the misforiunes of men and con
e munities often followed by sunshine an
: prosperity. Somerset has endured h
; winter, and the beams of better day a
dawning upon her. She has smitten Il
! rock in her wilderness with the rod
r her genius so that mountains have ope
J. ed to the passage of car-tralns as the re
y sea opened to the children of Israel. III
W echoes which slumbered in silence sin
Ie the dawn of creation, she has made
J" answer the whistle of the engine and Il