Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-05-07

HN
Uur aminble cotemporary continues to
harp upon the bribery Of the legislature
still barks at the hole" as persistently as
BEECHER's dog. We sheuld think it would
become exhausted after awhile and itself
crawl into the hole, and then draw in the
hole after it.
Notwithstanding all the fuss and feath-
ers of the S.@t'RS the question still remains,
was there any wrong or harm done in the
passage OF the Enabling Act? Under the
old constitution, when county seats were es-
tablished by legislative act, harm might
be and was done by influencing the minds
of legislators by the use OF improper con-
siderotions, But, under our present consti-
tuition, the seats of justice OF county can
not be changed without a majority Of all
the votes cast at a general election shall be
in favor of q removal. The constitution
makes the electors Of the county the Jury
to try that case, and the legislature dis
charges its whole duty when, acting as a
court, it sends the case to the jury under
proper instructions and Limitations. 1t
should also, probably, serve as check to
prevent an abuse of this constitutional
right, as might be the case by an Inaugural
ton of a county seat contest every yenr or
two. But, unfortunately, a greater or less
number of our solons have, upon every
occasion when this question came before
them, sought to magnify themselves by as
suming to decide the question upon its merits
and thereby usurping the very right reserv-
ed to the people. With the merits of the
case the General Assembly has nothing to
do. II it grants an Enabling Act and a
majority vote for removal, it is right that
the removal should take place as the ma
jority should govern, ii the majority
should vote against, then no harm has
been done.
Now, Perrysburg and its friends have
done nothing save asking the legislature
to submit the question to the jury provided
by the constitution. And when thousands
OF electors made the request there ought not
To have been a moments hesitation in
complying with it. There probably would
not have been but for the opposition of
Bowling Green. 1t fought persistently and
spent thousands OF dollars to prerent he
people Of The exercise Of a constitutional right
1t sought to dictate to the county where it
should do its public business; while upon
the other hand Perrysburg only asked for
an expression Of choice by the people them
selves. Was that request of which any
one can justly complain? We think not,
Yet b. g. did oppose it-and why2 Evil
IDENTIFY because it was afraid to trust the
people of the county with the decision of a
question Of deep interest to everyone Of
them.
But grant, for the sake of argument, that
a majority of the Legislature were bribed,
with Sl5 or any other sum, to pass the En-
abling Act. Has any harm been done by
ii? Is anyone injured thereby? Is not
the county seat still at Bowling Green ?
And will it not remain there through all
time to come unless the people of the coun-
ty, the sovereign power upon this question,
TW it otherwise? Coru planting time has
came again our business men are actively
engaged, as usual society has not been dis
rupted and tnrned into chaos, and our
county officials sit in their easy chairs at
B. @. as serene and happy as good, fat sal.
aries can make them. No one then has
cause to complain unless it may be Perrys-
burg which was forced, through the perver-
sity OF B. c., tn spend large sum Of money,
to-witi FIFTEEN DOLLARS or more %
secure TO the people Of Ae county the priyil-
ege OF exercising constitutional right.
Then why this incessant barking at the
hole" when there is nothing in il? Evil
IDENTIFY with the sole object of creating, II
possible, prejudice in the minds OF its
readers against Perrysburg But the alze
is too thin. 1t has, throughout the whole
controversy, occupied position antagonis-
tic TO the people, and they will not fail TO
discover the motive which prompts its pres
ent course. They know the question is sub
mitted to them as the court Of last resort
they are ready and willing to act as Jurors
in the case and all, so far as we can learn,
both the friends Of Perrysburg and Bowling
Green, with the exception Of those immedi-
ately At the county seat, are glad that this
bone Of contention Is TO be finally disposed
ot