The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-09-30

Z, corruptly used in many instances tn
: price of votes being from SIS to $500
, One hundred, however, was the rulin
rate. Five members of the House, fou
/ Democrats and one Republican, were i'm
plicated. Then came a cry for adjourn
. ment. 1t was in vain that the Republ
cans and the better class of Democrat
demanded that no adjournment shoult
take place until the matter was sifted t
, the bottom; that the honor of the limo
cent as we'll as the punish ment of tn,
guilty required that this should be done
that suspicious having been created re
fecting injuriously upon the whole body
it was the right of every honest man to
have the subject investigated, that the
disgrace might be placed where it be
longed. Whether from the fear of still
further damaging developments, or in
obedience to the universal demand o
the Democratic press, am unable to
say, but it was resolved that there should
be an immediate adjournment The
committee hastily made a report pre-
senting the three following resolutions
for adoption:
Resolved, That George L, Converse
Hiram Murlin, and James S. Gordon, be
exonerated from all blame in the matter
in question.
''ResoLved, That John Baker, T. J.
| White, and E. NJ Walker, are deserving
of censure by the House for their conduct
in the matter of the Wood County bill.
| "Resolved, That this committee recon-
mend that John M. Haag and John M.
| Cooley be brought before the bar of the
| House, and be severely reprimanded by
| the Speaker, for their conduct in con-
nection with the Wood County BILL
| The second and third resolutions if
adopted would carry disgrace and politi-
cal death to every one named therein.
| Four members of the committee thought
| they ought to have been resolutions of
expulsion, but even as it was, the House
refused to pass them, and in their stead
adopted resolutions fully exonerating
the accused from all blame. Can a legis-
lative body reach lower depth than
this Appoint committee to investi-
gate charges of corruption, find that the
charges are true, and then with full
knowledge of the fact, by solemn vote,
endorse and whitewash the conduct of
the convicted parties and send them
forth to the world with certificates of
good characterl Of course, by this time
the state of feelings in the House be-
tween members was anything but har-
monious. Gordon denounced the action
of the House as cowardly and dishonest.
The '1le" frequently passed between
members; the sergeants-atarms were
kept constantly on the alert to prevent
personal assaults; and in the midst of
this confusion, with the stencil Of corrup
ton upon its garments, and while more
in the condition of riotous mob than a
deliberative assembly, the House of Rep
resentatives adjourned
Now, Lay friends, / have given you
only faint glimpse of the last Ohio Leg
islature, touching here and there a point
to show its peculiar beauties. The pic
ture is not overdrawn. There are many
other acts which deserve notice. Ispeak
of these things in sorrow. These acts of
corruption, these disgraceful scenes of
confusion, bribery, and fraud have
brought everlasting disgrace upon the
State and dishonor upon the people.
The grand commonwealth, of which you
and l have been so proud all these years,
now hangs her head in shame and con-
fusion. Bribery has stalked into her
legislative halls, dishonesty and corrup-
ton have laid their hands and made
their mark upon her statute books, her
high places are made foul, and that too,
by the party which obtained the power
to commit these wrongs under promises
of retrenehment purity, and reform.
This is what Mr.. Pendleton calls an
honest" and wise" administration.
How has the administration been in
other respects? One promise made to
the people was that the burden of taxa
tion should be lessened Has this prom
Use been kept? No. On the contrary, |
while the levy for some purposes has
been lessened, the expenditures and the
general aggregate of taxes has been large |
ly increased The Democracy have had |
possession of the State and are response
BILE for the tax lev1es for the years 1874 |
and 1875 By reference to the report of
the Auditor of State for the year 1874 |
you will find that the aggregate amount
of taxes for that year in the State, in
Guiding delinquences and forfeitures. is
$26, ,837, 196 90, and for the year 1875 they
will be $27, ,6l4, 729 16. Now, the high
est tax in the aggregate ever levied in
Ohio under Republican administration
was $26, 13l 1857. So that the first year
the Democracy were in power there was
an increase of taxes amounting to $705,
73l, and in the second year, LAP, 1868
Putting the two years together you find
over 100000 added to the burden of
taxation IN the State, and what is still
worse, we shall be behind in the payment
of the principal and interest on the pub
lie debt falling due January, 1876, more
thsn $500,000, so that the credit of the
State is likely to be seriously impaired.
These facts need no comment.