The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-04-20
THE OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

THE OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Adjourned yesterday Wednesday, to
meet again next January. The Assem-
bly, was strongly Republican in both
branches and exceedingly partisan. One
of the principal objects of their labor the
past winter was changing the laws regu-
lating the Benevolent Institutions Of the
State, so as to get out the Democrats and
put in their own hungry crew as far as
they could. Probably never in the his
tory of the State was there a General
Assembly more narrow in character and
wholly partisan, Their acts interfering
with the government of the cities of Gin
cinnati and Cleveland were unworthy
decent partisan rule. The Columbus cor
respondent of the Enquirer in late issue
ofthat paper devotes long letter to the
doings and character of the Assembly,
from which we make the following ex-
tracts
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF CINCINNATI
They have reorganized our city govern
ment there, parcelihg it out between Gov
ernor Hayes and a Board of Public
Works, which they confidently expected
to have altogether within their party
lines. They have abolished our police
and put us in the hands of the State Con-
stabulary. They have organized for a
reign of Tweedism, and if it fails to come
about within the next three or five years,
it will either be because the law is re-
pesled, or because the men the Demo-
cratic. party chose are above the corrupt
ing influences of such great temptation.
In all the long session which has now
neared its close, the self-constituted Com
mittee of Safety has crouched like toad
at the side of this Republican Legisla-
ture, whispering to them how they can
best accomplish their ends and kill off
Home Rule altogether in the city of Gin
cinnati.
Then they have reorganized the State
institutions. Not single one has esCa-
ped this process. The object was simply
to legislate Democrats out of Office and
Republicans into power. The asylums
have been overturned to no good pur-
pose. The penal and reformatory insti
tutions have been reorganized to give
places to party claCquers, and the whole
autonomy of the State changed to suit
their interests. This has been done at
the edicts of their caucus and under the
gag rule. The minority has had no
rights that they respected. Everything
was decided by caucus. Whenever dis
Cussion was attempted, the previous
question came down like guillotine to
shut off debate
The Office of
COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY
has been abolished as another party
measure 1t would be fair to expect that
a time like the present, when the gigan.
tic frauds of public servants were being I
brought to light on every side, a super
ior body of men like the present Legis-
lature of Ohio, would endeavor to retain
every safeguard they WEI able to, over
the money of the people. The Comp
troller of the Treasury held a place of
trust to guard the interests and the mon
ey of the State. He acted as check on
the Auditor of State and the Treasurer
ofState. No Democratic Legislature ever
attempted to abolish the Office, though
its incumbent during the existence of the
last General Assembly was Republican.
1t tremained for Republican Ii gislature
to do this, and the time chosen was when
the stealings of public officers were so
frequent and so gigantic as to make The
public mind feverish, and to even raise
The question of the success of self-govern-
nent. No body of men with a proper
of their duties to their con-
ititnents would dare to do such thing
L such q time