The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-04-06

Letter from the State Capital.
: COLUMBUS, March 81, 1876.
oLDEN TIME Is STATE POLITICS.

ASOitMhoS, M&ICl lOBOs
oLDEN TIME IN STATE POLITICS.
One part OF the Report of the Sec
retary of State, now just out, has some
statistics of no small interest to those
who love TO speak of the fathers OF
the State. Perhaps there is no tyre in
State history who needs to be told
that our State history began In 1903,
the first General Assembly commence
ing on the first day of the same year.
at -Chillicothc. The Senate consisted
of thirteen members. The scat of the
first man on the list, John Beasiy, was
contested by Joseph Darlington. This
little fact seems to indicate that all il
politics was not lovely in those days
of "honcst men," We are glad to say
that in this matter, dispatch in bust
ness obtained to that extent that the
contestant was awarded his seat or
the third day of the session. Then
as now, Hamilton county led the var
as to members, having four members
of the thirteen. At the "joint session
of the General Assembly, at this time
for the purpose of counting the votes
for Governor, upon the canvass of the
votes, Edward Tiffin was declared
elected Governor, having received
1864 votes with no opponent in the
field. The following were the only
counties at that time, Adams, Belmont,
Clermont, Hamilton, Jefferson, Ross
and Trumbnil. At the second session
of the Legislature the Speaker laid
before the Senate the returns OF the
free white males of the State Ovel
81 years of age, amounting to 12OSs
persons. At the election for Govern
or in 1907, between j. Meigs and Ma.
thaniel Massie, such were the defect.
in the returns, that the defeated can.
ditlate, Massie, contested the seat, but
failed in the contest by vote Oftwen.
ty-four for the ntestee TO twenty foi
the cOntestor. This we think was the
only contested election case relating
to the office Of Governor, occurring in
the history Of the State. The ennmer-
alton of white male citizens, made to
this Legislature, amounted TO over
thirty-one thousand. At the session
assembling Dec. 5, 1908, the name OF
Portage County first appears as send
ing Representative. Thinking list
of these men who have served the
county in the General Assembly may
have some interest to the older read
ers of the Press, if not to the younger
ones, we have noted them, We will
not connect dates with the names. as
this item will not materially add to
the matter, merely saying that they
were elected and served in the order
in which they here appear: Abel Sa-
bin, Benz. Wheadon, Elias Harmon.
who served two terms, Rial Macarthur,
three terms, Moses Adams, three
terms. Darius Lyman, TIVE terms.
Judge Lyman's first term was at the
first session in Columbus. Jonathan
Foster, two terms, Jonathan Slean,
two terms, George Il, DePeyster, two
terms, Wm. Goodman, two terms, fol-
lowed by VIM. Goldman, Jr., enc
term, whether father and son, perhaps
some of our fathers, in this year of
memories can tell us.* Van
X. Humphrey is the next name on the
list, serving two terms, followed by
Thomas Earl. two terms, GreyOry
Powers, one term, Roam Clark, enc
term. Amos Seward, two terms, Jo-
seph Lyman, one term. This list
briugs us down to 1886, when Old
Portage canters into the General As
scmbly with two members, which
prominence our county held unlil
1871, about which time Summit seced.
ed, if our memory serves. These
t,cia members were as follows. in the
session of 1886, Wm. Quinby and
Thos. Shreve in 1887, Solomon Day
and VIM. Wetmere 1888. Elisha Gar
rett and Geo. Kirkum; 1879, II. T..
Spaulding and +. B. Hubbard; 1910,
Jason Streetor and Hiram Giddings.
Perhaps these names, with the date
connected herewith, may awaken in
the memories of some the "sweet re-
frain" of "Tipnecanoe and Tyler too ?
To take mp the list again, we iind the
name of John Streator, one term. but
at the following session. 1912, Messrs,
Thos. Earl and Samuel j. Psrdee
Jointly walked into the capitol build
ing as the representatives of Portage
Comfy. From this point we centin-
ae the list. PIimman G.. Bennett, Rob-
ert +. Paine, Thoa. G.. Shreve, Luther
Russell, VIM. Goldman. Erasmus
Neetlhaia, Cyrus Laughlin. In the
session Of 1850 Portage County again
appeared double handed, ia the per-
SONS OF VIM. Steadman and A. j..
Squire. AT the next session Portage
answered to it's legislative call in the
person of David Rockwell, followed
by S. f. NJ. .Kneeland, whose vacant
seat was aiterward filed by VIM.
Steadman, which brings us down to
the shadows Of The present.
80 1et TE LEGISLATIVE.
In the rush of business which has
characterized the General Assembly
for tho last few days. it is almost inn
possible to determine what has passed
and what has not. The "County Fee
Bill" has not passed the House yet.
The dogs of the State can now retire
to their kennels entirely relieved from
fear of taxation, for after a long and
wordy discussion, the bill failed to
pass. Some of the members preferred
to furnish mutton for the dogs OF the
State rather than to run the risk OF