Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-08-30
LAKE SHORE & mIcHTcANSoUru
ERN n. n.

publican party had It's existence-before the fat
of the people of this country called the chaotic
elements OF opposition to the corrupt De-
mocraey into the form Of great political organi-
zatOu, these benevolent institutions were taken out
OF the hands OF the Democratic party. That party
had been so faithles to the trust confded to it
By the people, 50 recreant 10 its public duty so in
efficient in the details of its administration that the
people OF the State, acting through the party that
carried the State in 1855, had Wrested the manage
ment OF the lunatic asyiums from the hands OF the
Democratic party. They had done it as an absolute
necessity, and the men who supported the meas
ures that produced the result were not Republicans,
and thousands of them have never been Republic
ans since that time. The management of the
| Northern and Southern asylums for the insane had
been so grossly corrupt well in the construction
of the buildings as in their subsequent management
in the hands of the dominant party, that
| on the accession to power in 1855 of the Know
Nothing and Anti-Nebraska parties in this State,
their management was changed The gentleman
from Wayne (Mr. Eshelman) the other day charged
| that it was the Republican party that made this
changer but history shows that the necessity for this
change grew out OF the fact that the public verdict
was that the Democratic party had grossly, outrage
ously. and persistently mismanaged these institu-
''dr. EsheIman-Win the gentleman from Athens
/ allow word7
| ''Mr. GrOsvenor-Certainly.
"Mr EshlemanI did not say the Republicans
succeeded in 1855. said that the Free Solers and
| Know Nothings succeeded in 1855, and the General
Assembly elected by that combination, on the Sth
OF April 1856, passed laws reOrganizng those inst-
tuhons and sweeping out Of Office every Democratic
| incumbent
| Mr.. GrosTenor-The gentleman from Wayne
W1thoraws the charge that the Republican party in
augurated this system of party blunder in the pub
lie benevolent institutions An examination of the
records of that General Assembly will show that q
majority .Of the members who voted for those bills
were not. and those who are living are not now
members OF the Republican party. The party in op-
position To the Democratic party in this State at that
/ dme-Jhe Know Nothing party-numbered among
its members such distinguished Democrats Of
a later day as Van Trump, Trmble, Campbell, Chase
Hubbell. and score of others. the leading, promi
| nent active men of modern Democracy: men who
rose into political power under the auspices of
secret political organization; men who swore
eternal hostility to the rights of foreigners upon the
soil Of this country; men who marched under the
banner inscribed with the legend, Put none but
Americans on guard tonight and these men who
thus destroyed the DemocTatic party in 1855 have
since been rebaptized into the fullest communion Of
the Democratic organization, and to-day stand forth
| their acknowledged leaders.
| ''Mr Hsag-Will the gentleman inform me what
party il was that organized in opposition to- and did
fight the Know Nothing party as party, not as in
dividuals?
MI Grosyenor-Mr. Speaker. no political party
fought it. Political organizations were swept away,
as the wind drives the chaf before it. The Orgsniza
ton of the Democatic party powerleSs to with
stand the desertions from its ranks. Thousands Of
its enemy. In the Democratic district where I
lived at the time, with a majority of nearly three
thousand, district organized for the express pur-
pose Of sending to Congress citizen OF this town,
Know Nothing was elected by almost three thousand,
revolution of six thousand votes from election
70 another. The Democratic party Bowed its head be-
fore the Juggernaut of religious and national pro
scription and the result was its own destruction
and its rejection from these hospitals for the insane.
It was not the act of the Republican party for the
Republican party had no organized existence until
after the passage of the law OF April g. 1856 As time
progressed and the Republican party became in the
ascendant in the State it naturally took possession
OF these institutions by operation of law-law then
in force; but it never in any instance revOluonized
and changed the organic law of one Of these insitu
spoils thereof now let this Democratic party in
power in Ohio by accident when it takes possession
OF these institutions do 1t upon one of two grounds:
Either, first, that the preamble to this bill is
true and if this be then there is necessity for
/ this act, and demand on the Democratic party is
made by the voice of the people of the State and it
need hesitate it should go straight forward exc
cute the demand of the people and appeal to the
people for support but If this preamble be not true
If in essential particular it is false, then let the
Democratic party put its action upon the other, and
and in my judgment the better ground because the
more truthful that il wants the proceeds of these
omces-the money that is to come from the salaries
that there is political necessity to wrest these in
situtions from the hands of the present occupants
for the sOrdid purpose of transferring the sala
res into the pockets of eamorous Democrats: and
in order to satisfy this Unsuitable outcry for plumber
II IS willing 70 hazard the prosperity OF these 1nSttu
tions and Mr.. Speaker, Justified in saying that
this is the true ground in view of the fact that this
bill increases the salaries of the officers of these in
stutions nearly $40 900 per year. Nhat say you my
Democratic friends to this feature of the bill under
| consideration? You came into power in this State
under platform which demanded retrenchment
and economy in the public expenditure of the money
of the people and this is of your first public acts
Let US see now how your acts compare with your
This bill slightly amended, did pass; and the Re
publicans, in 1876, smarting under the shameful
libel OF their party management and party history
did retake the asylums; but in doing they pro-
vided by law that the Medical Superintendent
should not go out, thus carefully guarding the in
mates from the curse of political changes.
Thus it was shown that it was the Democratic
party which brought the present bad system of re-
organization upon US. We recognized the peniten-
tiary. and no fair man will say we had no reasons
TO do so other than political ones
But onR the sihid General soaaI AseTS
destroyed it It is to-day ruined and defaced
monument OF the patriotism Of the Republican
party, and of the deep seated meanness and hatred
toward dead soldiers by the Democratic party No
explanation can be given for the act.
Iapproaeh this subject with pain and sorrow-
pain that the children and wives of my fallen and
dead comrades suffering under the iron hand of
much, and sorrow that the possibility of groveling
malice and wanton cruelty has been shown to exist
in American hearts, and finds its outgrowth in Ohio
enactments. This law provides:
First-That none but the children of men who
died while in the service or who have since died of
wounds or OF disease contracted while in the line of
cuty of such service shall be admitted to said Home
while the old law provides that the children Of all
and sailors should be received.
Second-Tbat no child can be received, while the
mother is alive under the age OF twelve years; Or
other words after the mother has struggled along
and supported her child until it is capable of assist
ing her in providing living for herself this law
Third-H man is so unfortunate as not to be
on the pension rolls of the government his chill
drpn, no matter how poor and destitute they may
be, are excluded from the Home by this cruel and
outrageous law.
Fourth-No child viii be admitted unless the
guardian or mother agrees to pay to the Trustees the
money received as pension account of the death
of its father. That is the State of Ohio will meanly
rob the poor widow of the little mite she so much
needs to buy bread for herself under the pretense
of charity to her child after that child is old enough
to earn its own living.
That no mistake may be made in this matter 1 |
give below the important sections of the old and new
laws:
THE OLD LAw-REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE
''SEC 13 That there shall be received into said !
Home the children residing in Ohio of deceased in
digent, and permanently disabled soldiers and |
sailors who served in the land and naval services of
the United States during the late rebellion that are
by said board ascertained to be destitute of the
means of support and education; and they shall be
furnished a support and education at said Home un-
til they arrive at the age Of sixteen years. unless for
good reasons sooner discharged Provided, how
ever that said board may permit such of said chill
dren and youth as they deem proper to remain as |
inmates Of said Home, and receive all the benefits |
thereof, until they are eighteen years of age.
SEC IA. That the Trustees OF the Ohio Soldiers |
and Sailors Orphans Home shall afford to all the |
pupils under their charge such agricultural horti-
cultural technical industrial, and art education as
can be made accessible to them.
SEC Is That they shall establish in the grounds |
Of the Home shops wherein suitable trades may be
taupht and Draefipad the TruStaas and rDdar