The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-08-07

to his tellow-D Democrats, when upbraided
by them: "Treat me as hereto, for
have q VEN Of heresy in me that
will not allow me to be orthodox in any
thing" And 20 they did and he was un.
molested in his abolitiouism. But it must
be mentioned that the first rule of the anti
slavery men then was, that slavery should
be abolished only by the action OF the
States.
In 1884 Mr.. R. became one of the found
ers of the still existing German Society o.
Cincinnati.
In 1886 he was the principal mover fol
the establishment of the Volksblatt. HI
made many speeches for the Democrats ii
Hamilton, Dayton, Lawrenceburg, Indian
apolis and Cincinnati His Grafton Tin Ger
MANI on the Fourth of July in the same
year gave him fame as a speaker.
In 1840 he was active IN the Van Buren,
Harrison Campaign against Harrison
though personally friendly with the General
who had indeed taken his oatl
of allegiance as a Clerk o.
Court of Common Pleas. and haC
been good customer at his store. "Princi
Piles not men" was his motto. Mr.. Rict
was in this same year proposed for the
Legislature but declined in favor of the ole
German Pioneer, Myers.
In 1874 Mr.. r. was nominated and elected
to the House of Representatives Of Ohio
He served In the sessions 184445 aud
1856. He was then elected to the Senate
and served until 1848, when in pursuance
of an understanding had among the retiring
Senators, he declined a denomination. II
was a well meant act, but mistake. He
had given the key note against the ther
medidated political division of Hamilton
county, and he should have remained in the
Senate during the session in 184S49: fol
thele he was needed.
In 1850 he was elected to the Constitu.
tional Convention. The published debates
show that he was both an earnest and &C
tive member. ,a5 ev5f....-. a..4se
As legislator he announced, in 1856,
the principles on taxation which science has
since adopted, viz: that all one-sided, sin.
gle-object taxation, be it per capita, or
property, income or consumption, always
ended in oppression, and particularly so il
Republics with universal suffrage.
HIS reports on bank taxation, on German
printing, etc., were extensively published
the latte in Germany. elf
In 1852 Mr.. r. was candidate fol
Congress, but was defeated. He declined
to be candidate for nomination before {
convention in which few men had fore
stalled the results, and then went before tht
people and defeated every candidate tina
was "a member Of the cabal. * II
October of the same year the par
ty was in a minority of over 1000
but in November, by the exertions OF, Mr.
R., Pierce received over 1000 majority IL
the same Hamilton county.
Mr.. r. was an ardent opponent Of tn
repeal of the Missouri Compromise. 1i=H,
In 1S54-5 the Auditor and Secretary
of State, appointed him Bank Commission
er His report to the Legislature is replet'
with valuable information
In 1856 he supported Fremont for Prosi
dent, believing him to be 4 true Democrat
In 1855 he voted for Medill for Governor
but Chase proved to be the successful can
didate. 80
In 1856 Chase appointed Mr.. R., Com
missioner of the Reform School. He Wis
tied Europe, at his own expense, an,
brought back plans for a Reform Farm
which the General Assembly approved
They were carried out in the Reform Farm
at Lancaster, under Mr., RS supervision
The failure of the Trust Company, an,
the Bhss-Gibson and Bresiin Treasury de
falcation,- compelled the calling of an In
| c1,o,>o a
it, Morgan, Edgerton and CReemelin wer
chosen by the Legislature. Mr.. R. did
full share of the work, and he asked Gov
Chase early to relieve him from a part G
his duties, as to the State Reform Farm
He suggested to the Governor, that b
making him an assistant commissioner j
lieu Of being the acting one, thi
could be done. Chase delayed fo
reasons not necessary to be state
here, and finally Mr.. R. declined preemptol
lily and relinquished $500 OF his salary a
Reform School Commissioner, because b
did not want to receive double pay.
! The man whom Mr.. r. had recommende
for acting Commissioner was overlooked,
second-rate one appointed, and Mr.. R. wa
left out entirely. And thus the institutio
has never been perfected according to th
| In the report on the investigs
ton, as above, Mr.. R. promu
gated a rule of action as to public improve
ments, which several political scientists hav
now accepted; viz: that the transportaho
on roads must not be subjected to more tina
fcost of current repairs and maintenance {
else they are not the Public Works as the
should be; for they would then oppress il
stead of promoting trade. He contende
i that the first cost Of building schools, road
and similar public establishments must /
treated as public expense and not as i,
vestments for earning interest. -.
In 1860 Mr.. r. was the Senatorial electt
on the Breckinridge ticket. He stumpe
40 counties of the State at his own expens'
! After the election he wrote for comm
tee an address to the South, warning thel
against arbitrary secession.
| When the war came he cast every vol
against it, but he never joined in any
the secret movements or conspiracies. Whe
upbraided by war Democrats for voting an
voting against the war he said: ri4
"As long as there are elections, wi
vote my convictions. As believe thu
we would have had no war, If we ha
statesmen instead of partisan politicians
| the head of our public affairs, must kee
testifying against it. Why will you kee
| up elections, if voting our ideas is to be d
nounced as wrong?" - la5 80 !.
Mr.. R. supported Gen. McC Clellan IL 1876
and Gov. Seymour in 1868. In Is 72
voted for Charles O. 'Connor. He kept alo.
from the Democratic party on the Resum]
ton question. He had said, in 1841, g,
is always wrong to suspend, and alway
right to resume, 1 and .Hs those who , know m, M
adopted, means with him life coEyic6o,
He adhered in 1S7O-7S to what he had al
inounced in 1841, and condemned of cour,
the whole series Of pretended finance th,
began by forced laws in 1862, and ended
a wild mass of pecuniary blunders in shal
Presumption. 5ls vigs.l s,tlf 81 st..5.5y
+ He also looked through, the trickery
Sherman's pretended reforms, and expose