Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-04-24
THE COUNTY SEAT.
81. (1airsVtlIe Wins for the Third
Time and no Charm for
RemOgalists.
The Removal Bill Killed i'm the
Shell.

crossed the attention OF the people OF
this county for the past two months
much to the detriment of legitimate bu,
siness interests, was decided last Thurs
day in the Legislature. The Committee
on County Affairs, to whom was refer
red the House bill of Mr.. Danford, au-
thorizing a vote on the removal of the
Seat of Justice, after having visited this
county and examined the claims of both
parties, made the following report:
The Committee on New Counties and
County Affairs, to whom was referred
H. B. No. SS4, to remove the Seat of JUS
tice to Bellaire, together with sundry
petitions for removal, as also remOn-
strances against removal, having had the
same under consideration, beg leave to
report that we have given the matter a
careful examination, and for this pur-
pose visited Bellaire and looked at the
location to be provided for county build
ings in case of removal, and believe
there is within the city limits of Bell
aire suitable site for said buildings.
We also visited St. Clairsville, the pres
ent Seat of Justice, and gave the county
buildings, grounds, &C., careful exam
ination. We find the buildings small,
old and inconvenient, yet well preserved
for their age-we find no objection to the
location. We have therefore come to
the conclusion that in these times of de-
preston, and opposition to increase of
taxes, the Committe report back III. B.
No. SS4, to provide for the removal of the
Seat of Justice of Belmont county from
st. Clairsville to Bellaire in said county,
and recommend the indefinite postpone
ment of the bill, also petitions and re-
mOnStrances, and ask to be discharged
from the further consideration of the
same.
Upon the introduction of the report
Mr.. Danford, who had charge of the bill,
moved that it be engrossed for third
reading, which motion if carried would
have left the bill in shape to discuss
upon its merits, and to put upon final
passage. Here, we may remark that it
is almost the universal custom out of
courtesy to the author of a bill, to per-
mittit to be engrossed, even though it be
clear that there is no possibility of it be-
ing passed by the House. So common is
this rule that during the present session
of the Legislature, up to that time, there
had been no departure from it. The Op-
ponents of the measure desired that the
bill be engrossed and set down for
special hearing at futnre day, but OBJ
lection was made to this, and after re-
marks in favor Of engrossment, by Dan
ford, Wright, of Hamilton, Doc. Norton,
of Seneca, and Covert, of Cleveland
and against the same by 0glevee, of
Springfield, the yeas and nays were call
ed on the motion to engroSs, resulting
in Al yeas and 81 nays. Thus the bill
was killed without coming to direct
vote on its merits. The friends of the
measure consulted together as to the
advisability of attempting to reconsider
the vote by which the bill was laid
away, but it was determined that any
such attempt would show the real weak
ness of the measure in the House, and it
was abandoned. We remark here that
careful poll of the House was made
on the merits of the bill, after the vote
was taken, on the question of engross-
ment, and the fact was developed that
not more than 20 out of the 106 men,
bers of the House would have voted for
the bill, so that in any event there was
not ghost of a chance for the success
of the measure. In the Senate it would
have Jared still worse, it being claimed
on reliable information that not more
than one Senator in addition to the gen.
tleman from West Wheeling, would
have supported the measure. The fact
is, that the history and experiences of
various sections in Ohio where like
measures have affected the people, have
impressed themselves upon the history
of the State so deeply that Legislatures
are G6 ir1itio opposed to the agitation of
questions like this, fraught as it is with
disaster to the interests of the county,
and general destruction of the AMIGA
bic relations existing between different
sections. We are satisfied that after the
sober second thought comes to the rea-
sonable and thinking men who signed
the petition asking for vote, that they
will thank the Legislature for relieving
the people of Belmont county from en-
gaging in squabble which would have
a strife lasting for genera
tions, and have been subversive of the
vital interests of the county. Now that
the question is settled, and the bitter
ness which would have arisen if a vote