Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-11-05
WHAT WILL BE DONE
WITH THE HAMILTON COUNTY
AND OTHER ELECTION CON-
TESTS WHEN THE OHIO
LEGISLATURE MEETS.
The Democrats Will Submit to No
Revolutionary Action.
Prospects of an Exciting Time and a
Possible Failure of the Senate
to Organize.
[Plain Dealer Special. J


Ohio Legislature meets the Republicans
will have majority of six in the house.
If the Democratic senators-elect from
Hamilton are admitted on their certlfi-
Gates the Democrats will have ma
jority of three in the senate, giving the
Republicans majority of three on
joint ballot.
The Republican scheme, however, is
TO get some sort of certificates for their
four men from Hamilton county by
means of legal proceedings, and present
them at the bar of the senate when
that body convenes to be sworn in.
p AS matters stand now, the clerk OF
Hamilton county has been enjoined
from issuing certificates to the Demo-
cratic candidates. There are proceed
ings pending in the circuit court to
compel the clerk to issue certificates to
the Republican candidates. If these
proceedings fail, or if in the event that
the court so orders the county clerk
should refuse to heed the mandate of
the court, there will be no senators
from Hamilton county competent to
qualify when the senate convenes. This
would leave seventeen Republicans and
sixteen Democratic senators, and
neither party would have constitu-
tional majority, and neither, without
the assistance of the other, could
organize the senate. ..fE. /,
If, in this case, the Republicans of
Hamilton county on their bogus certiti-
Gates. the Democrats by withdrawing
or refusing to answer to their names on
roll call could break quorum and
= nothing could be done.
- IInit tnA
could be taken, and no law passed as
long as it might please either faction to
hold out. In so far as the election OF
United States senator is concerned II
would undoubtedly please the Demo
Gratis to hold out to the end of the ses.
sion and indefinitely. ....a
But the weakness of the Republican
position is here: BY constitutional
provision, Lieutenant Governor War
wick will call the new senate to order
and preside at its organization. ne
will swear in the senatOrs-elect. The
clerk of the last senate will make up the
roll of the new, and determine primt
facia what senators have proper certifl
Gates and what names should be PLACED
on the roll. If the Democratic candi
dates bearing certificates from the clerl
of the Hamilton county courts, IN due
and proper form, present themselves a
the bar of the senate to be sworn in a!
= senators, their names will be called ant
they will be duly sworn in as senators
And then ifthe Republicans desire t
contest their seats, they will have tina
right and privilege. But in the mean
time the senate will be Democratic.
The Democratic position will be tina
the constitution gives each Legislative
body the exclusive right to determin
as to the qualifications of its own mem
bers, and no court can properly inter
fere. They will stand upon this .!
their constitutional right; and viii
maintain that any attempt to thrus
any persons into the senate as member
of that body by virtue of legal proceed
ings would be revolutionary and
usurpation to be resisted to the utmos
extremity. /. -,
Therefore, one Of two things will hap
pen: The four Democratic candidate
for senator from Hamilton county vii
be admitted to their seats upon certif
Gates given them by the coonty clerk
Hamilton county, the only competen
authority to issue certificates, or n
senators from Hamilton county will b
admitted, and no vote will be taken Q
United States senator next winter.
If the four senators from Hamilto
county are admitted, the Republica
majority on joint ballot will be br
three, and with that small q majorit
John Sherman cannot be elected SEM
tor. 1t may be said that the Republ
cans having majority in the house ca
unseat enough Democrats to increa'
their own majority sufficiently. TIL
may be undertaken, but it will
dangerous. The senate will be DEM
cratic and two can play at that game.
Everything considered, the prospe
is for an interesting session of the le
islatilre next winter. "