The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-18
en- to become members Of tho contest.

however strong tho case may be for the con.
"such a thing is unheard of in a contest by
political body when successful contest
would surrender the control of that body to
It's political opponents"
December. To- 1895, about two weeks before
the Legislature met, and doubtless before
the eminent Judge had heard from that great
legal light-that star of the first magnitude
in the galaxy OF tack-o-anterns the phos.
phorcscent exhalutions from corruption and
decay, and produced only in swamps,
indoctrinated with the modern Republican
idea that official oaths, parliamentary rules
and statutory and constitutional law should
never arrest or restrain the contamination OF
a partisan design. who by the grace of a mis-
guided, deceived and deluded people has been
permitted to rnttle around In the seat of
and who has been fawned upon and flat
tered by the yulturcs Of his party, who, while
desired until his little mind is greatly per.
picked by the attempt to solve the problem
whether the Almighty created him or he ere.
the rule of law, by the Republican Judge, In
an opinion pronounced by Republican papers
and partisan leaders as sound and invulncr.
the Hamilton County Senators not only to be-
come members of the contestng body but
also entitled them to sit and vote In their own
cases or the cases of each other" was an In
surmountable obstacle to the rape of the
Senate 80 necessary to the complete consum-
nation of the objects desired. That rulo OF
law, as we have stated, was announced after
full and careful delberation, and with full
understanding of all that Is implied, for 1t
was upon the fact tina such was the effect of
holding the certificate that the Jurisdiction
of the Court in mandamus was predicated
and urged by the eminent lawyers retained
by the National Republican Committee and
he faee 1r es could a TO be
indignant ut the rulings of the roaring
lilliput, styled Lieutenant Governor. that al
though the Senators from Hamilton County
come members of the Senate, they were not
entitled "to sit and vote in their ewn cases or
the cases of each other"
take upon His lnsignitcancy was the fact
that before the journal of the Senate contain
ing such ruling could be published, the vol
ume OF the Supreme Court reports containing
the dissenting opinion would be published,
and in this way the foot Of the great Justice
would crush the lilliput.
Imagine, then, the surprise and disgust
naturally and necessarily felt when, about
the 1st of June. the volume OF reports con-
tanning this dissenting opinion came out, we
ing with the words "this entities them to sit
and vote in their own cases and in the cases
of zach other, had been left out.
Upon this astounding discovery of the mu-
tilaton of this opinion for partisan ends who
would pot.adopt its language and say, "My
regret at this decision is deeper than can be
expressed in words?''
sit is an apparent, If not real, sanction to
frauds of the most atrocous character crimes
that If continued will ultimately destroy our
representative system of Government"
Whether frauds were or were not committed
In the City of Cincinnati at the October cleo
ton, 1885, in any rational point of view has
II frauds were committed, they were com
mittcd by individuals and by those assuming
to be members of each of the parties, and to
counteract the effect of such frauds, to undo
a fhnrahv
party or to the individual citizen all that had
been lost by such alleged frauds. abundant
provision was made by law and to punish
statutes of this State made ample provisions.
A representative Government must ever
rest for its safety and .pcrpetuity upon writ
ten constitutions and their strict observance
by the law-making department of the Govern
ment and their firm, unbiased enforcement
by the Judiciary.
The ten Democratic members from Hamil-
ton County rece we'd their certificates of elec-
tion and were sworn In rs members of the
House of Representatives at the beginning of
this State. and the laws made in pursuance
thereof, they could be ousted of their seats
only upon contest made and prosecuted in
pursuance of the provisions of the law and
in which both parties to the contest should
have full. complete and untranmeled oppor-
tunty to be heard.
The constitution makes each House Judge
of the election, returns and qualifications of
its own members, but 10 PREVENT the practice
adopted by the House of Representatives. in
the matter of the contest of the seats of the
Hamilton County members the constitution
requires that "the General Assembly shall
determine by law, before what authority
and in what manner the trial OF contested
elections shall be conducted"
In pursuance of this provision of the Con-
stitutiOn, laws were passed and in force ut
the time of the organization of the present
had been settled for years In this State. who
were entitled to be sworn in as members.
The Republicans, having majority of six
at the organization of the House, in papnble
wanton violation of the provisions of the
constitution and the laws regulating the
manner of the trial of the contested elections
of its members, without trial or any pretense
of a trial, without hearing or any opportunity
to be heard. without even the forrnalities or
decencies usually accorded by Judge Lynch,
VINO g,oties d IN t tne raGe tnma ne ne noids ms
first days of the session ousted nine men, bers
from Hamilton County and seated nine others
In their place.
Every man who participated in this outrage
was guilty Of u more reprehensfb!e corrupt
ing, debasing and criminal violation of the
law than any alleged to have occurred at the
They occupied the position OF lawmakers.
and posed as defenders of the constitution. of
the sacred heritage of liberty, OF pure and
and fostering of all which in their purity and
integrity we can only rely for the preserva-
tiOn of free government and the protection
misgiving or hesitation, brushed aside as
worthless and of no validity the constitution
and the means prescribed by law for purging
the ballot of fraud and ascertaining the will
of the people, and thereby perpetrnted q
fraud in comparison with which all the
frauds they allege, if proved, would be OF
little consequence.
When passion maiicously incited shall
cease to rule, and reason asserts her sway
admitting all that has been alleged of Fourth
Ward A, the crime and atrocity of the House
tNt RnnrnSanfnfiVns nnmlnittai
delibcration, premeditation and malice was
far more reprehcnsible and deplorabe in it:
consequences.
Tho question is not what would have been
the result of a trial of the contests in the
manner prescribed by law, hut 1t is the de
structiye, disrupting, disintegrating effeci
upon the people of wanton disregard of the
law by men chosen to be aw.makers, what
ever the motives may be that actuated them.
Leaders in the party-men who were as
sumed to have such influence as would en-
able them to stay this action of the House oi
Represcn atives when twas first forcshad
Owed-were appealed to to save the State thi
foul disgrace, but such appeals were made II
vain.
To-day the party leaders glory in thei
shame, and proudly brand sh the dagger
reeking in the blood of the assassinated con
stitution. The Senate, though proceeding
with more deliberation in tho consideration
| of the contests from Hamilton County, VIII
equally unmindtui of constitutional restric
tions and inhibitons have already allude,
TO the characteristic rulings of the parlia
! nentary monstrOsity who presided over tn,
! sessions of the Senate-such rulings as II,
man fit to preside over such body or VIII,
! had any character or reputation to sustain
would dare make.
| His vanity and pride are greatly elated a
| the thought that he has done what no re
| spectacle man would do, and that his nerv
was sufficient for the accomplishment O
the vilest work. thereby emphasizing tn
truth that fools rush in where angels fear Il
| tread"
| As an individual II is of little importance
| what his rulings were, as no one wou eve
| imperil his reputation by citing them a
| precedents, but as the instrument,the mouth
| piece of his party and its leaders his ruling