Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-26
THE Centennial HISTORY OF OHIO.
NJ w.TARRAND FKLoH.
Copyrighted. AHrights rsssrrsd.l ]
PULLING CLOTH.

PURSUING the subject OF early days,
our Oldest Inhabitants relates that when
a boy, there was a singular kind
of useful sport among them in some
parts of the new west where no better
means of fulling existed. When the
primitive process Ofspinning and weav-
ing performed by simple means in the
cabin of the settler, had been complet-
ed, his neighbors from near and far (for
q "ueighbor" might then live miles
away were invited to grand kicking
frolic." Upon their arrival the web,
well soaked with soap and water, was
thrown in a slippery mass on the clean
floor In the center of the cabin. The
men of the company, taking off their
foot-gear and rolling their trousers to
the knee, seated themselves fiat on the
floor about it and awaited the signal to
begin. This given, each stalwart
pioneer struck out vigorously against
the web, his kicks being met by
ATHLETIC STROKES FROM THE KICKER
OPPOSITE
Him. 1t was the object of every one to
send so much force through his part of
the web as to lay his opponents back
on the floor; and very quick, strong,
and long-sustained the kicking of the
hardy borderers is said to have been.
Everything was done with the utmost
good nature, and great was the amuse-
ment resulting. From time to time the
merry women of the party would dash
more soapsuds upon the battered heap,
the men around it coming in for the
bath. When the exercise had gone far
enough, the woOlen was as thoroughly
fulled as it would be by the modern
and swifter processes, and the fullers
were equally soaked with perspiration,
soft soap and water. When all were
dried and rested, and had resumed their
lower integuments, they Joined their
danes and daughters with hearty ap-
petite in the abundant meal of pioneer
viands that always followed.
THE ''swEEPING" RESOLUTION.
During this period of history but two
importants events occurred, worthy of
special notice: Burr's expedition in
1906, and the "Sweepingn Resolution
of 1910. The former, which concerns
more the history of the entire west than
of the State, we have reverted to in
our sketch of Blennerhassett. The
Sweeping Resolution of 1910 produc
ed great excitement among the popu-
lace of that early day. Atwater says:
"Our Legislature had passed an act
giving Justice of the Peace jurisdiction
without the aid of jury in the first in
stance, in the collection of debts, in all
cases, where the demand did not ex-
ceed fifty dollars. Inasmuch as the
constitution of the United States gives
a jury in all such cases where the
amount claimed is twenty dollars; and
inasmuch too, as anything in our laws
or constitution, contrary to the pro-
visions of the National constitution is
utterly void and of no effect, the Judges
of all our courts declared this act of our
Legislature void and of no effect This
independence of our judges inflamed
the Legislature to high degree. So
they proceeded to punish these honest
and CONSCIENTIOUS officers of justice.
the House of Representatives i'm
peached the judges, and having a ma
jOrity of twO-thirds in the Senate they
proceeded against them in due form
and removed them from office. Judges
Sprigg, Tod and Pease were successive
ly removed in the years preceding 1909
10 for this cause and in this way. All
things seemed to bend before the arbi-
trary will of the omnipotent General
Assembly; but in the autumn of 1909
the people did not elect "Sweepers"
enough to the Senate to enable the
House to carry an impeachment
through the Senate"
This caused the Legislature to adopt
the famous Sweeping resolution Of
1910. which reads as follows:
"ResOiUed, BY the Geaeral Assem-
bly, OF the State of Ohio, that the con-
stltution OF the State having limited
and defined the term ofoffice which the
judges of the Supreme Court, the
Presidents and judges of the Court of
Common Pleas, the Secretary of State,
the Auditor and Treasurer of State;
and also the mode of filling vacancies
by the Legislature, it cannot of right,
be constructed to extend beyond the
end Of the original term for which the
first officers were appointed"
In the House the vote stood twenty
seven yeas to eighteen nays. In the
Senate, which finally passed it January
18, 1910, the vote stood fourteen affir-
native and ten negative.
"Thus," says Atwater, "by mere
resolution, the General Assembly
swept off out of office, every civil
officer in the State! After pause, un-
til the 10th day of February, the Leg
islature proceeded then to fill in part
the vacancies thus made. On that day
they elected Thomas Scott, William
w, Irwin, and Ethan Allen Brown.