Year: 1861


serve, to the timid. cautious conservatism


of the Legislature is like going from the


bracing winter air into 4 room hot anC


sitting, where the red hot stove has burn


the atmosphere and escaping gasses havc
poisoned it. 1t seems to be the chronic


ailment of legislative bodies that hesitation
and indecision should be the prevailing


clements in their conduct


At the opening of the cessiOn, Union sa.


wing was of course the first order Of the
day. During the first week. the Senate


was fortunately saved from the usual show
er of Resolutions to save the Union at the
expense Of Northern honor and indepen-
dence, but the House of Representatives
was absolutely flooded with them. and
crafty Democrats and halEscared republ-
licans We'd with each other in the effort
of humiliation. Cancellation" was the
only word in the dictionary which appear
ed to be popular. The "Reserva tive


members Ito borrow witty designation
from the Cincinnati Press) we're charged
by the Conservative" with being the
most blood-thirsty of ire-eaters, because
/ they insisted that the crisis was to be met
with irmness, and that more cooling ef-
feet would be produced by quietly and thor
oughly preparing for war. than by throw
ing ourselves into contortions of entrcaty
to the South to di tate the terms upon
which they would be graciouslI pleased to
live little longer in the Union with U.S.
A Republican caucus held OH Thursday
evening of the first week gave matters
more healthy turn. There the more deter
mined men could speak with greater free
dom Il an in the open assembly, and it be-
CINE manifest that very large majority
of the Republican members we're prepared
for energetic action. A handful of con-
servatives, enough to hold a balance of
power in the House of Representatives.
opened the usual game of threatening to
act with the Democracy and defeat the
will of the Republican majority, unless they
were allowed large influence in determ-
lining the policy to be pursued. They de-
mandcd wholesale and immediate repeal of
all laws having an anti-slavery squint, and
a general disavowal of anti-slavery tenden-
cies. They we're firmly toll-gcntlemen,
if you desire quiet on the subject of slavery,
you can have the assurance that there is
no disposition on our part to introduce the
matter in any form. We will let bills lie
upon the table which you regard as Objec
tionable. but ifyou seek to open the agita-
tiOn by positive reputation of the prin-
ciples we profess. we will give you all the
agitation you provoke. Silence will be
Cancellation on our part, and the discus
sion. if you begin it, will be made as thor
oueh as we know how to make it.


This tone Of frmneSs had its effect, and
produced more united action among Re-
publicans than existed before. The eau
Gus appointed committee of five from the
Senate and eight from the House, to pre-
pare resolutions to take the place of the
Union saving paper storm which had
threatened to bury the Legislature like
Canadian snow. The committee met, and
after two very long and earnest sessions
produced the set of Resolutions which were
passed on Saturday the 18th. The resolu-
tions were determined upon and PASSED in
committee by the radicals, so called. but
we're introduced into the Legislature by
Senator Harrison the leader of the conser-
vativ2s; that course being thought the most
conducive to unanimity in their passage,
and the "Reservatives' being very willing
that others should have the credit of the
measure if that would secure q more per-
feet success. The result fully justified their
course. The Senate passed the resolutions
unanimously, and they went through the
House with perhaps half dozen opposing
votes; so that the pledge to sustain the
Federal Government with the whole power
of Ohio may be regarded as the unanimous
voice of all parties in the State. and will 60
far to open the eyes of the secessiOnists to
the fact that they must look for no aid or
comfort from Ohio Democrats, but rather
for united organization of all the great
free States to oppose their rebellion and
treason by any force which is necessary.


A few of the partizan Democrats mani
tested some unpleasant symptoms of back
sliding when the Senate had under discus.
sion the resolution to instruct the Militia
committee to prepare bill for arming the
State, a day or two after. but they were
promptly me. and soon showed evident
tokens of being conscious of false posi-
tion.


In the House Of Representatives the
Democratic leaders have exerted themselves
in every way to drag the ''irreprcssible
darkey" before the assembly. Motions
to take from the table personal bibe-ty
bills which we're quietly sleeping there
introduction of bills to punish amalgama-
ton and nullify all marriages between
whites and persons of visible admixture,"
and other choice Democratic means of agita-
ting the negro question, are lenty as black
berries, but they came chiefly from very
few men in the House who have avowed
the most ultra Southern sympathies, and
who are confessed disciples of the Calhoun
Modification school The status quo is the
true basis in regard to these subjects at
present. We should avoid initiation by
declining to introduce or urge measures in
accordance with our own views on these
matters, and indefinitely postpone or vote
down those introduced by the other side
for the sake of agitation. Under the pres
sure of Union saving, Mr.. Baldwin's per-
sOnal liberty bill, and his bill to define the
word white were indefinitely postponed
by the House. The latter bill had how
ever been made unnecessary by the late
decision of the Supreme Court On the sub
ject ,


Mr. Bruf, of MahOning. has procured
in the House the appointment Of select
committee on currency, with ayiew to di-
gest some plan protecting the Ohio curreu-
cy, and to provide for the continuance of
an efficient system of banks inshe State
In order to secure the right feeling and the
cooperation Ofthe right men, he magnani-