USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 27
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The West Liberty Budget followed the Banner in 1860, with J. W. Houx as ed- itor and proprietor, and was independent in politics.
The Macachack Press, published by Gribble and Donn Piatt, succeeded.
Piatt had a happy faculty of keeping things warm, and he did not let the Press get cold in its personalities or its politics.
Gribble finally removed it to Bellefon- taine and changed its name to the Belle- fontaine Press.
The Weekly Enterprise was started by B. S. Leonard and H. S. Taylor and they advertised it as a home production with- out "patent insides."
J. H. Fluhart and W. P. Marion started the West Liberty Independent and it was net so particular as to its "insides" as the Enterprise, and was composed mostly of "plate." The West Liberty Press succeeded the Independent. published by W. P. Marion and Charles Davis, but soon died.
In 1876 W. IL. Gribble started another paper. the Weekly News : its editorial work was done by Clarence Hilderbrand, and was very creditable. being quite spicy and new sy. It lived only about eighteen mouths.
In 1878 the West Liberty Gazette, with Harry W. Hamilton began its course and was a successful venture. D. C. Bailey and Professor P. W. Search joined him and added to the importance of the paper.
Hamilton finally secured an appoint- ment under Judge Lawrence, First Comp- troller of the Treasury, at Washington, and died there quite suddenly.
The Gazette went into the hands of Mr. Donn C. Bailey who some time after chang- ed its name to the West Liberty Banner, and it continues to this day under the edi- torial control and management of Mr. Bailey and is one of the most prominent publica- tions in the county.
DEGRAFF BUCKEYE.
Daniel Spellman established in De Graff the Buckeye and remained in editorial pos-
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session until his death, after which it was ing village and is conducted in a business conducted by his sons. and successful manner.
It has always been a carefully-edited pa- per and is still a most useful and valuable addition of the press to the county.
THE DE GRAFF JOURNAL.
Was established by Perry S. Pond. and has remained its proprietor and editor ever since. It is well-fitted up and has a good newspaper equipment.
THE LAKEVIEW VANGUARD.
The village of Lakeview has made a great growth since the building of the T. & O. C. railway through thit place, and its increase in population and business has been very marked. The Vanguard. its weekly paper, has a good circulation in that part of the county: is edited in a sprightly and interesting way and contains many able ar- ticles.
No part of the county has improved so rapidly as the part about Lake View within the past few years.
RUSIISYLVANIA RECORD.
The Rushsylvania Record is a weekly and has quite an extensive circulation in the northern part of the county. It is well conducted and deserves the patronage of the people of the county.
BELLECENTER HERALD.
The Herald, like other local papers, de- pends largely for its circulation and patron- age upon the section of the country sur- rounding the town.
It is in the midst of a most prosperous part of the county, in a thriving and grow-
THE WEST LIBERTY BANNER.
The West Liberty Banner was first is- sued in 1850 by Coates Kinney and William Barringer: Kinney soon withdrew, leaving Barringer in control.
It was a literary paper and contained some choice gems from the pen of Kinney and others, but soon suspended publication.
Sydeham Shaffer and W. H. Gribble resumed its publication in 1856 and pub- lished it for a short time, when it again suspended.
RURAL MAIL DELIVERY.
Within the past few years the post- office department has established rural mail delivery routes for the delivery of mail to the people living in the country districts and it is now possible for people living at the distance of several miles from the postoffice to have their mail delivered daily at their homes and to have their let- ters taken by the route agent to the post- office. By virue of this great accommo- dation persons living in the country dis- tricts can have daily papers delivered at their homes and equal accommodations with those living in the towns and cities.
These routes are being extended. and within a few years all the roads will be traversed with the mail routes and every resident of the country districts be supplied with daily mail facilities.
By reason of these the papers are in- creasing their circulation and the homes of the country are brought into closer daily touch with all parts of the world.
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXI.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS-RICHARD S. CANBY-BEN.1.1- MIN STANTON -- WM. LAWRENCE-BRIT. P. KIY. NEDY-ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OHIO, W. HI WEST- JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT. W. H. WEST- IPUT. GATEWAY OF OHIO, BENJAMIN SIAVION, KORT. P. KENNEDY. WM. V. MARQUIS -- MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTLE. BENJAMIN STAN- TON. W. H. WEST.
Since the organization of the county in 1819 Logan county has sent four rep- resentatives to the Congress of the United States.
During that time Logan county bas been districted at different times with the adjoining counties of Champaign. Clarke. Union, Delaware, Madison, Pickaway. Hancock, Hardin. Shelby, Darke, Miami and Marion, the districts being changed from time to time by reason of new appor- tionments and occasionally for political purposes.
RICHARD S. CANBY.
The first representative chosen to the Congress of the United States from Lo- gan county was Richard S. Canby. He was a lawyer of Bellefontaine and had for many years enjoyed the reputation of be- ing a most able and scholarly man.
He was born near Waynesville in the southern part of Ohio, in Warren county, of Quaker stock, and came to Logan county with his father's family, Doctor Joseph Canby, in the year 1829. He had been especially favored when a young man and had been given every opportu- nity for a finished education. He first be- came a merchant and opened a store for business in Bellefontaine in 1830, on the
corner now occupied In the Lawrence block. He built the brick house which was torn away to make room for the Lan - rence block. A short time after this he opened a store in Cherokee and conducted it for a few years.
Although prosperous as a merchant. he studied law with Benjamin Stanton. and in 1839 was admitted to the bar and began the practice in Bellefontaine. Hle was successful in this, as he had been in merchandising. Shortly after he was chosen prosecuting attorney of the county and so distinguished himself in this office that he was chosen to the Legislature in 1845. serving one term and declining a re- election.
In 1846 he was chosen to represent the district in Congress, including Logan county, and served one term, declining a re-election.
His tastes were literary and he re- turned to a farm east of Bellefontaine and lived there for a number of years. In 1860 he removed to Ilinois and was there elected a cirenit judge and served on the bench until his death, some ten years since, being distinguished for his learning and ability.
BENJAMIN STANTON.
Benjamin Stanton was born on Short creek, near Steubenville, in 1809, and came to Logan county in 1834. He was a Quaker by birth and was raised in that faith. He was a cousin of the great war secretary, Edwin MI. Stanton.
When a youth he was bound to a tailor and served his time on the bench. and while so engaged employed his nights and spare hours in reading law and was admitted to the bar in October, 1833. In
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the succeeding April Mr. Stanton came to Logan county and began the practice of the law, and for many years was the lead- ing lawyer at the Logan county bar.
Shortly after coming to the county he was elected prosecuting attorney, and in IS.11 was elected to the State Senate. An extra session of the Legislature was called for the purpose of gerrymandering the congressional districts, the Democrats be- ing in power. Most of the Whig members of the Legislature, including Mr. Stanton. resigned in order to break a quorum and prevent the gerrymander, which they did.
Mr. Stanton was again renominated to the Senate in 1842 and re-elected by a large- ly increased majority. In 1850 he was elect- ed a member of the Ohio constitutional con- vention, which framed the constitution of 1851. and in October, 1852. he was chosen a member of Congress and was re-elected in 1854. '56 and '58, having served eight years in Congress. In 1862 he was chosen Lieutenant-Governor of Ohio on the ticket with David Tod. and in 1866 he re- moved to West Virginia and settled at Wheeling. where with Daniel Lamb and other distinguished lawyers, he was re- garded as one of the leading lights of the West Virginia bar.
Mr. Stanton was a born orator. His command of language was good and his manner very impressive. He was en- gaged in all of the important cases at the Logan county bar for many years and was always forceful and eloquent.
During the war Clement L. Vallanding- ham made a speech in Bellefontaine and Mr. Stanton took occasion to listen with a view to making a reply. Vallandingham stood on the steps of Mr. Edward Patter- son's residence on Court street and Stan-
ton sat inside of the house near a window. taking notes. When Vallandingham had finished. Mr. Stanton came out on the steps and made one of the greatest speeches of his life. It was a magnificent effort and so completely overshadowed Vallandingham that the crowd was com- pletely carried away by the magnetism and eloquence of Stanton and Vallandingham quietly left the town.
It was my fortune to hear Governor Stanton upon one of his last visits to Ohio. He spoke in the court house and during his address took occasion to de- fend his adopted State of West Virginia, against which some one had made reflec- tions. It was a masterful and eloquent defense and he was roused to the height of magnetic eloquence and poured forth a wonderful and powerful plea for the State "of the mountain and the storm."
He died in Wheeling some fifteen years since.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE.
Was born in McConnelsville. Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1819. and was educated at Franklin College, Ohio.
He studied law and in 1841 came to Bellefontaine and began practice at the bar of Logan county. For many years he was a most successful lawyer, always being a hard worker and a close student. Like most of his predecessors, he was elected prosecuting attorney and served two terms.
He was appointed Reporter of the Su- preme Court and one volume of the court reports was made by him.
He was a member of the Ohio Legisla- ture and served with distinction on the judiciary and other committees. He was
14
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for nine years on the common pleas bench in Logan. Hardin. Marion and Union counties, and was an able and up- right judge. During his term as judge he served as colorel of an Ohio regiment. the Eighty-fourth, having taken a leave for this purpose.
Hle was elected to Congress and served for twelve years, being known as a pains- taking and a hard working member of that body
In 1878 he was appointed by the Presi- (lent first comptroller of the treasury, and occupied that office until the election of President Cleveland. in 1881.
Judge Lawrence was a man of great force of character, a most untiring worker and one who did not spare himself any labor necessary to accomplish a purpose. As a lawyer he stood high, as a judge he was just and impartial, and as a legislator he ranked among the distinguished repre- sentatives of the people.
ROBERT P. KENNEDY.
Was born in Bellefontaine January 23. 1840. and was educated in the public schools and in the east.
In 1861 he entered the army, joining the Twenty third Ohio as second lieuten- ant of Company F. was promoted to first lieutenant of Company A. and after the battle of Antietam was made captain and assistant adjutant general of volunteers ; tenant-colonel. colonel of the One Hun- dred and Ninety-sixth Ohio, and brevet brigadier general of volunteers, and mus- tered out September 220. 1865 serving four years. five months and seven days.
He read law in the office of Judge West and James Walker, and was admitted
to the bar in 1867. forming a law partner- ship with Judges West and Walker, with whom he remained in practice until 1878 when he was appointed Collector of In- ternal Revenue by President Hayes, and in 1885 was nominated and elected Lieu- tenant Governor of Ohio, resigning March 4th. 1887. to take his seat as a member of the Fiftieth congress to which he had been elected in the fall of 1886. He was re-elected to the Fifty-first congress and served four years.
In 1899 he was appointed a member of the Insular Commission to visit the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico and made. in company with his associates, an extended report thereon: and assisted in formulat- ing a code of laws for Porto Rico.
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OHIO.
In 1865 William II. West was elected Attorney General of Ohio and served with distinction in that office, and is the only person from Logan county so honored.
One act of Judge West's, while at- torney general. won for him the good opinions of all people: William H. Gib- son. had, some years before, been elected treasurer of Ohio, and by no fault of his own was in some measure personally in- jured by reason of the default of the treas- urer who preceded him.
afterwards promoted to major, brevet lieu- * not. however, brought to trial and went to
A jury of the opposite party indicted Gibson for this supposed offense. He was war as Colonel of the Forty-ninth Ohio Regiment, where he greatly distinguished himself and served to the end of the con- test.
When Judge West became attorney general he nollied the indictments against General Gibson, saying that he thought
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it high time when the Government of the the legal profession in Ohio. He has been United States was forgiving its enemies
engaged in some of the most important for the State of Ohio to forgive its friends ' suits in the Supreme Court, and has at all times stood before the people as a dis- tinguished lawyer. an able jurist and one of the commanding figures in the political arena of the state.
and loyal defenders.
This one act of justice has always been regarded as a most wise and proper con- clasion of an unjust and unrighteous prosecution of an honest, upright, loyal and patriotic soldier.
JUDGE WILLIAM H. WEST.
Was born in Millersburg. Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1824. and came with his father's family to Knox county. Ohio, in 1830. He graduated from Jeffer- son College, Pennsylvania, in 1846, and after teaching school and acting as a pro- fessor in Jefferson College came to Logan county, and in 1850 began the study of law with Judge Lawrence in Bellefontaine. and in 1852 was admitted to the bar and immediately began the practice of law in company with Judge Lawrence. In 1854 he formed a partnership with James Walker. and in 1867 this partnership became West. Walker and Kennedy by the admission into it of Robert P. Kennedy, who had returned from the war and studied law with the okl firm of Walker & West.
From 1859 and to 1861 Judge West was a member of the Ohio House of Rep- resentatives, and in 1863 was elected to the Ohio Senate. In 1865 he was elected attorney general and in 1871 was chosen to the Supreme Bench of Ohio. In 1872 he resigned from the Supreme Bench and was elected a member of the Ohio Con- stitutional Convention. In 1877 he was nominated for the office of Governor by the Republicans but was defeated.
Judge West is everywhere recognized as one of the ablest and most learned of
With a marvelous and retentive mem- ory, notwithstanding his loss of sight. he has so held the attention of the court, and the consideration of the people as to at all times command the admiration of those who listen to his able addresses.
With nearly eighty years erowning an enfeebled physical manhood he still re- tains all of his faculties and is passing into the sere and yellow leaf of an honored old age.
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNORS.
BENJAMIN STANTON.
The first Lieutenant Governor chosen from Logan county was Benjamin Stanton, who was elected during the war of the Re- bellion on the ticket with David Tod as Governor.
He served his term of two years, at the end of which he removed from the state, le cating in Wheeling, West Virginia. where he became a leading member of the bar of that state and was a candidate for United States Senator, but failed of an election be- cause the Democratic party carried the leg- islature.
Under the head of congressional repre- sentatives from Logan county, we give a more extended notice of Governor Stanton.
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ROBERT P. KENNEDY.
In 1885 Robert P. Kennedy was a can- didate for governor on the Republican ticket before the convention which met in Spring- field, Ohio, but was defeated for the nom- ination by Joseph B. Foraker. The conven- tion then by acclamation nominated him for lieutenant-governor and he was elected with the entire Republican ticket.
During his occupancy of the office of lieutenant-governor the exciting contest over the election of the Cincinnati Senators took place. The Senate which convened a week before his inauguration being Dem- ocratic by a majority of three, by reason of the Cincinnati frauds upon the ballot boxes of that city, attempted to so tie the hands of the lieutenant-governor and rob him of his power. as to make it impossible for him to be more than a figure-head in the Senate. Against this illegal and unconstitutional as- sumption of authority the lieutenant-govern- or upon taking his seat, addressed the Sen- ate and said :
"Senators-In assuming the duties of the office to which the people of Ohio have elect- ed me, I am conscious of the fact that I come without the parliamentary experience of many within this chamber. but I come with a firm determination to discharge, to the best of my judgment and ability, the duties devolving upon me. Ready to recog- nize at all times the wisdom of experience. I shall be glad to avail myself of that knowl- edge which comes only by long continued practice and usage, and of the counsel of those whose judgment and wisdom have been indorsed by the people of Ohio. There- fore I ask the cordial co-operation of the members of this Assembly, so that our joint labors may be for the general good of all.
Recognizing the individual right of ev- ery member of this Assembly, I shall at all times aim to deal fairly and impartially and when with exact justice, so that the repre- sentatives of the people may have oppor- tunity for the presentation of the wishes and demands of the different constitu- encies they represent, and for such meas- ures as may in their judgment be neces- sary for the promotion of the welfare and prosperity of the state. According to every member fair and just treatment, [ shall at the same time ask of every niem- ber the respect and support to which the presiding officer of this Assembly should be entitled.
It has been said that the place I am now to occupy is the end of all earthly ambition. To me this does not demand the consideration of the weight of a single feather; having accepted the trust. I will fulfill it with the best skill and ability of which I am possessed. Desiring neither to abridge nor to deny the right of any member of this Assembly. I shall at all times and under all circumstances. with- out regarding the consequences to myself. maintain without abridgement or curtail- ment all the rights and prerogatives of the office to which I have been elected by the votes of a majority of the 3.000,000 of people of the State of Ohio. If I should do more I would wrongfully abuse the trust reposed in me. If I should do less I would be unworthy of your confidence and would cowardly abandon the trust handed over to me by the people. Ready to yield implicit obedience to the laws and the Constitution. I shall expect of every member of this Assembly his submission to the laws and the Constitution. Being by the law and the Constitution the pre-
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siding officer of this Assembly, and deter- mined to preserve and defend its char- acter and dignity, regardless of all per- sonal consequences, no one shall in any manner usurp any of the authority or ex- ercise any of the duties of this office, save only as these duties may be legally and constitutionally abridged. Charged by my election and my oath with the dis- charge of duties clearly defined. I shall deny the right of either branch of the Assembly, singly and alone, to repeal the Statutes of the State, or of the two branches jointly to ignore or destroy the Constitution adopted by the people.
Having been chosen by the people to represent them in this high office. I shall preserve all its rights. dignities. privileges and prerogatives, save as abridged by the laws and the Constitution, to be by me again surrendered into the hands of the people. If I did less I would be an in- worthy representative of the people of this great State.
Trusting that I may have the cordial co-operation and assistance of every men- ber of this Assembly, and that the result of our labors may be such as to meet the indorsement and approval of the people. whose representatives we are, and that at the end of our labors we shall merit and receive the encomiums of good and faith- ful servants from the people. I now enter upon the discharge of my duties as Presi- dent of the Senate.
The Ohio Senate consisted of thirty- seven members, seventeen of them Re- publican and twenty of them Democratic. but four of the Democrats returned from Cincinnati were, as it was claimed, elected by gross and willful frauds upon the ballot
boxes, and especially in oito or three wards of that city.
These frands consisted in the most open and notorious practices, and it was admitted that in at least one of these wards the boxes were stolen and stuffed. and large gains made for the Democratic candidates. So flagrant had been these frauds that at least two of these Senators refused to uphold and justify them. but party fealty required their acquiescence in the claims for seats so unfairly and unjust- ly won.
The Cincinnati Senators had all been elected upon the same ticket, and the frauds and illegal voting which had been openly and notoriously practiced in several of the wards of the city applied with. equal force to each and all of them. they having been elected by the same bal- lots and having been chosen by means of the same frauds. The contest was made especially interesting from the fact, that if these four senators should be permitted to join the other sixteen Democrats, and vote upon their own cases, the twenty Demo- crats so voting would out-vote the seventeen Republicans, and soon settle the question of their right to seats, no matter how boll the frauds nor how flagrant the outrage. L'pon the other hand, if these four Senators should not be permitted to vote upon the settlement of the question as to the frauds perpetrated, and their own rights to seats secured by virtue of these frauds, then the seventeen Republicans could out-vote the sixteen Democrats remaining, and could de- termine the question which should grow out of these frauds and the outrages so per- petrated upon the ballot boxes of Cincinnati.
It therefore became a matter of vital importance as to the right of these four Cin-
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einnati Senators to vote upon questions which might affect their rights to seats in the Senate of Ohio, and hence the attempt to tie the hands of the incoming Lieutenant Governor and the adoption of a rule which would give to these Senators the right to vote in their own cases.
It was necessary. however, to go still farther in order to carry out this usurpation of authority, and to do this it was provided by a rule, adopted for this special purpose. that the clerk of the Senate, and not the Lieutenant Governor, should receive and announce all votes cast by that body.
This rule was a clear violation of all parliamentary law, and the usurpation of powers which the constitution of the State vested in the Lieutenant Governor, as the presiding officer of the Senate; and it was against these unlawful, unconstitutional and unparliamentary rules that the Lieutenant Governor declared in his opening address to the Senate the purpose to ignore and override them.
The contest over the Cincinnati seats was a long-continued one. and in several in- stances almost developed into a riot, the Democrats being determined to hold their advantage at all hazards. Only the cool and determined purpose of the Republican leaders averted a political, and perhaps a personal calamity.
The plain laws of parliamentary pro- cedure will not permit a person to vote in a case in the outcome of which he is personally interested. The Democratic majority of the Senate, well knowing this plain parlia- mentary rule, attempted to so amend the rules of the Senate as to permit three of these Senators to vote in the case of the fourth man.
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