PART III.-VOL. I. 1810-1811 to 1819-1820. OFFICIAL DIRECTORY, 1810-1811. Governor-RETURN JONATHAN MEIGS, Jr. Treasurer of State-WM. MCFARLAND. Auditor of State-BENJ. HOUGH. Supreme Judges-THOMAS SCOTT, THOMAS MORRIS, WM. W. IRWIN, FRANCIS DUNLAVY. Adjutant General-ISAAC VAN HORN. NINTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, 1810-1811. Held at the town of Zanesville, Muskingum County. Upon assembling on the above date the Senate effected the following pro tempore organization: Speaker, Thomas Kirker, of Adams; Clerk, Carlos A. Norton; Doorkeeper, Edward Sherlock. On the fifth of December this organization was continued as permanent. The annual message of the retiring Governor, Samuel Huntington, was received on the fourth, and properly referred. The two Houses met in joint convention on the sixth, and canvassed the returns for Governor. Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. received 9,924 votes and Thos. Worthington 7,731, a majority of 2,193 for Meigs, who was duly inaugurated in the presence of the two Houses on the eighth of December. There were two contests in the Senate. Alexander McBeth, of Champaign county, contested the seat of Hiram Mirach Curry, on the ground that there was a tie vote, that lots had been duly cast by Judge John Runyon and Justice of the Peace Wm. Stephens, as required by law, resulting in McBeth's favor, but the county Clerk had issued the certificate of election to Curry. Upon the evidence produced the Senate awarded the seat to McBeth. The election of Thomas Elliott, of Jefferson, was contested on the ground of ineligibility, namely: That he was not a naturalized citizen on the day of the preceding October election, but took out letters of naturalization on the fourth of December instant. These facts were admitted by Elliott, who claimed to have spent his whole life since early boyhood in the country and had not deemed it necessary to become naturalized. The Senate by a vote of eleven to seven declared him eligible and seated him. He had previously served three terms in the House and two in the Senate. Stephen Wood, of Hamilton, resigned and was succeeded by Aaron Goforth. Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr., who had been chosen Governor, resigned as Senator on the eighth to assume the duties of the office, and his successor was elected on the fifteenth. The House organized temporarily and subsequently, permanently by the election of the following officers: Speaker, Edward Tiffin, of Ross; Clerk, Ralph Osborn; Doorkeeper, Adam Betz. On the fourth of December the regular message of retiring Governor Huntington and the annual reports of the Treasurer and Auditor of State were received and referred to the appropriate committees. The two Houses met in the hall of Representatives on the eighth and canvassed the election returns for Governor, the result being that Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr., received 9,924 votes and Thomas Worthington, 7,731. The latter was declared elected and was inducted into office on the same day. Gov. Meigs before assuming the position resigned his commission as United States Senator, and his successor was chosen by the two Houses of the Legislature in joint session on the fifteenth of December, 1810. The following was the balloting: Thomas Worthington, of Ross, was declared elected to the vacancy. On the twenty-seventh of January, 1811, the two Houses met in joint convention and elected Associate Judges as follows: Coshocton county-Isaac Evans, Wm. Mitchell. Ashtabula-Aaron Wheeler, Solomon Griswold, Ebenezer Hewings. Geauga-Abraham Tappan, Vene Stone. Tuscarawas -Conrad Roth. Clinton-George McManus. Madison-John Arbuckle. Hamilton-James Clark. Gallia-Edward W. Tupper. Fayette-Henry Snider. Knox-John Mills. Muskingum-Samuel Sullivan. Also non-resident tax collectors as follows: Ist. District. Wm. Murray. 2nd. Abraham J. Williams. 3rd. Wm. Skinner. 4th. Ebenezer Granger. 5th. Robert Carroll. 6th. Reuben S. Clark. The Commissioners to select a permanent seat of Government, consisting of James Findlay, Joseph Darlington, Wm. McFarland, Wyllys Silliman and Rezin Beall, recommended, at this session that it be located on the lands of John and Peter Sells, on the west bank of the Scioto river, four and three-fourths miles west of the town of Worthington. The report is dated "New-Ark, September 12, 1810." Cuyahoga county was erected by the act of January 22, 1811. It was detached from the Connecticut Western Reserve, and its western boundary was the line of Huron county. The west line of the eleventh range of the Reserve was made the west line of Portage. County seat is Cleveland. Coshocton county was erected from Muskingum by the act of January 22, 1811. County seat is Coshocton. Ashtabula county was erected from Geauga and Trumbull by the act of January 22, 1811. County seat is Jefferson. Acts allowing, regulating and restricting writs of attachment, levies on execution, judgments at law, and also providing for county tax levies were enacted. An act was passed fixing the permanent seat of Government at Columbus, and the temporary seat at Chillicothe, until 1820 or until the necessary capitol buildings were completed. Special inducements were offered by law to encourage the manufacture of salt in different parts of the State. The ratio for representation for members of the Legislature was fixed and apportioned among the counties. The Muskingum county bank at Zanesville was incorporated, and other incorporations were authorized. Towns and villages were incorporated, and the duties and powers of municipal officers defined, and the streets of such towns declared public highways. An act was passed to regulate the practice of medicine and surgery. For this purpose examining boards, composed of recognized physicians and surgeons, were created, and a license to practice medicine or surgery was issued by them after a satisfactory examination. The writ of replevin was authorized; and the mode of its issue defined, restricted and regulated. To encourage the enlistment of troops for the war, it was provided that each person enlisting should be entitled from the State to twelve dollars per month during service in addition to the pay and allowances from the Government. An act of great length and detail provided for the disciplining of the militia, practically organizing all the able bodied males of the State into an army of five grand divisions. The Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Cincinnati was among the prominent incorporations. OFFICIAL DIRECTORY, 1811-1812. Governor-RETURN JONATHAN MEIGS, Jr. Secretary of State-JEREMIAH MCLENE. Treasurer of State-WM. MCFARLAND. Auditor of State-BENJAMIN Hough, Supreme Judges-THOMAS SCOTT, THOMAS MORRIS, WM. W. IRWIN, FRANCIS DUNLAVY. Adjutant General-THOMAS WORTHINGTON. TENTH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, 1811-1812. Met December 10, 1811. Adjourned February 21, 1812. The Legislature assembled at the town of Zanesville pursuant to law. Senator Aaron Goforth died during his term and was succeeded by Elnathan Stone. The Senate organized temporarily on the first day of the session by the election of Thomas Kirker, Speaker; Ralph Osborn, Clerk, and Edward Sherlock, Doorkeeper, and made this organization permanent on the seventh of December. Gov. Meigs' message was received by the two Houses December 3, and among other things he recommended: The amelioration of the criminal laws and certainty rather than severity of punishment; to punish swindling which had become alarmingly prevalent; to strengthen the law providing for the inspection of articles of export, so as to maintain a high reputation for the State's commercial exports; to take steps to fix the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan Territory; to encourage the incorporation of manufacturing companies. He also referred to the belligerent attitude of Great Britain and its unwarranted searches and seizures of American shipping and sailors, endorsed the course of the general Government, and counseled the patriotic co-operation of all good citizens. Both Houses adopted resolutions declaring their faith in the patriotic course of the Federal Administration. A resolution of condolence with the city of Richmond, Va., because of the great conflagration and loss of lives, was jointly adopted. The House having exhibited articles of impeachment against John Thompson, President Judge of the Second Circuit, he was tried during the month of January for alleged high crimes and misdemeanors for oppression in office, violent language and conduct, and expressing contempt for the Government of the United States and the people. He was acquitted, the vote standing five for conviction and eighteen for acquittal on the main charge. In a brief message to the Legislature, Gov. Meigs gave the strength and equip. ment of the militia as follows: Grand total, 35,349; rank and file, 32,640; fire-arms of all kinds, 13,313; men without arms, 19,327. |