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Newspaper
Defiance County Express
Location
Defiance, Ohio, United States of America
Date
Aug 01, 1879
Page
7
A critical review of the O'Connor Legislature in Ohio condemns its 297 days of sessions as a record of inefficiency partisanship and profligacy. It details tax increases, debt neglect, failed finance plans, and redistribution of state institutions for political ends, deeming the era a disgraceful chapter in state history.
The Sixty third General Assembly focused on reorganizing state and local boards. Bills sought to reshape the Ohio Penitentiary, Cincinnati Fire and Police Departments, Longview Asylum, Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home, and various city boards. Debates centered on partisan control, gerrymandering, and appointments, with several measures enacted or stalled and notable clashes over administration reforms.
A historical record details the Ohio Legislature’s battle over bills to surrender canal property for railroad use. It quotes heavy opposition, close votes, and remonstrances from thousands of business interests, noting numerous measures to lease or leaseback canal lands and to raise local taxes under various counties and cities. The report lists many specific bills, their sponsors, and outcomes, including bonds, roadbed rights, and public works funding, with emphasis on fighting perceived anti public policy.
The Ohio General Assembly factions fought a long list of bills in the winter session. Democrats blocked liquor regulation measures, debt levies, and public spending reforms while Republicans pressed funding options for cities like Cincinnati and fought rail and pool selling. A separate, dramatic inquiry centered on representative John O Connor’s alleged desertion, exposing partisan manipulation and conflicting records.
The report notes H R 566 by Mr Wricht proposing that when Supervisors of elections for Congress and Presidential Electors are appointed the polling places for federal elections be at least two feet distant from those for state and county elections. It passed party line in both houses. The aim is to curb fraudulent voting and limit the reach of the national election law to a narrow scope.
The article surveys the legislative history focusing on John O'Connor. It portrays him as a central figure in the first session and notes his record as one of the most curious incidents in parliamentary history. The piece reflects a critical, retrospective view of his influence and actions within the legislature.
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