4th Ohio General Assembly

4th Ohio General Assembly
3rd 5th
Ohio's first statehouse at Chillicothe (1800)
Overview
Meeting placeChillicothe, Ohio, USA
TermDecember 2, 1805 (1805-12-02) – November 30, 1806 (1806-11-30)
Ohio Senate
Members15
Speaker of the SenateJames Pritchard (D-R)
Party controlDemocratic-Republican Party
House of Representatives
Members30
House SpeakerJohn Sloane (D-R)
Party controlDemocratic-Republican Party
Sessions
1stDecember 2, 1805 – January 27, 1806

The Fourth Ohio General Assembly was the fourth meeting of the Ohio state legislature, composed of the Ohio State Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives. It convened in Chillicothe, Ohio, on December 2, 1805, and adjourned January 27, 1806.[1] This General Assembly coincided with the first year of Edward Tiffin's second and final term as Ohio Governor.

Background

Under Ohio's first constitution, State Senators were elected to two year terms.[2] Members of the House were elected for each term. Article I, section 2 and 6 of Ohio's first constitution called for an enumeration of white male inhabitants of 21 years age every four years, with the number of representatives and senators for each county apportioned by the legislature based on this census.[3] Article I, section 3 called for elections the second Tuesday in October.[3]

James Pritchard of Jefferson County was again elected Speaker of the Senate on December 4, 1805, having served as Speaker during the end of the 3rd Ohio General Assembly. The Senate Clerk was Thomas Scott and the Senate Doorkeeper was Edward Sherlock.[1]

John Sloane, also of Jefferson County, was elected Speaker of the House on December 4.[4] This marked the first time the Speaker of the House was not from Ross County. The House Clerk was William R. Dickinson and the House Doorkeeper was Adam Betz.

State Senate

Districts

For this session, the legislature apportioned two senators for Warren, Butler, Montgomery, and Greene Counties, Washington, Gallia, Muskingum and Athens Counties, Jefferson and Columbiana Counties, Ross and Franklin Counties, and Hamilton County, and one senator each for Adams and Scioto Counties, Clermont, Fairfield, Trumbull and Belmont Counties.[1]

Members

District Senator[1][5] Party notes
Adams
Scioto
Thomas Kirker Democratic-Republican
Belmont Joseph Sharp
Clermont James Sargent Democratic-Republican
Fairfield Jacob Burton
Hamilton Cornelius Snider
Stephen Wood
Jefferson
Columbiana
Benjamin Hough Democratic-Republican
James Pritchard Democratic-Republican elected Speaker of the Senate
Ross
Franklin
Joseph Kerr Democratic-Republican
Duncan McArthur Federalist
Trumbull George Tod Democratic-Republican
Warren
Butler
Montgomery
Greene
John Bigger Democratic-Republican
Jacob Smith
Washington
Gallia
Muskingum
Athens
Joseph Buell Democratic-Republican
Hallam Hempstead

Ohio House of Representatives

Districts

For this session, the legislature apportioned four representatives for Ross and Franklin Counties, three representatives each for Adams and Scioto Counties, Jefferson County and Hamilton County, two representatives each for Belmont, Butler, Fairfield, Trumbull and Warren Counties, and Washington, Gallia and Athens Counties, and one representative each for Columbiana, Clermont, Greene, Montgomery and Muskingum Counties.[4]

Members

District Representatives[6][7] Party notes
Adams
Scioto
Daniel Collier
Philip Lewis
Abraham Shepherd Democratic-Republican
Belmont James Smith
John Stewart
Butler James McClure
Matthew Richardson
Clermont Jonathan Taylor
Columbiana John McConnell
Fairfield Philemon Beecher Federalist
Robert Cloud
Greene John Sterritt
Hamilton Adrian Hegeman
John Jones
Hezekiah Price
Jefferson Thomas Elliott
John McLaughlin
John Sloane Democratic-Republican elected Speaker of the House
Montgomery William Robinson
Ross
Franklin
James Dunlap Democratic-Republican
Elias Langham Democratic-Republican
David Shelby
Abraham J. Williams Democratic Republican
Trumbull Homer Hine
James Kingsbury
Warren Peter Burr
Matthias Corwin Democratic-Republican
Washington
Gallia
Athens
Elijah Hatch
James E. Phelps
Muskingum James Clarke

Major events

The 3rd Ohio General Assembly adopted a single article of impeachment against William W. Irvin, an associate judge in the Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas, for "high misdemeanor and neglect of duties",[8] alleging that Judge Irvin was absent from his court for two days, leading to the suspension of all business matters therein, and the abrupt adjournment of that court.[9] Judge Irvin's impeachment trial was conducted before the Ohio Senate from December 6, 1805 - January 11, 1806, with a recess spanning from December 11 - January 6. It was alleged during the trial that Judge Irvin refused to meet with the President and other judges of the court, and spoke "slightingly" of his judicial responsibilities.[10] On January 11, the Senate voted 14-1 (with Kerr being the sole negative vote) to impeach Judge Irvin, and by a separate vote of 11-4 (negatives votes were Bigger, Hempstead, Kerr, and Tod), Judge Irvin was removed from the bench.[4]

On January 20, a joint session of the legislature convened to elect several statewide officers and county judges.[11]

On January 25, a joint session of the legislature convened to elect tax collectors for the state.[11]

Major legislation

Geauga County was erected from western Trumbull County by an act of the legislature on December 31, 1805.

In January 1806, the legislature adopted a joint resolution of the Senate to support an amendment to the United States Constitution that would have allowed for federal judges to be removed by a majority of both chambers of Congress during a joint session of that body.[11] The amendment ultimately was not ratified.

A general system for the construction of public highways throughout the state, as well as the systemization of the state militia laws, were some of the core acts passed during this General Assembly.[11]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Taylor & Taylor, p. 45.
  2. ^ Taylor & Taylor, p. 39.
  3. ^ a b Taylor & Taylor, p. 23.
  4. ^ a b c Taylor & Taylor, p. 47.
  5. ^ Gilkey, p. 150.
  6. ^ Taylor & Taylor, p. 43.
  7. ^ Gilkey, p. 186-187.
  8. ^ Taylor & Taylor, p. 44.
  9. ^ Taylor & Taylor, p. 42.
  10. ^ Taylor & Taylor, p. 46.
  11. ^ a b c d Taylor & Taylor, p. 48.

References

  • Gilkey, Elliot Howard, ed. (1901). The Ohio Hundred Year Book: a Hand-book of the Public Men and Public Institutions of Ohio ... State of Ohio.
  • Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900 ... State of Ohio.