Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/890

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��BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

��'the State government, so fraught with good results to the people of the State. During the war, he was a warm advocate of its vigorous prosecution, and, as a friend of the soldiers, he may well be proud of his rec- ord. In 1866, he first introduced House Bill No. 3, to provide a bounty for veteran volunteers, who had not heretofore received a local bounty, and, later in the ses- sion, House Bill No. 200, requiring Assessors to make returns of necessitous soldiers' families, and estimate the amount required for their relief. In addition to this, he had a resolution passed for the investigation of the condition of soldiers in the hospitals, and in his own counties he encouraged enlistments by speeches and otlierwise. While at Columbus, all business pass- ing through his hands, for soldiers or their families, and at home, in the distribution of relief funds, was performed gratuitously. His entire life throughout the war period bears the record of a true patriot, and of a man who felt the importance of the issues involved in the vexed questions growing out of our internecine conflict. In public life, Mr. Bloom has never shrunk from avowing the moral sentiment which governed his private actions, being a member of the Lutheran Church. In 1864, he was admitted to the bar. and had built up a good and growing practice in the State and United States Courts, until he was again elected to the Legislature, Nov. 11, 1868; hebecame the founder of the Shelby Independent Neivs, which has remained under his editorial control ever since, in connection with his other business. In 1875, he was President of the Democratic District Congressional Convention in Mansfield, and by his skill and ability in managing that body through a two-days turbulent session, won distinction as a pre- siding officer. In 1877, lie was nominated against strong competitors for a third term in the Ohio House of Representatives, a distinction granted to no other candi- date in the county for the past fifty years, and subse- quently elected by an overwhelming majority, and in January, 1878, took a seat in the Sixty-fifth General As- sembly, a body which had the great work before it of completing the codification and consolidation of the laws of Ohio since the organization of the State, of which project lie had always been an ardent and enthu- siastic supporter. Of his course during this session we find the following, cut from a Columbus paper pub- lished at the time, which is all that need be here said on that subject. The writer says:

" If there is one member deserving of more credit for actual labor and industry in pushing forward the business of the House than another, that gentleman is the Hon. S. S. Bloom, of Richland Co. You will al- ways find him occupying his chair, which is just in front of the Speaker's stand, in the front row of seats, generally employed, with pen in hand, busily engaged in writing, and if not, paying the strictest attention to the business before the House. He is among the first of the members who puts in an appearance in the morning, and the last at leaving on an adjournment in the even- ing ; nor does he merely come to be seen and to put in his time reading newspapers or in frivolous conversa- tion, as do too many of the people's representatives. Mr. Bloom, on the contrary, is a worker; he is never idle. He is either engaged in the committee-rooms, or participating in the discussions on the floor. Having

��been a worker all his life, he has illustrated the in- junction, ' Whatsoever thy hands find to do, do it with all thy might,' and he knows no abatement of energy in the public service. He examines, with scrutiny, every topic of legislation, and is always ready with his strong reasons and sound arguments, to defend or enforce any course of action he has decided on pursuing. He has made the codification of the laws a specialty, and, being a member of the .Joint Commit- tee on Consolidated Laws, he has rendered valuable service toward the completion and perfection of this important undertaking. The Democracy of old Rich- land need not blush to own her representative, for his standing on the floor, in all the elements that go to make up a good legislator, is second to none in the House."

At the close of that session, on June 23, 1879, he had the great satisfaction of seeing his object fully completed, and the Revised Statutes of Ohio became an accomplished fact. During this session and without any e&brt on his part, he was again nominated for the same position, against strong competitors, who made an active canvass (which public duty forbade him do- ing). He was again elected for a fourth term, and, upon the assembling of the Sixty-fourth General As- sembly, was nominated by acclamation by the Demo- cratic minority as their candidate for Speaker, and was at once recognized as the leader of the Democracy in that body. His knowledge of parliamentary law and the rules of the body in which he had so long served, and his knowledge of the new code of Ohio, made his services invaluable to his fellow-members, of which all the members of the House freely availed themselves on all occasions. His candor, earnestness and courteous treatment of all his fellow-members won their united esteem, and, aside from political questions, he wielded, perhaps., more influence than any other member of the House. His enlarged experience and general knowl- edge of men and things, coupled with a broad and lib- eral mind, gave him a great influence in shaping legis- lation, and, as the laws now stand, we doubt whether any other member of the Legislature has more gen- erally stamped the impress of his views upon the laws of the State than has the subject of this sketch. He has still one session to serve of the eight-years serv- ice in the House of Representatives of Ohio, of which he has so long been a valuable and honored member.

BRICKLEY, D. V., boot and shoe dealer, and one of Shelby's successful young men ; was born in Perry Co., Penn., and spent his youth on a farm. At the age of 21 years he enlisted in Co. F, 208th Penn. V. I. for one year ; on his return home, he attended school for some time ; in 1868, he went to BuflTalo, N. Y.; was there one year, and then went West to Illinois and Missouri, where he remained for three years ; he returned to Bufi"alp and remained two years, being engaged in the grocery business; in 1874, he came to Shelby, and took charge of the shoe store of S. F. Stambaugh ; in 1876, he purchased the stock, and has been successful, and purchased the property known as the Davis corner, and for many years occupied by Mr. Lybarger. Mr. Brick- ley is Well and favorably known, and by honesty and fair dealing he has established for himself an enviable reputation.

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