558 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
and counter-charges on issues growing
out of this subject. Those
interested are referred to this
literature and the newspapers for
the attitude of men and parties toward
workmen's compensation.
No good purpose can be subserved by the
publication in the
QUARTERLY of the views of
representatives of political parties on
this subject. It should be sufficient to
record here the fact that
a protest has been made. The Society
desires the interest and
support of prominent Ohioans of all
parties. The QUARTERLY
cannot afford to devote its space to
matters of current political
controversy. If a mistake has been made
in this matter in the
past it cannot be corrected now by
repetition. We are sure that
upon mature consideration this will be
the view of members of
our Society and of all persons
interested in its work or in the
controversy to which we have felt it
necessary to make this
reference.
JOSEPH S. BENHAM.
Joseph S. Benham was an eminent lawyer
of Cincinnati at
the time of Lafayette's visit to that
city. His fame preceded
that event by a number of years. It is
celebrated in Horace in
Cincinnati which was published in 1824. In this poem he is re-
ferred to as follows:
With person of gigantic size,
With thund'ring voice, and piercing
eyes,
When great Stentorius deigns to rise,
Adjacent crowds assemble,
To hear a sage the laws expound,
In language strong, by reasoning sound.
Till, though yet not guilty found,
The culprits fear and tremble.
He was an orator of impressive power and
personality.
Levasseur paid fitting tribute to the
address of Benham on the
occasion of Lafayette's visit to
Cincinnati. References to the
eloquent advocate are found in The
Centennial History of Cin-
cinnati, page 629, in Carter's Reminiscences and Anecdotes of
the Courts and the Bar pages 38-41 and in Masfield's Personal
Memories pages 164-165.