Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1879 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Monday, Feb. 3.—Senate.—-The Senate met at 2 p. m., and, on motion of Mr. Streight, took up bills on second reading. After several bills had been read a second time and the reports of committees thereon acted upon, an amendment to a pending bill was offered and the ayes and noes demanded thereon. The call of the roll showed no quorum present, and the Senate adjourned. House.—The House this afternoon had before them three reports from the Judiciary Committee upon the right of this Assembly to elect full Boards of Trustees for the benevolent institutions, deaf and dumb, the blind, and the insane. The Democrats hold the election of 187? by the Republicans in joint convention to be null and void, and therefore treat the Presidency of the boards and one of the Trusteeships as vacancies, while for the other TrusteMhis is the regular time of election. The law provides that the elections shall be by concurrent vote of the two houses, and, as the election of two vears ago was in joint convention, they hold it illegal and void.* The Republicans claim that the election was a substantial compliance with the statute; that no fraud violated it; that the Legislative .will was properly expressed, and, although the Governor refused to commission the persons so elected, they were, notwithstanding, duly elected and qualified, and are entitled to hold for the full term of four years. The National member of the committee makes a second minority report, taking the ground that the election of 1877 was null and void, but that each biennial General Assembly can only elect one member of the board. In his conclusion he sides with the Republicans. The debate was by Representative Sleeth for the Republicans, Chairman Osborne for the Democrats, and by Mr. Works for himself. At a late hour the majority report of the Democratic members of the committee was adopted by yeas, 48; nays, 30.

Tuesday, Feb. 4.—Senate.—Bills introduced: To prohibit the marriage of drunkards; repealing the act for the appointment of students to Purdue University; for the appointment of public administrators, to have control of all estates in each county; providing for a system of cumulative voting; giving laborers preferred liens; regulating the practice of dentistry ; abolishing the office or State Geologist. ... .At the close of a protracted afternoon’s debate, the Senate ordered to engrossment a bill allowing to medical colleges properly incorporated the bodies of all persons who die in the public hospitals, asylums or poor-houses, which are left .unclaimed by the relatives for twentyfour hours after death. Sheriffs are also directed to give over to the authorities of such colleges the bodies of executed criminals. A provision to make this a part of the sentence of the court was stricken out. The vote on the biU was—yeas, 27; nays, 13. House.—Little business was transacted in the House, the entire session being occupied in disposing of committee reports... .The bill prohibiting appeals from Justices, when the amount is less than S2O was ordered engrossed. . .„.A communication was received from the Superintendent of Public Instruction, showing where local school levies might be reduced from 24 to 50per cent... .A bill was introduced authorizing the State of Maryland to transfer all the title of the State of Indiana to the national cemetery at Antietam to the General Government... .Mr. Humphreys’ legislative Apportionmentbill was niade the special order for Friday... .The joint resolution tovoring resumption was reported back with the recommendation that it be indefinitely postponed. On a call of yeas and nays on the question of concurring in the report no quorum voted, and the House adjourned. Wednesday, Feb. s.—Senate.—Senator Winterbotham occupied considerable time upon a question of privilege, the charges of the Indianapolis Journal that he was the head of a ring controlling the Northern prison. He denied the charges, and courted investigation.... The Senate then passed Senator Streight’s reso • lution asking Congress for the passage of the Inter-State Commerce bill regulating the charges of railway transportation. House.—lndiana members of Congress were instructed to vote for a bill to amend the Revenue law so as to allow farmers to sell tobacco raised by them in leaf or twist, without being compeUed to take out the usual Government license, and to reduce the fees and salaries of Federal officers... .The bill making seventy pounds a bushel of corn was ordered engrossed.... A number of committee reports were received and acted upon. Joint Convention.—Both houses met in joint coiwention, and elected the following officers : State Librarian, Miss Maggie Fitzgibbon; Directors of the State Prison, South, Col. Thomas Shea, of Scott county, and P. 8. D. Mitchell, of Monroe; Directors of the Northern Prison, Col. John Lee, of Montgomery; Frederick Hoover, of Jasper; and Simeon Wile of Laporte county.

Thursday, Feb. o.—Senate.—The joint resolution that each house vote for one President of the Board of Benevolent Institutions and two Trustees each for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb institutes, and two Commissioners for the Insane Asylum, was considered. Mr. Gnibbs moved to amend by electing one Trustee for each of these institutions, and not to elect a President of the Board. In was finally made the special order for next Thursday.... Indiana Congressmen were again instructed to vote for the Inter-State Commerce bi 11... .The ' afternoon session was taken up in considering the Interest bill. The first section, as adopted, fixes the rate at 6 per cent., with the privilege of contracting for 8. Section 2, as adopted, fixes the rate of interest on judgments the same as expressed in the contract, and in other cases au Oper cent B. fore finishing the consideration of the bill the Senate adjourned. House.—The morning session was Vaken up on a bill in relation to an election to ratify the constitutional amendments. The bill was so amended as to fix the time of holding that election on the 4th of March, and then the bill was recommitted to the Judiciary Committee, with instructions to revise and report tomorrow. ... .A number of bills were read a second time and referred to committees, and several legalizing bills were passed... .The committee to investigate into the manner of selecting plans for a new State House and the charges against the Commissioners were given power to employ a stenographer. Friday, Feb. 7.—Senate.—The bill abolishing the offices of City Assessor and Town Treasurer, and providing for the election of Town Marshal, was ordered engrossed as it came from the committee... .Mr. J. T. Campbell tendered his road system to the State for #150.... Then Senate then took up the Interest bill and made a few unimportant amendments to it and passed it... .The bill making it a felony to rob a grave, and relating to dissection, was ordered engrossed... .The Auditor of State was ordered to furnish the Finance Committee a list of all claims filed by special judges which have not been paid... .Several unimportant bills were introduced. House.—The bill fixing the first Tuesday of March as the date for a special election upon the amendments failed to pass... .The balance of the day was passed in discussion of the Apportionment bill, which was the special order for this time. The bill was ordered engrossed. Saturday, Feb. B.—Senate.—There was no quorum in the Senate, and no business was done. House.—Bills introduced: To revise the law in relation to the Illinois and Michigan canal, authorizing the State to sell the canal lands; to amend the act in regard to practice in courts of record; to amend an act for the assessment of property and for the levy and collection of taxes....A number of committee reports were made and acted upon, after which the Committees on State Institutions. Public Buildings and State Charities asked ana obtained leave of absence, notwithstanding the opposition of several members.... Mr. Wentworth introduced the General Levy bill for 1879 and 1880. The bill authorizes to be raised a much less sum than heretofore. The amount for 1879 is #1,300,000 and for 1880 it is #1,500,000. The amount raised for 1877 was #2,000,000, and for 1878 it was #1,500,000.

- Yocng man devoted to and expressly manufactured for apffiety, clasping Ins head in agOny—“Ah, by Jove, how my head aches I Awfully, by Jove! ” K.y mpathizing friend, 'student in dental room—“OIi, you’d better have it pulledthen, after a thoughtful pause, “or filled.” Patient moves away with an injured air, and the young dentist smiles after him more thoughtful than ever.— Burlmpton Hawk-Eye,