Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1879 — INDIANA LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA LEGISLATURE.

Monday, March 3.—Senate.—Owing to hie .election to the Forty-sixth Congress from the First district, William Heilman .resigned his seat as Senator, and left for home, preparatory to going to Washington if necessary.... The Election Committee reported in favor of SenatouSmith retaining his seat... .The Legislative Apportionment bill was ordered eng'ossed, Senator Davis’ amendment being added. e voted with the Democrats. House.—The committee to investigate the Auditor’s office was instructed by the House to extend its examination to a time four years previous to Auditor Henderson’s term of office. Tuesday, March 4. Senate —The Apportionment bill was brought up directly after the assembling of the Senate and passed, Senator Davis voting with the Democrats. The bill reorganizing the benevolent institutions was also taken up and passed with the aid of Senator Davis.... Two legalizing bills were taken up and passed, and then the bill to repeal that portion of the law on the subject of insurance which requires the publication of the semi-annual statements of foreign insurance companies doing business in this State in the two leading dailies if Indianapolis, was taken up and its consideration occupied most of the remainder of the session. The bill was so amended as to require the publication of the statements in a weekly paper of Indianapolis to be chosen by the company, and proof of such publication is to be filed in the office of the Auditor of the State. After being so amended the bill was ordered engrossed Senators Burrell and Davis were appointed a conference committee on the part of the Senate on the Apportionment bill House.—A number of committee reporta were received and acted upon... .Bills passed: Regulating the practice of medicine; securing priority to claims of laborers against corporations in certain cases: in relation to the disposition to be made of township funds; giving colored children the same school privileges as white children; compelling companies which have received grants oi portions of the old national road to complete their roads; regulating the transaction of business in this State byexpress companies; authorizing Justices to appoint some persons to hold court for them when unable to do so themselves.... The Senate amendments to the House bill reorganized the benevolent institutions were con■juircd in.... The House Apportionment bill, as amended by the Senate, was taken up and the Senate amendments thereto were read, when the House refused to concur in the same and asked for a committee of conference. The Speaker appointed Messrs. English and Dalton as such committee on the part of the Hom e.... The military bill failed to pass. Wednesday, March s.—Senate.—A conference report upon the Interest bill was discussed and not agreed to, a new conference committee being called for... .Several House bills were passed, mostly legalizing ones... .The bill appropriating 8700,(XX) for the new State House was co- siaered, and, without reaching a vote, made th: special otuer for to-mo. row morning. House —Bills passed: The Specific Appropriation bill, which appropriates $137,500; limiting fines in contempt cases to SSOO, and permitting appeals when the fine is over SSO ; establishing a Bureau of Statistics, and appropriating $3,000 for its support; permitting counties to vote aid to railroads; j r vid n j for the government of State s p Ison, and establishing an Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children. ... .Tne bill in relation to publishing insurance statements was indefinitely postponed... .T) e Congressional Apportionment bill failed to pass, the vote thereon being a tie.... The request of the Senate for a conference committee on the Interest bill was agreed to. Thubsdat, March fl.—Senate —The Senate took tin the report at the oopferenoe committee

on the Legislative Apportionment bill, and, after some filibustering, passed it, <, .The conference report upon the Interest bill was concurred in. The rate was fixed at 6 per cent, with contract rate of 8 per cent.... The bill Was also passed to submit constitutional ahiendiftents to the people at the April election of 1880... .The State Hottse bill was referred to a special committee.... The Congressional Apportionment bill occupied the remainder of the session.

Housb.—The reports of the conference committees on the Legislative apportionment and Interest bills were taken up and concurred in. ... .The bill fixing the time of holding the election to ratify constitutional amendments was passed.... Joint resolutions authorizing the Governor to return the Morgan raid claims to their owners, and authorizing lhe appointment of a competent person to survey the Kankakee, Calumet and Beaver rivers passed... .The Congressional Apportionment bill was then p issed after an exciting debate, in which personalities were indulged in bv several members... .Bills Were also passed: Abolishing the office of Town Assessor; constituting a board of claims against the State; regtilating the election of Supervisors; Exempting *I,OOO Worth of property from execution ; prescribing the form of deeds to be made by Sheriffs ana Coroners. Friday, March 7.—Senate.—The bill defining libel was taken up and the House amendments thereto rejected... .The House amendments to the bill submitting the constitutional amendments to the people at the April election in 1880 were concurred in... .The Senate refused to take up the Specific Appropriation bill, thus rendering a special session necessary... .The bill to prevent foreign corporations from removing suits against them to the Federal courts by forfeiting their charters When they do so was passed.... The State House bill was then taken up and passed.... The Governor sent in his appointment of officers in accordance with the bill reorganizing the benevolent institutions. The following are the nominations: President of Board of Trustees, John Fishback; Trustees, Blind Asylum, Joseph Blstino, William V. Wiles; Deaf and Damn Institute, F. C. Johnson, Milton James; Commissioners of the Insane Asylum, B. F. Spoor, R. R. Tarlton. They were confirmed. ... .The resolution authorizing the committee to investigate the benevolent institutions to draw pay for fifteen days after the close of the session was adopted. House Hie bill creating a Court of Claims failed to pass, and the bill allowing cities of 7,000 inhabitants or under to surrender their charters was passed... .House bills for the purification of the ballot-box and abolishing spring elections failed to pass... .House bills were passed: Regulating the wanner of presentation of claims against counties; requiring the county printing to be let to the lowest bidder. The bills limiting appeals to the Supreme Court and reorganizing the system of working roads failed.... The House receded from its amendments to the Libel bill, and it is now a law. This bill makes it a crime to publish or utter a libel.

Saturday, March B.—Senate. —The Senate adopted a resolution declaring that there was no need for a special session and proceed at once to the consideration of the General Appropriation bill. Filibustering then commenced, and was continued until it was evident a special session was necessary.... Tae following nominations were sent in by the Governor and confirmed: Manager of the Female Reformatory, Emma Roach; Trustees of the Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children, J. P. Early, Robt. Brown and B. F. Ibach; Trustees of the House of Refuge, Finley Bigger and R. F. Burnett... .A bill was introduced providing that hereafter no legalizing acts should be introduced until the Appropriation bill is passed. ... .The remainder of the session was taken up in filibustering and motions to bring up all sorts of bills, none of which prevailed. House. —Bills passed: Providing for a change of time of holding elections in case constitutional amendments are adopted; authorizing railroad companies to extend their lines; exempting one month’s wages of laboring men and mechanics from garnishment; regulating the rights of married women; abolishing one of the Mario i Superior Courts; providing for the creation of ditch companies; changing the time of electing Road Supervisors, and abolishing the land tax... .The Drake-Bearse contest was dismissed by the contestant