HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, December 13.The Journal of Saturday was read.
PETITIONS.
Mr. SUMMERS presented the petition of James R. Lambkin, of Crawford county, embracing his claim of $59 for apprehending Elisha Brothers, a felon, and it was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. GREGORY presented the petition of sundry citizens of Ohio county, for amendment of the road law - that the road tax be made and collected in money, &c., which was referred to the Committee on Roads.
Mr. USREY presented the petition of sundry citizens of Sullivan county, asking for a conventional interest - not to exceed 10 per cent., which was read and referred to the Committee on Rights and Privileges.
QUALIFICATION OF ELECTORS.
Mr. PARKS, from the Committee on the Rights and Privileges of the Inhabitants of the State, to whom was referred Mr. Gregory's bill (H. R. 27) to amend the Constitution so as to confine the qualifications of an elector, &c., returned the same, with the expression of opinion that legislation on the subject is inexpedient.
Mr. GREGORY moved to refer the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary
Mr. COLGROVE. That committee had already reported against legislation on this matter.
The motion was rejected.
On motion by Mr. GREGORY, it was then referred to a select committee of five, which the Speaker made to consist of Messrs Gregory, Blythe, Branham, Hamilton of Boone, and Mellett.
EXTENDING COURT TERM.
Mr. DAVIS, from the Committee of the Judiciary, reported back his bill (H. R. 36) to amend the first section of the act to extend the terms of Circuit Courts by adjournment, recommending an additional section to this effect:
"SECTION 3. Whenever the Judge shall fix the time for homing such special term, the clerk, if the Judge require it, shall issue a summons to the grand and pet it jurors of the last term to attend at the special term, &c."
The report was concurred in, the amendment adopted, and the bill, as amended, was ordered to be engrossed.
HOUSES OF REFUGE
Mr. DOBBINS submitted the following, which was adopted:
WHEREAS, Section second of article 9th of the Constitution of the State, declares that "the General Assembly shall provide Houses of Refuge, for the correction and reformation of juvenile offenders; and WHEREAS, recent developments admonish us of the increase of this character of offenders; and WHEREAS, it is unwise and impolitic to send such youthful outlaws to the State Prison to mingle with the old, experienced, and hardened creatures of crime, such as are usually sent to that institution; Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Speaker is hereby authorized to appoint a select committee, consisting of one member from each Congressional District in the State, whose duty it shall be, at as early day as possible, to report a bill to this House, which, in the language of the Constitution, "shall provide Houses of Refuge for the correction and reformation of juvenile offenders:" Provided, That there shall not be more than five nor less than three of such houses erected and that the same shall be located in various parts of the State.
PAPER CURRENCY.
On motion by Mr. STANFIELD, Mr. Martin's bill (H. R. 9) to prevent the circulation of unauthorized paper currency, was taken up, with the report thereon, and referred to a select committee of five, which the Speaker makes to consist of Messrs. Stanfield, Mellett, Colgrove, Dobbins and Merrifield.
STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.
Mr. MELLETT submitted the following, which was adopted by consent:
Resolved, That the use of this Hall be granted to the State Teachers' Association for holding their annual meeting, and that said Association have the use of the Hall at any hour when not occupied by this body.
ADULTERY.
Mr DOBBINS introduced a bill (No. 76) to amend the 21st section of the act defining misdemeanors page: 124[View Page 124] and prescribing punishment therefor, approved June 14, 1852, which was passed the first reading.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
Mr. BOYD introduced a bill (No. 77) to regulate the retailing of spiritous and intoxicating liquors, to suppress the evils arising therefrom.
TRANSFER OF ACTIONS.
Mr. BROTHERTON introduced a bill (No. 78) to provide for the transfer from the Court of Common Pleas to the Circuit Court certain cases wherin the Courts of Common Pleas have no jurisdiction;
Which bills were passed the first reading.
COUNTY SEAT OF PERRY.
Mr. SMITH, of Perry, introduced a bill (No. 79) supplemental to the act providing for the relocation of county seats, relocation of highways, &c., approved March 2, 1855, and providing for a relocation of county seat, where lands and Courthouses have been donated and petition filed, which was read through and passed the first reading.
Mr. BRANHAM. I move to suspend the rule, and that the bill be read the second time now.
Mr. SMITH, of Perry. This is a bill for a specific purpose. Although in the form of a general law, it will only affect the people of Perry county. My constituents are exceedingly anxious, for several reasons, that it should be immediately passed. One cause for this emergency is that, within a few months, large numbers of emigrants from abroad have removed to my county - the county of Perry - and they are rapidly building up a town which they have called by the name of Tell City. The gentlemen interested in this town have come from twenty-three societies in other countries; they have improved and opened streets, received conveyances of their lots; and within the next month there will be a call for the examination and record of perhaps thirteen or fourteen hundred deeds. The present county seat is some twenty miles from the center, and in addition to the inconvenience which would arise from the necessity for the examination and record of these deeds at the present county seat, it is the almost unanimous desire of the people of the county, that this change should be made - the removal of the county seat to Canelton, where the ground is donated and the Court house built. More than two thirds of the voters in the county have petitioned for it; but it can not be made under the existing law. For these and other reasons it is desirable that this bill should pass with all reasonable speed.
The rules were suspended - Yeas 71, Nays 1, and the bill was read the second time by its title.
On motion by Mr. SMITH, of Perry, it was referred to a special committee of five, which, the Speaker makes to consist of Messrs. Smith, of Perry, Stanfield, Blythe, Davis and Mellett.
LIQUOR.
Mr. NELSON introduced a bill, (No. 80,) to regulate the sale of spirituous or intoxicating liquors, prescribing penalties for the violation of the same, and to raise revenue from the sale of such liquors.
FREE BANKS.
Mr. MURRAY introduced a bill, (No. 81,) requiring the Auditor of State to pay over moneys or stocks belonging to the proprietors or stock holders of banks.
ASSESSORS.
Mr. WATERMAN introduced a bill (No. 82) to provide for the election of County Assessors and prescribing their dutiesto provide for the appointment of Deputy Assessors, and prescribing their duties, and to repeal all laws in confiict with this act[abolishing Township Asessors:]
Which bills were severally passed the fim reading.
THE BLIND SCHOOL.
The SPEAKER laid before the House a communication from J. McWorkman, Superintendent of the Institution for the Education of the Blind responding to the resolution of Mr. Smith, of Perry, calling for information touching the relative cost, per capita, of supporting similar institutions in the United States, and staring that he was in possession of no certain information, but that he had opened a correspondence with several Superintendents, the result of which he would communicate at the earliest moment.
WORK FOR COMMITTEES.
The following bills from the Senate were now considered in order on the first reading, and passed to the second reading on to-morrow.
The bill (S. 4) to amend sections 6, 7,10,11, 12, &c., of the Divorce act, approved May 13 1852.
The bill (S. 6) to cure defects in the execution of deeds, or in the certificates of acknowledgments of conveyance of real estate, &c., in the cases therein named - doing away with the ink scroll, and repealing conflicting laws.
The bill (S. 20) to authorize the incorporation of associations formed for building towns within this State.
The bill (S. 59) to mend section 3 of the act regulating pilots at the Falls ot the Ohio, requiring bond and security from such pilots, prohibiting unlicensed persons from acting as such pilots, providing compensation for such pilots, &c.
The bill (S. 34) to prescribe duties of assessors, requiring lists of farm products, &c , to be reported to the Auditor of State every four years; and
The bill (S. 60) to amend the act authorizing county agricultural societies to purchase and hold real estate, approved February 7,1858.
The House then, at 4:40 o'clock, adjourned till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.
