Mr. MURRAY presented a petition against the killing of sheep by dogs, from the Union Agricultural Society of the Tenth Congressional District; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Mr. HAMILTON presented two petitions praying for an adjustment of national difficulties upon the basis of the Crittenden amendments; which were referred to the Committee on Federal Relations.
REPORTS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Were made, returning the following bills with the recommendations named :
- By Mr. STEELE: Senator Murray's 32-described on page 30 of the BREVIER LEGISLATIVE REPORTS-indefinite postponement.
- By Mr. HAMILTON: Senator Hull's 23-described on page 30 of these Reports-indefinite postponement.
- By Mr. CLAYPOOL: In reply to a resolution of the Senate, reported that the committee had examined and found on file the bonds and stocks deposited by the free banks of the State as required by law; also a statement in relation thereto. Laid on the table, and 200 copies ordered printed.
- By Mr. CONLEY: Senator Grubb's 158-see page 194- indefinite postponement. (Another bill on the same subject the committee agreed to amend and report.) Also his bill 112-see page 161-passage.
- By Mr. JOHNSON: Senator Lander's 135-see p. 184- passage with amendments.
- By Mr. MELLETT: Senator Johnson's 81-see p. 104,- passage with amendments.
- By Mr. BLAIR: Senator Murray's 61-see page 88-indefinite postponement.
- By Mr. WAGNER: Senator Newcomb's 144-see page 185-passage. Also a petition from citizens of Brown county, recommending that it lie on the table, inasmuch as a bill has been introduced embracing the same subject.
- By Mr. TARKINGTON: A petition from the citizens of Montgomery county, recommending that it lie on the table.
- By Mr. SHOEMAKER: A resolution [S. 24] lie on the table; also Senator Lomax's 140-see p. 185-passage.
Which were severally concurred in.
Mr. MURRAY moved to amend by indefinitely postponing the bill.
Mr. NEWCOMB. This bill proposes that the tax collected of negroes and mulattoes shall be applied for the purposes of colonization. I am opposed to concurring in the report of this Committee. We have appropriated thousands of dollar in behalf of colonization, and the sum total is that one negro has been sent off, and he ran away to come back again. We must see the utter folly of maintaining this system.
The motion was agreed to by yeas 35, nays 10.
REPORTS FROM THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Were made as follows, returning bills with the recommendations severally named:
- By Mr. MARCH: His bill 133-see page 185 of these Reports-passage.
- By Mr. DeHART.: Senator Wilson's 92-see page 129-lie on the table.
- By Mr. CONNER: Senator Anthony's 146-see page 185-passage, with amendments.
- By Mr. MILLER: Senator Ferguson's 123-see page 163-lie on the table.
- By Mr. NEWCOMB: His bills 114 and 115-see page 163-passage.
- By Mr. RAY: Senator Ferguson's 109-see page 159- page: 226[View Page 226] passage. Also: his bill 156-see page 194-lie on the table.
- By Mr. SLACK: Senator Miller's 155-see page 194 lie on the table. Also: Senator Lomax's 126-see page 169-for the action of the Senate.
- By Mr. CLAYPOOL: His bills 116-see page 163-and 150-see page 194-passage.
Which were severally concurred in.
REPORTS FROM THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.
- By Mr. MILLER: His bill 142-see page 185-passage.
- By Mr. LINE: Senator March's 111-see page 159-passage.
- By Mr. TARKINGTON: His bill 150 to provide a Normal School in the State University-passage.
- By Mr. ODELL: Senator O'Brien's 94-see page 129-passage.
- [Mr. CULVER, from the Committee on County and Township Business, returned his bill 108-see page 159-recommending passage. Also: a resolution relating to county treasurers, setting forth in separate columns the amount of personal property assessed-reporting it as inexpedient to change the law on the subject.]
These reports were severally concurred in.
NEW PROPOSITIONS.
The following bills were introduced and severally passed the first reading:
By Mr. O'BRIEN: [179] To authorize master commissioners of the circuit and common pleas courts of this State to issue writs of habeas corpus, and try cases arising out of such writs, and to award injunctions restraining orders, and writs of ne exeat, and providing for their compensation for sai5 service.
By Mr. SLACK: [180] to amend an act entitled an act to amend section 1 of an act authorizing the construction of plank, macadamized and gravel roads, approved May 12, 1852.
By Mr. O'BRIEN: [181] To amend section 13 of the misdemeanor act, approved June 14, 1852.
By Mr. SLACK: [182] To repeal the act prescribing the duties and fixing the compensation of State Agent.
By Mr. COBB: [183] To amend section 1 of an act to provide for the appraisement of real estate, approved December 21, 1858; also defining the duties of appraisers, approved March 4, 1859; also defining the duties of county auditors and commissioners in regard to the appraisement of railroads.
By Mr. COBB: [184] Conferring jurisdiction upon justices of the peace in certain cases where executors, administrators or guardians are plaintiffs.
By Mr. RAY: [185] To lengthen the term of the common pleas courts in Shelby county.
THE EMBEZZLEMENT BILL.
On motion by Mr. WAGNER the embezzlement bill H. R. 1-described on page 175 of the BREVIER LEHISLATIVE REPORTS- was taken up and read the second time. [See page 74 of these Reports.]
Mr. MURRAY moved to refer the bill to a Committee, with instructions to make the penalties of the bill applicable to county officers as well as State officers:
Mr. CONNER moved to further instruct to conform to the Senate bill on the same subject reported upon by the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. MURRAY accepted.
Mr. WAGNER. I am opposed to the amendment, and gentlemen cannot put it in and enforce it with any kind of justice at all. The thing is simply absurd. If applied to the county treasurer, it may be just and proper, for he has a vault and is a judge of money; but the township treasurer has no safe, and is not a judge of money as a general thing. I would much prefer to abolish the office of township treasurer than to enforce these restrictions upon it. Such a provision was attempted to be incorporated in a similar bill two years ago, but it failed in both Houses.
Mr. CONNER. It will be absolutely necessary to exempt county and township treasurers, from the fact that in many counties there is no safe place to keep the funds of the county, and the officers are compelled to make deposits in banks, or with merchants, who are provided with safes in order that the money may be safely kept. The same is the case in reference to township treasurers; they have no safe place to keep moneys, and should be permitted to deposit for safe keeping, and for no other purpose.
Mr. MARCH. I apprehend this bill will meet with public approbation more surely were it to include every public officer, rather than any particular class of officers. If we wish to avoid defalcations, we must remove temptation, and cast off all chances of loaning the public moneys. All officers should he regarded as trustees, and the moneys in his hands a sacred fund, with which he has no right to tamper himself, or loan to his friends. Township treasurers can pay out these funds in a short time after they get it; and money is always safer in the hands of persons to whom it belongs. I hope the bill may be so amended.
Mr. LANDERS offered an amendment, requiring the State Treasurer to convert all bank bills in his hands on the 1st of January, April, July and October into gold and silver; which was decided out of order.
Mr. COBB offered an amendment, striking out all that part of the bill which refers to the notes of solvent specie-paying banks regularly organized under the laws of this State; which was decided out of order.
Mr. TARKINGTON offered an amendment, providing that moneys received and disbursed by any State, county or township officer shall be in gold and silver; which was decided out of order.
Mr. LINE. Shall we say the State officers are the only dishonest men, or shall we apply the same rule to county and township officers? It has been urged that they have no safe. Every township treasurer should get a safe. I am opposed to exempting any class of men from the penalties of this law, and hence I am in favor of the instructions presented by the Senator from Elkhart. [Mr. Murray.]
Mr. JONES moved to amend the amendment by instructing the Committee to exempt
