THE STATE PRISONS.
The PRESIDENT announced the special order for 10 o'clock-being the bill [S. 222] to provide for the government of tthe State Prisons-the question being on Senator Line's motion of yesterday morning to concur with an amendment.
On Mr. HULL's motion, this question was laid on the table, by yeas 23, nays 22.
Mr JONES moved to concur with an amendment, providing that nothing in this act shall be so construed as to remove any one from office until his term of office shall expire.
On Mr. ANTHONY'S motion, this motion was laid on the table, by yeas 26, nays 20.
Mr. HULL made an ineffectual demand for the previous question.
Mr. MARCH. If the northern prison is abolished, three directors are sufficient, and to spare. He thought the northern penitentiary is not absolutely needed, and if it can be appropriated for a house of refuge, or a place to put minor criminals in, he should be in favor of that kind of a proposition. The State needs such an institution, more than any thing else of the kind.
page: 303[View Page 303]Mr. HULL. As the State prison north has been commenced, I have no doubt the Legislature will make appropriations to complete it.
Mr. MILLER thought we could not do with less-than five directors. There must be some-body to take care of the northern prison, even if it be abolished.
Mr. ROBINSON was willing to vote for the present bill, with the understanding that if the northern prison be abolished he should vote again to restrict the number of directors.
Mr. WOLFE opposed the report. The real intention of the bill is to legislate Democrats Out of office who are legally elected, and get Republicans in their places. It is premature to undertake to pass this bill, which relates to the nothern as well as to the southern prison, before the Prison Investigating Committee report ; it is getting the cart before the horse. Why not lay the matter on the table until we are informed of the facts in the case ?
Mr. COBB concurred in the sentiments expressed by the Senator from Harrison (Mr. Wolfe). The northern prison should be done away with, and but three directors should be provided for. Politics should not enter into the government of our benevolent institutions; and unless driven to it by the action of political opponents, he never would make it a test question.
Mr. ANTHONY. The bill proposes a radical and necessary change, and has not for its purpose, simply, the turning of Democrats out of office. If the northern prison is abolished, he would vote to abolish the two directors for that prison. The number of officers and their salaries are reduced by this bill.
Mr. RAY. When gentlemen insist upon taking a vote upon this question now, they are insisting upon an inverse order of proceedings. We ought to wait for the report of the Prison Investigating Committee. The object of this bill is evidently to legislate Democratic officers out of office, and legislate Republicans in. He was of opinion that this measure should be postponed for the present.
[A message from the House announced the passage by that body of the bill S. 5, with amendments.]
Mr. CLAYPOOL was in favor of wiping out the northern prison, and in favor of the general provisions of this bill; also, he moved to concur in the report of the committee by providing that, in the event the northern State prison shall be discontinued, the term of office of the two persons elected for the northern prison shall terminate.
Mr. SLACK could see nothing that would be gained by the passage of this bill. Unless some objection is urged to the present directors, we should not interfere with the organization as it is.
Mr. MURRAY. A simple proposition to economise in administering the affairs of the State prison, should not elicit so much discussion. He was sorry to see partizan feelings affecting gentlemen in this matter. He made an ineffectual demand for the previous question.
Mr. WOLFE moved to postpone the further consideration of the subject till Tuesday, 10 o'clock.
On Mr. CONNER'S motion-yeas 26, nays 20-this motion was laid on the table.
Mr. CONNER demanded the previous question.
The demand was seconded, by yeas 27, nays 19.
Mr. JOHNSON moved to adjourn.
The PRESIDENT declared the motion out of order.
Mr. WOLFE appealed from the decision of the chair.
On motion by Mr. MURRAY-yeas 25, nays 20-the appeal was laid on (he table.
Mr. WILLIAMS demanded a call of the House.
The PRESIDENT decided all motions out of order during the operations of the previous question.
Mr. SLACK appealed from this decision.
After fifteen minutes discussion of points of order-
The amendment was agreed to, by yeas 42, nays 3.
The committee's report was then concurred in, by yeas 26, nays 19.
The PRESIDENT then laid before the Senate the appeal of Mr. Slack.
The question being, shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the House ?
It was so decided: yeas 28, nays 7.
Mr. CONLEY moved to recommit the prison bill with instructions-not read.
The PRESIDENT decided this motion out of order, matters having intervened since the vote on the bill.
And then came the recess till 2 o'clock.
