HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, February 12,1863.Petitions were presented and referred to appropriate committees, to-wit:
By Mr. PACKARD, from citizens of Porter county, asking for a stringent law to prevent poll officials from taking ballot boxes home and sleeping- with them before the votes are counted.
By Mr. RICHARDSON, from citizens of White county, for protection of fur-producing animals.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Recommending that House bills 68, (see page 68;) 86, 88, (p. 85;) 98, (p. 94;) and 126, (p. 112;) be laid on the table, were severally concurred in.
WIDOWS' PROPERTY.
A majority of the Judiciary Committee reported back the bill, [H.R. 84] repealing the 18th section of the law of descents--recommending that it be laid on the table.
Mr. PACKARD presented a minority report recommending the passage of the bill. The bill removes the restriction upon property held by women acquired from deceased husbands, which discourages them from marrying again. It was no more just to impose such a restriction on the widow than on the husband.
Mr. MILLER followed in a like argument.
Mr. ANDERSON replied that married women were better off than the men were. Their property was not responsible for their debts, nor for the support of the family, while the husband lived. In every feature but this the law favored women.-- He thought the Legislature should hesitate at innovation.
Mr. CASON spoke in favor of the majority report, and Mr. SPENCER against it.
page: 147[View Page 147]Mr. WOOLLEN sustained the law now on the statute book, and spoke against the repeal of the section indicated.
Messrs. HOWARD, GREGORY and BURTON sustained the majority report.
Mr. HARDIN, of Perry, demanded the previous question.
The House sustained the demand and the majority report was concurred in. So the bill lies on the table.
PUBLIC INDECENCY.
The bill H. R. 72, (see page 68) was amended by striking out the words of "good character," considered as engrossed, read the third time and passed, by--yeas 42, nays 1.
HORSE THIEF DETECTIVES.
Mr. FERRIS, in behalf of the Committee on Rights and Privileges, introduced a bill [186] relative to formation of companies for detection of horse thieves, which was read the first time.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
A call of the House was ordered, and but 73 members answered to their names.
The SPEAKER laid before the House an Invitation from Col. Henry B. Carrington to be present to witness artillery practice this afternoon, at the ground north of damp Sullivan.
On motion, the invitation was accepted, and the House adjourned.
