AFTERNOON SESSION.
On a motion by Mr. BROWN, of Wells, his joint resolution, [15]introduced day before yesterday--authorizing the Committee to investigate the State Quarter-master's Department, to sit after the adjournment of the Senate, was read the second time.
Mr. BROWN, of Wells, moved to suspend the rules and read the resolution the third time.
Mr. MARCH moved to amend by making the joint committee to consist of five instead of nine. He was opposed to the entire measure, but if it was decided to have the Committee sit after the adjournment, five could do just as much work as nine. There had been no fact presented yet to the Senate that, in his opinion,would justify the authorizing the committee to sit.
Mr. BROWN, of Wells, read from the report of the Congressional Committee, made to Congress by Mr. Washburn, to show the necessity of the investigation, and the importance of the matters to be investigated.
Mr. JOHNSTON moved to amend the amendment by making the number three, one from the Senate and two from the House.
Mr. BROWNE, of Randolph, said that it was simply absurd to suppose that the committee could investigate matters of the importance proposed during the sitting of the Senate. It would take all their time. He thought also the number in the resolution (nine) was not too large. The affairs not only of the Quartermaster's Department, but of the Commissary Department, the Arsenal, and the purchase of arms, needed, investigation. There was much work to do. On the score of expense gentlemen need not think there would be any unnecessary expense. It is time that investigations should be had, and if corruptions existed they should be exposed.
Mr. MELLETT did not think a committee of nine too large. If they attempt to examine all the vouchers it will take them two years; but if they only investigated cases of alleged fraud, it could be done in two or three weeks.
Mr. CLAYPOOL was opposed to the appointment of the committee. The Government had already settled the claims that the Congressional Committee attended to. But if it was raised; three would be sufficient.
Mr. DUNNING (Mr. Cobb in the chair) said that if the committee was reduced to three the Senate would have to appoint either a Democrat or Republican, and one party in this chamber would not be represented on the committee. It was useless to deny that there was more or less party feeling in the matter, and parties should have a fair representation in the investigation. The committee should not be less than five, although he would prefer nine. If the State authorities should come out clear, their reputation would be enhanced. He gave them the benefit of the law, and believed them guiltless, and would believe them guiltless until they were proved criminal. The people demanded it, and they should be gratified.
An amendment, making it two from the Senate and one from the House was adopted; by yeas 32, nays 15.
The motion to suspend the rules was rejected; by yeas 16, nays 30.
Mr. BLAIR made an ineffectual motion to amend by limiting the sitting to thirty days, and, to strike out all that empowers the committee to employ a Clerk and Doorkeeper.
On motion of Mr. BROWNE, of Randolph, the joint resolution was referred to a select committee.
page: 180[View Page 180]ARBITRARY ARRESTS.
On motion by Mr. RAY, his bill 114, (see page 146) was read the third time and passed; by yeas 29, nays 11.
NEW PROPOSITIONS.
The following bills were introduced, read the first time, and severally passed to the second reading:
By Mr. FERGUSON, [168] to prevent the abandonment of plank, turnpike roads, McAdamized and gravel roads in certain cases, and declaring who shall not be liable to pay toll on such roads in certain cases.
By Mr. HORD, [369] to amend section one of an act to amend section seven of an act entitled an act to fix the times of holding the Common Pleas Courts in the several counties of this State, approved March 5, 1859, so as to change the time of holding said courts in Jackson and Bartholomew counties, and declaring when this act shall take effect, approved March 9, 1861.
BREVIER LEGISLATIVE REPORTS.
Mr. CORBIN offered the following:
Resolved, That the Doorkeeper be directed to contract with W. H. DRAPIER, for six hundred copies of the BREVIER LEGISLATIVE; REPORTS--being the usual number furnished for the use of this Senate every session since 1857--the same to be sent by express, an equal number of copies to each Senator, as soon as possible after the adjournment of the session--provided said Reports shall not cost more than one dollar per copy.
On motion by Mr. RAY, the resolution was amended by providing that one copy for aach Senator should be bound.
On motion by Mr. CLAYPOOL, the resolution was further amended "so as to require the copies to be furnished within 60 days from the adjournment."
Mr. MOORE made an ineffectual motion--affirmative 15, negative 22--to reduce the number of copies to 300.
On motion by Mr. HORD, the vote agreeing to the amendment restricting the time of publication to 60 days was reconsidered.
The question recurring on the amendment (Mr. Claypool's)--
On motion by Mr. HORD, it was laid on the table.
On motion by Mr. CLAYPOOL a proviso was added " that said Reports shall not be paid for till printed."
The resolution, as amended, was adopted by yeas 27, nays 19--as follows:
YEAS--Messrs. Blair, Bradley, Brown, of Wells, Cobb, Corbin, Davis, of Cass, Bickinson, Douglass, Downey, Dunning, Ferguson, Finch, Gaff, Giiford, Graves, Hartley, Hoagland, Hord, Landers, McClurg, Marshall, Murray, Ray, Reed, Williams, Wilson and Wolfe--27.
NAYS--Messrs. Bearss, Berry, Browne, of Randolph, Campbell, Claypool, Culver, Davis, of Parke, Fuller, Grubb, Jenkins, Mansfield, March, Mellett, Moore, New, Pleak, Teegarden, White and Wright--19.
CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.
Mr. DOWNEY offered a resolution allowing John H. Baker and William H. Dills, contestors for the seats of Messrs. Murray and Dickinson, the pay and mileage of Senators from the first of the session until the time their cases were decided.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Finance, with instructions to inquire into the justice of the claim, and, also, as to the claim of Alexander White, the contestor of the seat of Mr. Browne, of Randolph.
On motion of Mr. BLAIR the several contested election cases were taken up.
The Senate then adopted the resolutions declaring that Messrs Dickinson, Browne of Randolph, Mellett, Bearss, Ray and Teegarden were entitled to their seats.
