IN SENATE.
SATURDAY, January 7, 1865.On motion by Mr. MASON, the reading of yesterday's journal was dispensed with.
Mr. VAN BUSKIRK offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns, it adjourn I to meet on Monday next at 2 P. M.
AN ADDITIONAL PAGE.
Mr. GIFFORD offered the following:
Resolved, That Harry Burt be employed as one of the Pages of the Senate.
Objections being made --
On motion by Mr. OYLER, the resolution was laid on the table.
DOOR-KEEPER.
Mr. CULLEN moved that the Senate proceed to ballot for Principal Door-keeper.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. BENNETT demanded a call of the Senate.
The roll having been called--
The PRESIDENT, pro tem, announced four absentees, and directed the acting Door-keeper to bring to the bar of the Senate, Messrs. English and Hanna--Mr. Brown, of Wells, being excused on account of severe lameness, and Mr. Douglas represented as absent from the city.
ABSENCE.
Mr. WILLIAMS asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Downey, from and after today.
STATIONERY.
Mr. HORD offered the following resolution, page: 29[View Page 29] (--the Senate passing over informally the pending call)--which was adopted:
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to devise and report some suitable mode of providing stationery for the members and officers of the Senate.
JOINT CONVENTION.
A message was received from the House of Representatives announcing the passage by that body of the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Senate be invited to attend in this Hall on Monday, the 9th of January, at 2 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of opening and publishing the returns of the election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.
Subsequently, on motion of Mr. DOWNEY, the resolution was taken up and concurred in by the Senate.
RULES-SESSION HOURS.
Mr. WILLIAMS, from the select committee thereon, reported Rules for the government of the Senate similar to those of the last session.
Mr. CASON moved to refer the report back to the committee with instructions to report an amendment so that the President shall take his seat and call the Senate to order at 2 o'clock p. M., of each day, unless the Senate adjourn to another hour.
Mr. DOWNEY favored the motion to re-commit.
Mr. BENNETT named many good and substantial reasons why the Senate should have no session in the forenoon.
Mr. VAN BUSKIRK insisted that members could be able to vote more intelligibly on all questions after they shall be canvassed in the committee room. No suggestion has been made in this chamber during the present session which was so gratifying to him. He hoped the motion would prevail.
Mr. CORBIN could see no inconvenience arising from the rule requiring the sessions to commence at 9 o'clock; on the contrary, he could readily see how we would waste a good deal of precious time by having the hour for our meetings fixed at 2 o'clock. Under the present rule committees can have all the time they need, simply by asking for it.
Mr. DOWNEY offered as a substitute for the motion to recommit, an amendment to the report of the Committee on Rules, which would fix the daily session hours at 2 o'clock P. M.
Mr. CASON accepted the amendment as a substitute for his motion.
Messrs. WILLIAMS and OYLER opposed the amendment.
Mr. DUNNING (Mr. Mason in the chair), favored the change proposed, for the reason that practical results in legislation would inevitably flow from it. He disliked to go out after night to the meetings of committees; and he knew of many members here now, who always did much more work in the committee rooms, when caught there, than in the Senate chamber. It would facilitate the passage of measures recommended by committees, because members would understand that the recommendations had been well and cautiously considered. If we find it does not work well, we can make a change.
Mr. DOWNEY replied to the objection named by Messrs. Williams, Corbin and Oyler, and endeavored to show conclusively that more work could be done in this body by giving up the forenoon for the committee meetings than by holding sessions of the Senate.
Mr. NILES hoped no additional remarks would be necessary in favor of this proposition. He certainly thought the change proposed is the very best that could be made. A committee could consider more dispassionately any proposition than it can be done in the Senate proper. He did not desire to be compelled to sit here six hours every day and then go to a committtee room after dark. The Senate can certainly act more understandingly on every question that shall first be considered in the committee room.
Mr. WILLIAMS insisted that he had never experienced any inconvenience from the rule as he had submitted it in the committee report.
Mr. BENNETT again set forth the great value of the proposed amendment.
The amendment was then rejected by yeas 23, nays 26.
The committee report was concurred in by consent.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
Mr. McCLURG offered the following:
WHEREAS, The political parties in this Senate are equally divided; and whereas, the question of contested seats ought to be settled upon a just and proper basis, and it is desirable to organize a committee on elections, which shall, as near as possible, give satisfaction to the Senate; therefore.
Resolved, That the Hon. Paris G. Dunning be declared chairman of said committee.
Resolved, That the President in appointing the remaining members of said committee be requested to divide them equally politically.
Mr. DUNNING said he desired to be relieved from the operation of the resolution adopted yesterday afternoon, requiring him to appoint the Standing Committees.
Mr. COBB favored the passage of the resolution.
Mr. WEIGHT and Mr. PEDEN were opposed to the resolution, because it proposes to dictate as to the arrangement of the Standing Committees of the Senate.
Mr. THOMPSON was glad to see Governor Dunning disposed to decline the labor imposed upon him by the resolution of yesterday evening.
Mr. McCLURG could see no objection to the resolution, and urged its immediate passage.
Mr. BENNETT was willing to see Governor Dunning chairman of the Committee on Elections, but would oppose the passage of the resolution.
Mr. CULLEN could see no necessity for the adoption of the resolution, and looked upon it as casting a reflection on the Lieutenant Governor, who is expected to preside over this body during the remainder of the session.
Mr. McCLURG withdrew the resolution.
PRINTING THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.
Mr. THOMPSON offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That ten thousand copies of the massage of His Excellency, Governor Morton, be printed for the use of the Senate.
OFFICIAL HARDSHIPS.
Mr. VAN BUSKIRK presented a petition from three Township Assessors in Decatur page: 30[View Page 30]county, praying for the enactment of a law providing additional compensation to said class of officers, which was read and laid on the table.
COUNTY AND OTHER BONDS.
On motion by Mr. BENNETT, his Bond Bill, [S. 3,] (introduced yesterday morning,) was read the second time.
On motion by Mr. COBB, it was referred to a select committee of five, which the PRESIDENT subsequently made to consist of Messrs. Cobb, Bennett, Downey, Allison, and Gaff.
A NEW PROPOSITION.
Mr. HORD introduced a bill [S. 12] authorizing creditors in certain cases to bring action for their claims before they are due, which was read the first time, and passed to the second reading.
RAILROAD APPRAISEMENT.
The PRESIDENT pro tem, announced the committee authorized by Mr. Vawter's Railroad Appraisement, resolution adopted just before the recess for dinner yesterday, viz: Messrs. Vawter, Corbin, Culver, Peden, Hanna, Dykes, and Beeson.
THE DOOR-KEEPERS AGAIN.
Mr. BROWN of Wells, moved that the Senate proceed to ballot for Door-keeper.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. COBB nominated Frank Cunningham, of Marion county, for Principal Door-keeper.
The twelfth ballot far Principal Door-keeper resulted as follows:
Those who voted for John H. Johnson were:Messrs. Allison, Beeson, Bennett, Bonham, Brown of Hamilton, Cason, Chapman, Culver, Davis, Dunning, Dykes. Hyatt, Milligan, Moore, Niles, Noyes, Oyler, Peden, Richmond, Terry, Thompson, Van Buskirk, Ward, Woods and Wright-25.
Those who voted for Frank Cuaningham were:Messrs. Barker, Bowman, Bradley, Brown of Wells, Carson, Cobb, Corbin, Douglas, Downey, English, Finch, Fuller, Gaff, Gifford, Hanna, Hord, Jenkins, Marshall, Mason, MeClurg, Newlin. Staggs, and Williams-23.
Mr. MOORE, when his name was called, said: I have been voting all the time with my Democratic friends, but I see it is no use to vote with them any longer. I want this thing to close up. I have come here to serve my country in the best possible manner I know how to do. It seems to me this thing ought to be closed to-day, so we can go to work Monday. For that reason, seeing there is no possible chance for us to elect a Democrat for I am a Democrat, and expect to die one but under these considerations I shall vote this time for Mr. Johnson.
Mr. VAWTER, when his name was called, announced that he had paired of, on all political questions, with Mr. Cullen.
The PRESIDENT declared Mr. John H. Johnson duly elected Principal Door-keeper of the Senate during the present session; and thereupon administered to him the oath of office.
Mr. BEESON moved that the Senate proceed to ballot for Assistant Door-keeper.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. BEESON nominated S. G. Thompson, of Wabash county, for Assistant Door-keeper.
Mr. WILLIAMS nominated James S. Morgan, of Daviess county.
There being no other nominations the Secretary called the roll, and the first ballot for Assistant Door-keeper resulted: For Mr. Thompson 24 votes; for Mr. Morgan 24 votes.
There being no choice--
The PRESIDENT directed Senators to prepare their votes for a second ballot.
Mr. BRADLEY nominated John D. Moore,. of Owen county, for Assistant Doorkeeper.
Mr. WILLIAMS withdrew the name of James S. Morgan.
Mr. MOORE. If we all vote upon a political side we cannot come to any conclusion at all. I call upon the friends on the other side as I have voted with them and put the Principal Door-keeper in and I ask them to go with us now. This is a son of mine, and I would like very much if the Senate would allow him to stay with me this session. I think he will make a faithful officer, and I appeal to the magnanimity, and more particularly to my friend here, [Mr. Thompson] and the gentleman from Monroe [Mr. Dunning.] I think the gentleman from Monroe said to me, that the time might come when he would support my son for same office here. I hope he will think the time hag come now.
The second ballot for Assistant Door-keeper was then taken, resulting: for Mr. Thompson 24 votes, for Mr. Moore 22 votes, and for Mr. Morgan 2 votes. No choice.
PAY OF DOOR-KEEPER.
Mr. COBB offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That William H. Montgomery be, and he is hereby allowed the sum of six dollars per day, and mileage, for his services as Door-keeper of the Senate, during the present session.
THE DOOR KEEPER, IMBROGLIO.
Mr. BROWN, of Wells, nominated Frank Cunningham, of Marion county, for Assistant Door-keeper.
Mr. BRADLEY withdrew the name of Mr. Moore.
The third ballot resulted : for Mr. Thompson 24 votes, for Mr. Cunningham 24 votes. No choice.
Mr. CULVER made an ineffectual motion to adjourn.
Mr. DOWNEY nominated Percy Rous, of Switzerland county, for Assistant Door-keeper.
Mr. BROWN, of Wells, withdrew the name of Mr. Cunningham.
Mr. DOWNEY said he should not act the partizan in performing his duties upon this floor; and hoped gentlemen would not longer stand out against the election of this veteran soldier to the smallest office in the gift of the Senate.
The fourth ballot for Assistant Door-keeper resulted: for Mr. Thompson 24 votes, for Mr. Rous 24 votes.
Mr. BENNET offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Door-keeper be instructed to properly furnish the office rooms adjoining the Senate Chamber, for the use of the Senate.
page: 31[View Page 31]STANDING COMMITTEES.
On motion by Mr. BEESON, the vote of yesterday afternoon, adopting the resolution empowering the President pro tem, to appoint the standing committees of the Senate, was reconsidered.
Mr. CORBIN then withdrew the resolution.
PAY OF DOOR-KEEPERS.
Mr. MASON offered the following:
Resolved, That each of the employees except pages employed by Mr. Montgomery, the acting Door-keeper, be allowed the sum of six dollars per day for the number of days they have served as Assistant Door-keepers.
On motion by Mr. MOORE, the resolution was amended so as to allow the Pages three dollars per day.
Mr. COBB moved to amend by striking out "$3," and inserting in lieu thereof "$5."
On motion by Mr. BENNETT, the resolution and pending amendment was referred to a special committee.
And then the Senate adjourned.
