BOLTING BILL.
Mr STEIN. I move to take up the special order passed over informally on yesterday.
Mr. BENNETT. There is a special order for this hour - the report of the Committee on Congressional Apportionment. I move that the report and bills be re-committed, as it is the desire of some members of that committee to have a further look at them.
It was so ordered, without objection.
The motion to take up the special order, passed over informally on yesterday, was agreed to.
The question being on concurrence in the report of the majority of the Judiciary Committee recommending the passage of the bolting bill [H. R. 42] -
Mr. HOWK. I beg leave on the part of the minority of the committee to offer the following report:
It states that the minority of the Committee to which was referred the bill [H. R. 42] to prevent the breaking of a quorum in the General Assembly and prescribing punishment therefor, unable to agree with the majority of the committee, are opposed to the passage of the bill in question. They wish it to be distinctly understood that they do not favor or justify the practice of bolting - they condemn it as fully as the majority - but it is not a proper subject for legislation. They characterize the emergency clause as a direct personal insult to the minority as well as degrading to the Senate, and therefore recommend that the bill be indefinitely postponed. Signed, GEORGE V. HOWK, JAMES L. MASON and JAMES M. VAWTER.
Mr. MASON moved to lay the majority report on the table.
The yeas and nays were demanded, and being ordered and taken resulted - yeas 24, nays 8 - no quorum voting.
Mr. BENNETT demanded a call of the Senate, which being had, the Secretary reported 33 members present.
On motion by Mr. CULLEN the absentees were sent for.
Mr OYLER asked leave to make two reports from the Committee on Organization of Courts.
Mr. CRAVENS would like to hear the reports, but while the record shows we have no quorum, we are not competent to transact even that business.
Mr. OYLER proposed that the reports be placed upon the record after a quorum shall appear. He did not propose to have them go upon the record at this time.
The PRESIDENT. If there is no objections the reports will be received.
Mr. OYLER, from the Committee on Organization of Courts, returned his bill [S. 80] for the organization of Circuit Courts, with an amendment providing that on the first day of January, 1868, all civil and criminal business in the Common Pleas Court shall be transferred to the Circuit Courts. [The other report was not read ]
On motion by Mr. OYLER, the reports were laid on the table and 300 copies ordered printed.
Mr. RICHMOND asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. HANNA, still confined to his room by sickness.
On the motion of Mr. OYLER, the roll was again called and thirty-five Senators answered to their names.
On motion by Mr. BENNETT, further proceedings under the call of the Senate were dispensed with.
The PRESIDENT. The question recurs on the motion to lay the majority report on the table.
The motion was rejected - yeas 11, nays 24 as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Barker, Carson, Gifford, Howk, Humphreys, Lee, Mason, Smith, Staggs, Taggart and Turner - 11.
NAYS - Messrs. Bellamy, Bennett, Bonham, Cason, Church, Cravens, Cullen, Hyatt, Jaquess. Johnson, Kinley, Milligan, Niles, Oyler, Parrish, Reagan, Reynolds, Richmond, Robinson, Stein, Thompson, Ward, Wolcott and Mr. President - 24.
The majority report was concurred in without a division.
Mr. STEIN moved that the bill be read the second time now.
The Secretary read the bill.
Mr. STEIN moved that the bill be made the special order for to-morrow at 2 o'clock.
Mr. CULLEN. I desire to offer an amendment to that bill, as it is on the second reading now. He moved to strikeout the words "Marion Criminal Court," and substitute words making the offender amendable to the courts in his district. He said: This amendment will obviate an objection to the bill. It will leave the bill just as it is, but the offender will be tried in the Circuit Court of the county in which he resides. I do not think that part of this bill is right. I do not believe that a court in Marion county, ought to have exclusive original jurisdiction of this kind. I move to refer the bill, with the amendment, to the Committee on Rights and Privileges of the Inhabitants of this State.
Mr. BENNETT. Ought not the offense to be tried where it is committed ?
Mr. CULLEN. That is a question this committee may consider
On motion of Mr. STEIN this motion to refer was laid on the table by yeas 23, nays 13.
The question recurring on the motion make this bill the special order for to-morrow at 2 o'clock P. M.
Mr. MASON made an ineffectual motion - yeas 24, nays 12 - to lay this motion on the table.
Mr. OYLER demanded the previous question.
Twenty-one Senators seconding the de- page: 159[View Page 159] mand, under its operation the main question was ordered and put, and -
The motion to make the bill the special for to-morrow afternoon, at 2 o'clock, a division.
