REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Mr. CAVEN, from the Judiciary Committee, returned the bill [S. 73] amending the three hundred and fifty-second section of the practice act, recommending that it lie on the table.
Also, the bill [S. 79] concerning heirs of decedents' estates with the same recommendation. In explanation, he remarked that the change proposed was a radical one, making great inroads upon the present system and completely revolutionizing it. It was evidently taken from the law of some other State, being in print as though cut from a book.
These reports were concurred in.
Mr. RICE, from the same Committee, returned the bill [S. 88] amending section three hundred and nineteen of the General Practice Act of June 18, 1852, with a similar recommendation.
Mr. WOLCOTT said this bill had been introduced by him, having been prepared by a law firm in the north part of the State, of acknowledged ability. He had consulted, before introducing it, with the Senator from Tippecanoe, (Mr. Stein,) who thought some such action as that proposed in this bill was necessary. He was not, himself, so familiar with the practice as to make an explanation easy to him, and he trusted the Senator would do so in his stead. His understanding was, that under the section as it now stands, some cases, known as the old chancery cases, can not be tried by oral testimony, but it must be by depositions. It is now proposed to have them tried by oral testimony, when written depositions can not be conveniently had. He hoped the report would not be concurred in.
Mr. STEIN believed that the bill possessed merits, and it might be well to have it more fully discussed.
The Senate refused to concur in the Committee report. *
Mr. CAVEN, from the same committee returned the bill [H. R. 7] authorizing foreign guardians to sue, etc., for property of their wards in this State, with a favorable report.
Also, the bill [S. 22] regulating interest on judgments and decrees, recommending that it lie on the table as the provisions are embodied in the bill [H. R.14.]
These reports were severally concurred in, except in the instance named.
