HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
JANUARY 13,1879, 2 o'clock p. m.The House met pursuant to adjournment.
The SPEAKER called the House to order, and Rev, Dr. Bayliss opened the session with prayer.
The reading of the minutes of last Friday was proceeded with when--
On the motion of Mr. SHUTT, further reading way dispensed with.
The SPEAKER, announced the unfinished business pending at the adjournment last Friday, being an amendment to Mr. Gordon's motion to print the governor's message.
Mr. WILLARD offered a substitute that 3,003 copies be printed, 1,000 in the German language, upon which motion he demanded the previous question.
Mr. GORDON made an ineffectual request for Mr. Willard to withdraw his demand.
The demand for the previous question was seconded by yeas 54, nays 38, and the main question ordered by yeas 57, nays 36.
Mr. GORDON moved to reconsider the vote just taken, and desired to be heard on that motion.
The SPEAKER ruled the motion out of order, as the House was still working under the operation of the previous question.
The substitute was then adopted--yeas 59, nays 34.
Mr. HUMPHREY, from the select committee, then reported rules for the government of the House of Representatives.
The rules as reported, alter amendment,were adopted, and 200 copies ordered printed, with the State Constitution and standing committees of the House of Representatives.
Mr. HEROD, from the select committee appointed to secure the attendance of ministers of the Gospel to open each day's session with prayer, reported that they had discharged that duty.
Mr. DAILEY introduced a bill [H. R. 47] for an act to enable the owners of wet lands to drain the same, which was read the first time
The SPEAKER here announced the regular Standing committees of the House, as follows:
- On Elections - Messrs. Lehman, Humphreys, Dailey, Caldwell, Gordon, Campbell and Carter.
- On Ways and Means - Messrs. Humphreys, Williard, Osborne of Elkhart, Caldwell, March, Gordon and Overmeyer.
- On the Judiciary - Messrs. Osborne of Elkhart, Shanks, Thompson, Works, Miers, Taylor of Daviess, Gordon, Saint, Briggs, Sleeth and March.
- On Organization of Courts of Justice - Messrs. Briggs, Taylor of Warrick, Dailey, Nave, March, Herod and Overmeyer.
- On Banks - Messrs. Kester, Shutt, Reicheldafer, Copeland, Arnold of Wabash, Schwitzer, and Osborne of Vermillion.
- On Education - Messrs. Meirs, VanValzah, Cunningham, Baker, Fancher, Reed and Hopkins.
- On Affairs of the Prison - Messrs. Tulley, Edwins, Taylor of Daviess, Caldwell, Messick, Thornburg and Copeland.
- On Swamp Lands - Messrs. Confer, Perry, Kobeson, Barker, Brown of Jasper, Davis and Skinner.
- On Military Affairs - Messrs. Reicheldafer, Edwins, Messick, Works, Vanpelt, VanValzah and Shanks.
- On Claims - Messrs. Shutt, Allen, Nave, Carey, Handy, Donnell and Wimmer.
- On Trust Funds - Messrs. Flodder, Shauck, Blockley, Drover, Golden, Arnold of Grant, and Connoway.
- On Fees and Salaries - Messrs. Willard, Miers, Hosmer, Ginz, Rodman, Robeson and Thayer,
- On Sinking Fund - Messrs. Dailey, Hosmer, Alden, Bearss, Galbraith, Brown of Steuben and Hess.
- On Rights and Privileges of the Inhabitants of the State - Messrs. Edwins, Drake, Shields Hubbard, Thompson, Stevens and Taylor of Lagrange.
- On Railroads - Messrs.Van Valzah, Compton, Robinson, Dalton, Overmeyer, Thayer and Hosmer.
- On Manufactures and Commerce - Messrs, Schwitzer, Huthsteiner, Alden, Barker, Owen, Rodman and Vawter.
- On County and Township Business - Messrs. Baker. Huthsteiner, Garoutte, Stucker, Harland, Watson and Owen.
- On Agriculture - Messrs. Davidson, Connor. Ginz, Reed, Blockley, Handy and Johnson.
- On Benevolent Institutions - Messrs. Thompson, Scholl, Davidson, Briggs, Herod, Kirkpatrick and Sleeth.
- On Temperance - Messrs. Faulkner, Shields, Lindley, Vanpelt, Arnold of Grant, Shauck and Hubbard.
- On Mileage and Accounts - Messrs. Handy, Hart, Snoddy, Bryant, Rooker, Compton and Kelly.
- On Corporations - Messrs. Taylor of Daviess, Van Valzah, Thompson, Allen, Hess, Robinson and Harland.
- On Canals - Messrs. Flodder, Drover, Hart, Galbraith, Bobeson, Arnold of Wabash, and Campbell.
- On Public Expenditures - Messrs. Shields, Shutt, Ginz, Hart, Wimmer, Carey and Donnell
- On Federal Relations - Messrs. Taylor of Warrick. Cunningham, Mitchell, Shauck, Connor, Davis and Snoddy.
- On Affairs of City of Indianapolis - Messrs. English, Edwins, Vanpelt, Allen, Robinson, Lindley and Stevens.
- On Cities and Towns - Messrs. Allen, Baker, Lehman, Golden, Galbraith, Herod and Hopkins.
- On Engrossed Bills - Messrs. Scholl, Nave, Confer, Tulley, Fancher, Vawter and Thornburg
- On Roads - Messrs. Stucker, Faulkner, Blockley, Handy, Booker, Skinner and Arnold of Wabash.
- On Statistics and Emigration - Messrs. Bryant, Scholl, Conner, Confer, Drake, Taylor of Lagrange, and Vawter.
- On Printing - Messrs. Garoutte, Reicheldafer, Davidson, Schwitzer, Carter, Connoway and Snoddy.
- On Insurance Companies - Messrs. Huthsteiner, Dalton, Faulkner, Osborne of Elkhart, Herod, Thayer and Watson.
- On Reformatory Institutions - Messrs. Saint, Davidson, Shauck, Perry, Osborne of Vermillion, Brown of Steuben, and Copeland.
- On Drains and Dykes - Messrs, Barker. Schwitzer, Ginz, Rooker, Lindley, Brown of Jasper, and Fancher.
- On Mines and Mining - Messrs. Compton. Huthsteiner, Messick, Nave, Taylor of Daviess Robinson and Kelley.
- On Apportionement and Redistricting the State for Senatorial and Representative Purposes - Messrs. Caldwell, Davidson, Tayior of Laviess Mitchell, Drake, Watson, Saint, Kelley, Brown of Jasper, Kirkpatrick, Shanks, Osborn of Elkhart, and English
The speaker also announced the following joint standing committees on the part of the House of Representatives:
- On Public Library - Messrs. Brown of Jasper, English and Dalton.
- On Public Buildings - Messrs. Dalton, Compton and Herod.
- On Canal Fund - Messrs. Drake, Kester and Bears.
- On Engross Bills - Messrs. Works, Overmeyer, Dalton and Cunningham.
Mr. WILLARD submitted a protest against his assignment to the chairmanship of the Committee on Fees and Salaries, and asked that his protest be placed upon the record. He claimed that, being a member of the majority in this House, and second in the race for the speaker's place, by all parliamentary usage he should have been made chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. Not desiring to mar the harmony of these proceedings, he would accept the position assigned him under the protest which he sent to the clerk's desk.
The SPEAKER disclaimed any intention to be unjust to any member on the floor in the appointment of the standing committees of the House, and, in order to avoid that, had invited members to consult freely with him in reference to making up the list.
The call by counties for bills and resolutions then proceeded,
The following described bills were introduced, read the first time and passed to a second reading
By Mr. DAILEY, [H. R. 48] fixing the time when actions shall stand for trial in the circuit courts.
By Mr. DAILEY, [H. R. 49] to provide for township elections.
By Mr. COMPTON, [H. R. 50] declaring agreements to pay attorney fees in any bill of exchange, acceptance, draft, note or other evidence of indebtedness illegal.
By Mr. STUCKER, [H. R. 51] to abolish the office of county school superintendent, and to appoint a school examiner.
By Mr. STUCKER, [H. R. 52] to amend an act in relation to highways.
By Mr. STUCKER, [H. R. 53] to amend an act defining who shall be competent witnesses in court.
By Mr. SCHOLL, [H. R. 54] to redistrict the State, and fixing the number of members of the General Assembly.
By Mr. CALDWELL, [H. R. 55] to legalize the board of county commissioners in Clinton County.
By Mr. TAYLOR of Daviess, [H. R. 56] defining the 10th, 12th and 3d judicial circuit.
By Mr. DONNELL, [H. R. 57] to legalise sheriff's sales.
By Mr. MARSH, [H. R. 58] to amend an act declaring attorney's fees in bills of exchange, notes, etc., illegal.
By Mr. MARSH, [H. R. 59] providing for appeals from boards of county commissioners.
By Mr. WILLARD, [H. R. 60] to incorporate the Orphan's Home, of New Albany.
By Mr. CONNOWAY, [H. R. 61] concerning interest on money [6 per cent.]
By Mr. DAVIDSON, [H. R. 62] to amend an act for the organization of county boards, and prescribing some of their duties.
By Mr. DAVIDSON, [H. R. 63] to amend an act in relation to county treasurers.
By Mr. DAVIDSON, [H. R. 64] to provide for working and repairing the public highways, abolishing the office of supervisor, etc.
Mr. STUCKER offered a resolution, which was adopted, calling for a report by itemized statement of purchases of supplies for and cost per capita of Inmates of the benevolent institutions and prisons of the State.
Mr. STUCKER offered a joint resolution [H. R. 1] instructing senators and requesting representatives in Congress to support an act to repeal and modify certain portions of the navigation and traffic laws, to aid the commerce and trade of the United Slates and reduce ocean freights.
On the motion of Mr. OVERMEYER it was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations.
Mr. SHUTT offered a resolution, which was rejected, authorizing the appointment of additional doorkeepers.
On motion of Mr. WILLARD the papers contesting the seat of Mr. Bearss, a representative from the county of Miami, were referred to the Committee on Elections.
On the motion of Mr. GORDON all contested election papers were referred to the same committee.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow at 9 o'clock a. m.
