HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, March 31,1879-- a. m.The reading of the clerk's minutes was omitted.
Mr. SHAUCK called the attention of the House to the fact that he was recorded on the roll call as voting for the bill H. R. 377, regulating the practice of medicine. He wanted it understood that he voted against the bill, and asked that the roll call be so corrected.
Mr. FAULKNER, from the special committee appointed to investigate the attorney general's office, submitted the following resolutions:
Resolved, That a commission of three be appointed by the speaker of the House to continue the investigation of the office of attorney general, during the terms of office of James C. Denny and Clarence A. Buskirk, to ascertain what amounts of money have been collected by each, from whom collected, and what office the person from whom the collection was made held at the time, if any, and, if not, whether the moneys collected had been in the hands of such person in an official capacity and returned after his term of office had expired, on account of what fund the moneys were collected by said Denny and Buskirk. That commissions were charged by them and their assistants, from what counties the collections were small, oat or what funds the commissions were retained, and out of what county; the full amount collected in each during his term of office, and the amount paid over to the proper county and State treasuries, and the amount such commission shall believe said Denny and Buskirk are indebted to the State or any of the counties for moneys collected and not paid over.
Further resolutions declared that, to assist the commission in their inquiry, all county officers are required to make reports to them, on demand, of any payments of money made to the attorneys general or their assistants; a tabulated statement of the results of the investigation shall be made to the governor within 10 days after its completion; if there is found to be due to the State any moneys by either Denny or Buskirk, suit shall be brought by an attorney appointed by the governor, cost not to exceed S500, provided that if the commissioners and governor shall believe that either of the parties is insolvent and the sureties relieved by the statute of limitations, then no such suit shall be brought against such party; the commission shall receive $6 per day each for their services.
And, whereas. It has been made to appear to the satisfaction of your committee that the Attorney General Buskirk, and that another record of such transactions was by him kept, as required lay law, which was carried away by him at the close of his term, and is not now in the office, where by law it is required to remain and as said book contains the records of one of the departments of the State government, and is the property of the State, therefore
Resolved, That if Mr. Buskirk, on demand of the commission, refuses or fails to return said book to the office of the attorney general. the present attorney general is hereby directed to institute such legal proceedings as he may deem proper to compel the return of the same to said office.
Mr. TAYLOR, of Daviess, offered the following as a substitute, which was read for information :
Resolved, That the governor appoint an expert to investigate the books in the attorney general's office under the tenure of James C. Denny and Clarence A. Buskirk, and if upon such investigation any amount be due the State from either of said persons, that he be authorized, and is hereby empowered, to institute suit against them, or either of them, or their bondsmen, respectively, unless such proposed action is barred by the statute of limitations.
Mr. EDWINS said that he was not opposed to investigating, but he was opposed to any committee being appointed from this House at $6 a day for 40 days to go roaming over the county investigating what had been already discovered, and after the parties were found to be insolvent. There had been an investigation of the benevolent institutions, and according to the evidence the blackest and darkest of crimes and direst treachery had been perpetrated. The State officials had, according to the testimony, been convicted of fraud and peculation, and gentlemen who were so anxious to raise this committee had voted to smother and hide this great crime.
Mr. WORKS said if this House wanted this investigation carried on satisfactorily and completely this resolution should be adopted, as he thought it was the cheapest and best way the matter could be settled. If it was the desire of this House to recover back the money said to be due the State from these gentlemen, it should be done as soon as possible.
Mr. SNODDY wanted to see this subject come squarely before this House, and demanded a record by a yea and nay vote.
Mr. TAYLOR, of Daviess, was opposed to the passage of the resolution, but was in favor of authorizing the governor to appoint an expert to examine into the matter.
Mr. SHANKS said it was due to these men that they should have a thorough investigation, and if they had done wrong the people ought to know it. The honor of the State and these men demand that this investigation shall go on to a fair completion.
The Senate concurrent resolution, for binding the acts of the regular and special session, in one volume, was adopted.
On the motion of Mr. COPELAND a committee of two--Messrs. Copeland and Shutt--was appointed to wait upon the governor to ascertain if his excellency had any further communication to make to the House.
Mr. SLEETH offered a concurrent resolution which was adopted, that in order that the people s Jail have at least an intimation of the laws by which they are governed, that the bureau of printing shall, within five days after the adjournment of the present General As-[sembly] page: 99[View Page 99] [As]-sembly, cause to be published by one insertion in each of the two dally newspapers published at Indianapolis having the largest general circulation in the State, the numbers and titles of all the acts passed at the regular and special sessions containing an emergency clause.
Mr. JOHNSON offered a resolution, which was adopted, that the thanks of this House are hereby tendered to the Hon. Henry S. Cauthorn, for the able and impartial manner in which he has presided over the deliberations of the special session of the Fifty-first General Assembly.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM, offered the following concurrent resolution, which was rejected:
Whereas, The compiler of the Brevier Reports has been on instant duty every hour of every session of the Indiana Legislature for twenty-one (21) years last past,
And whereas, Such constant consecutive service has no parallel in the history of this commonwealth,
Therefore, commemorating the attainment of his majority-year since entering this Legislature.
Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that W. H. Drapier is authorized to continue the Brevier Legislative Reports at the same price and the same number of copies furnished by him to every General Assembly since 1857 for (17) seventeen years.
Mr. WILLARD offered a concurrent resolution, which was adopted--yeas 42, nays 25--allowing Thomas McDaniels $19 for extra services as doorkeeper.
The Senate concurrent resolution allowing some $450 for expenses incurred in the investigation of the benevolent institutions,was adopted.
Mr. EDWINS offered a concurrent resolution, which was adopted, authorizing the printing of the testimony and reports of the investigation of the benevolent institutions, in pamphlet form.
Mr. NAVE offered a concurrent resolution, which was adopted, instructing our senators and requesting our representatives in Congress to use their influence in securing an approprition adequate to, and for the purpose of, opening a ship canal from Lake Michigan to some point on the Wabash river, and the dredging and making navigable the Wabash river, from the point of intersection by such canal to its mouth.
Mr. SAINT moved to reconsider the vote adopting the resolution by which the report of the Benevolent Institutions investigating committee and the evidence thereof were ordered printed.
Mr. WILLARD moved to lay that motion on the table.
The yeas and nays were demanded and being taken, discovered no quorum present.
Messrs. Shanks, Briggs and Herod being called for made farewell addresses.
Speaker Cauthorne delivered his farewell address to the members of the House, and so closed the first special session of the Fifty-first General Assembly of the State of Indiana.
