IN SENATE.
MONDAY, Jan. 24, 1881-2 P. M.The Senate met pursuant to adjournment, Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hanna, of Allen County, in the Chair, who desired the attention th Senate while Rev. J. B. Baltzley, D. D., offered prayers.
After that formality, the reading of the Sectary's minutes of Friday's proceedings was commenced and pursued until--
On motion by Mr. MENZIES, the further reading thereof was dispensed with.
Petitions were introduced by Messrs. Garrigus, Briscoe, Henry, Bundy, 8; Shaffer, Langdon, Benz, Chapman, Bell and Foster, 2, which were severally referred to the Committee on Education without reading; by Mr. Kahlo, to the Banks Committee; by Mr. Ristine,to the Temperance Committee, and by Mr. Hutchinson, to the Committee on County and Township Business. Mr. Voyles presented a remonstrance from the Bar at Salem against the passage of the bill S. 61, fixing their Court terms.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR laid before the Senate the following communication from the Governor:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., January 24, 1881.
Gentlemen of the Senate:
I have the honor to inclose to you a copy of a letter , dated the 12th inst., received by me from of Professor J. L. Campbell, Acting Assistant of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, which I deem of sufficient importance to transmit to you.
I wish particularly to direct your attention to a paragraph in which the writer states that, in making his observations for the highest points for the location of the observing stations in Indiana, he was impressed with the fact of the general eleyation of the flat or swamp lands of the State as compared with the present channels of main water courses and the entire feasibility draining these lands as proposed in the inaugural message which I had the honor to deliver to the General Assembly.
I desire also to invite your attention to a request contained in the closing paragraph of said letter, in which the writer states that as a portion of the geodetic survey by the General Government is within our own State, he respectfully asks from myself, or, if I shall deem best, from the Legislature a suitable expression of interests in its prosecution.
The prosecution of this survey is of so great importance to the State that it seems to memos fit that an expression of interest therein should be made by the Legislature.
The practicability of draining that portion of our swamp lands which can not be successfully drained under the provisions of existing laws, being confirmed by the observations of a gentleman so distinguished in his profession as the writer of said letter, I beg to invite your consideration anew, to the suggestions contained in said message with respect to those lands.
A. G. PORTER.
Mr. LANGDON moved to refer the communication to the Committee on Swamp Lands, with instructions to inquire what, if any, other surveys have been made of the Kankakee Valley, and report, together with such other facts as they may deem proper.
Mr. BELL moved further instructions (accepted by Mr. Langdon) to inquire what,if any, similar surveys have been made by the General Government of any portion of Indiana., He had information that in1834avery complete survey was made by the General Government, a copy of which may be found on file in the office of the Secretary of State.
The motion to refer with the above instructions was agreed to.
Mr. LANGDON offered the following:
Whereas The management of the Prisons North and South, under he present system of double Boards of Directors, has given rise to unnecessary trouble, litigation and inefficiency; and
Whereas, It is believed that the State Prisons can be conducted more economically and better under the supervision of one Board, a proper revision of the laws concerning Prisons; and
Whereas, Legislation having a view to the consolidation of the management of Prisons, and other means to effect needed reforms, is now pending;
Resolved, That the Senate is in favor of a reconstruction of the present Prison system, and a consolidation of the management there of at the earliest practicable day.
Resolved, That it is not expedient to elect Prison Directors until some definite action has been had by the General Assembly on the subject of Prison reform.
On motion by Mr. BELL-yeas, 26; nays, 10-it page: 76[View Page 76] was referred to the Committee on State Prisons.
NEW PROPOSITION8.
The following described bills were read the first time, and severally referred to Appropriate committees, except those reported from the Joint Committees on Revision of the Laws:
By Mr. LANGDON, from the Joint committee on Revision of Laws [S. 152]: Concerning contempts of courts.
By Mr. VIEHE, from the same [S. 153] To amend Section 1 of an act amendatory and supplementary to the act providing for voluntary assignment of personal and real property for the benefit of creditors, and regulating the mode of administering the same, approved March 5, 1859; approved February1 , 1875.
By Mr. VIEHE, from the same [S.154]: To amend Section 3 of an act to provide for the more speedy trial of causes, and faciliate the transaction of business in Courts, etc.
By Mr. MENZIES, from the same, [S. 155]: Concerning Circuit Courts.
By Mr. MENZIES, from the same [S. 156]: To amend an act concerning the partiton of land, approved May 20, 1852.
By Mr. LANGDON, from the same [S. 157]: To amend an act to amend section 4 of an act touching the relation of guardian and ward, approved June 9, 1852 ; approved January 22, 1857.
By Mr. LANGDON, from the same committee [S. 158] Authorizing the Board of Revision to employ a clerk.
By Mr MENZIES [S. 159]: To amend Section 1 of an act regulating foreign Insurance Companies doing business in this State, approved December 21, 1865, and adding supplementary sections, approved March 3, 1877. [It stops the advertising in the daily newspapers.]
By Mr. URMSTON [S. 160]: To Amend Section 1 of the act for the appointment of Notaries Public.
By Mr. SPANN [S. 161]: Authorizing the appointment of short-hand reporters in certain Courts in this State (in Counties casting over 6,000 votes).
By Mr. VAN VORHIS [S. 162]: To amend Sections 3 of the act concerning the incorporation of voluntary Associations.
By Mr. VOYLES [S. 163]: To amend Section 2 of the misdemeanor act, approved December 2, 1865, commonly known as the "provoke law."
By Mr. CHAPMAN, [S. 164]: To amend Sections 6 and 16 of an act of February 8, 1836, incorporating the Indianapolis Insurance Company.
By Mr. GARRIGUS [S. 165]: To legalized the incorporation of the Kokomo and Greentown Gravel Road Company.
By Mr. HUTCHINGSON [S. 166]: For the relief of a former Trustee of Cool Spring Township, Laporte County, and his sureties.
By Mr. KAHLO [S. 167]: to regulate the charges and fares that shall be charged by sleeping cars and coaches run in this State. (May charge one-half cent per mile in addition to regular fare.)
NUMBER AND PAY OF PAGES.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the consideration of the unfinished business pending at the time of the last adjournment- the question being on Mr. Brown's substitution (authorizing five pages for the Senate) for Mr. Grubbs' resolution fixing their pay.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved to amend the substitute by fixing the per diem at $2, requiring attendance of all every day except Sunday, and placing all under control of the Doorkeeper, except the President's page.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the amendment as agreed to; and the author of the substitute accepted it.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR then announced the adoption of the substitute as amended; but was under stood to withdraw the announcement for--
Mr. LANGDON, who moved to reduce the number of pages to four.
Mr, BROWN moved to lay this motion on table.
The yeas and nays were demanded by Messrs. Foster and Garrigus, and being ordered and taken, resulted, yeas 16; nays 21; but this vote was not announced from the Chair, because after discussion of a point of order raised by Mr. Brown, the Chair declared the question to be on the original motion as amended by the substitute; which was agreed to by yeas 21; nays, 20--the Lieutenant Governor giving the casting vote.
Mr Menzies moved to reconsider the vote just taken, and to lay that motion on the table.
The latter motion was agreed to by a tie vote of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor giving the casting vote again- yeas, 21; nays, 20.
Mr. Lockridge's bill [S. 11] to regulate recognizances and their continuances, coming up, the committee report recommending indefinite postponement was concurred in.
Mr. Graham's joint resolution [S. 2] requesting Indiana Congressmen to use their influence to procure the repeal of an act conferring special jurisdiction upon Circuit and District Courts of the United States of suits by and against National Banks resident of a State, without regard to the amount involved, was read the second time and ordered engrossed.
Mr. Wollen's bill [S. 23] to protect the elective franchise, was read the second time with a Committee report embracing amendments, which was concurred in, and the bill ordered engrossed for the third reading.
Mr. Van Vorhis' bill [S. 93] establishing a State Board of Health, was read a second time, a Committee report concurred in, and the bill made a special order for Wednesday next at 10:30 o'clock a. m.
Mr. Howard's bill [S. 122], providing for the partition of lands, setting off parts of and assigning dowers therein etc., was read the second time with a committee report recommending indefinite postponement, which report was concurred in.
And then the Senate adjourned.
