Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1840-05-21

Memora Of William Ross and others, committee
behalf OF sufferers Wyoming, for aid erect
a monument, referred to committee OF one from
county.
Resolution to appoint Joint Select Committee of
one from county to inquire into the present condition
Of the geological survey of the state commenced by
DIR. James e. Percival, and whether any further e
gislation is necessary on the subject Passed-and
son, Hill, Fuller, Cornish, L Hommedieu and Yeo-
mans, appointed that committee.
Adjourned to 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Friday Morning, May Is.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Pease, Of Fair Haven.
Resolution that the Connecticut and Rhode Island
Turnpike Company have leave to enter their petition
in the Secretarys Office and present the to this
house. Passed. ... .'...
Joint Select Committee to whom was referred re-
solution directing them to inquire and report into the
expectancy Of furnishing each town in this state at
reports of decisions Of the Supreme Court of this state
reported resolution directing the Controller pro-
cure sufficient number at So per copy, IN law bind
ing, to be deposited in the clerks office in each
town for the use Of the people Of this state. Laid
the tathe.
The joint select committee to whom was referred
resolution directing them to inquire into the proper
disposition Of copies of the geographical survey Of this
state undsposed OF, reported that about 800 copies
row remain in the Secretary ofice-and resolu-
ton that $50 copies he given TO the Governor, to be
disposed OF at his discretion, and in that any of
them sod that the proceeds shall go into the
treasury-l copy to each member of the house, and
the remainder distributed to the several towns in the
state. Report accepted, resolution passed.
Bill allowing Town Clerks take acknowledge
ment Of deeds, read first and second time.
The judiciary committee, to whom was referred a
BIZ relative to the assessment Of poll persons
liable to perform military duty, reported the same
with an amendment providing that no person between
the age of IS and As years shall be exempt from q
poll tax by reason Of being liable to do military duty.
unless he shall have actually performed military duty
or shall present such certificate exempts from
poll tax persons under 25 years fage. Mr.. Baldwin,
of the committee stated that by recent enactment,
persons between the age Of IS and As years re-
CURED only to appear on military days to satisfy the
law requiring the performance Of military duty and
he saw no good reason why they should be exempted
from poll tax. Amendment passed-b read Sec
ond time and laid on the table.
Report oil committee appointed At last session to To-
cate site for hospital for the Insane Poor came
from Senate referred to committee on that subject.
House concurred in reference and ordered 500 copies
0f the report TO he printed.
Memorial of New-London and Norwich Steamboat
Company. for an increase of capital, carried from
Senate referred to committee Interpretations other
than Banks. House concurred. VS.
Report of Middletown Savings Bank, came from
Senate accepted. House cnncurred.
Adjourned to Tuesday next at 2 o'clock P. M.
Correspondence Of the Hartford Coardnt.
NEwHAvEN, NAV 10, 1910.
The subject Of special interest which occupied the
House yesterday afternoon, was an amendment to
tile Constitution giving to the electors If the sevcra
towns the appointment Of Justices Of Pence This is
subject which has several times been brought before
the Legislature, and on which much difference OF
exist. Mr. Catlin, Of Harwnon, opened the debate,
and strongly supported the amendment. He said the
subject had been under consideration four or five
years. and was one Of deep nterest-that appoint
ments should he given the people, unless there was
some special reason for withholding ,hem-that gene
rally they were the best Judges. Tie thought ,here
be given to hem-thev occupied too much of the time
of the Legislature. and better appointments would he
made hv the towns He remarked, it had been said
that justice held Judicial oce-'het il elected by
the people Of his town, he would feel dependent on
them, and NOT act upriehty: This he said was sur
mise and theory, which he did not believe. He sin.
mpov 'ns s would pass and thought the COM
M B %sanGe Of II London strongly opposed the
hIl, in very ingenious speech He commended that
this country and in England. That If the towns were
70 appoint Justices. they would act for other towns
besides their owr-!hs he regarded as perfect absur
dy lie liked the idea Of the people appointing their
own officers but not the idea Of their infringing the
rights ct other towns. He thought no good would
come out OF the pronosed measure but that It would
Mr. Foster thought the question had better 60 to the
people, though he agreed there great and serious
objections against the measure--and he entertained
rerions donh's whether the people would approve the
amendment If submitted to them. vy %
Mr.. Swift said If this amendment went to the peo
ple, u went under the sanction Of the House. He
should hesitate long before ha sanctioned such nm
important alteration in the Constitution. The gentle.
men who support this amendment. did j! on the
ground that the power If appointment had better be
in the hands Of the people than in the Legislature
He said he did not believe better men would be secu
red by altering the Constitution-or that town.meet
ing would appoint Better than tho Legislature
One gentleman had seemed 10 argue, that the mem
hers OF the Legislature were not OF the
towns they represented The hest men should be mp
pointed 70 Office. and the present mode was in his
Mr.. Baldwin said the llnse was called upor, on iis
own respnnsihiltv to decide whether they would re-
nFkAs~
people. The people did not nsk to submit it to
them without our sanction. Our present system OF
choosing Justices had been in operation for two centu
RES and he did not believe the proposed alteration
would give better magistrates, magistrates in
whom the people would have more confidence. II
did not follow because the people the of
men, Of MI officers. One dutv Of justice. was to
preserve the public peace-and in state of riot and
cOmmotion. it not to he expected that those per-
sons who owed their election to the same people,
would fully discharge their duties.
Mr.. White, said he now had different views OF this
snhect from what he had before. He had entire con-
fdence in the capacity Of the people for self govern
ment3and j. was doing them injustice to withhold
from hem this rrivilege-and if withheld from them
now, they would be forever excluded.
Mr.. Perkins remarked, that the gentleman had
people, they were forever excluded. But this was
not so. II not satisfied, thew wonld elect those who
won!d represent them more faithfully. lie said we
had been told that shutting the door against
the people, ifths amendment was not passed. but he
did not believe the people required IT, He believed
his own constituents were opposed 70 IT, The only
question before the House what is our opinion on
fhe subject One thing he regarded certain If
the proposed amendment adopted, il went to the
people as the deliberate sanction OF the House Of Re-
presentativcs last wear and this year. and before we
approved Of this measure should be satisfied Of It's
necessity nd its wisdom In reply the intimation
Of the gentleman from Windham, and the gentleman
distrust the people, he claimed to be as much the
friend Of the people either of those gentlemen.-