Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-01-23
THE STATE SENTINEL.
JANUARY "a, Is4s.
Laws OF the late Session, &c.


days paper that most of the laws passed at the late
session are of a local character.
Amongst. the general laws viii be found an act
combining voters to their respective townships, in
giving their votes. This is an important change in
FORE of voting in any township the county in which
they resided, which congregated at the county seats
of many of the counties more than one-half of the
voters of county. Petitions were presented from
all parts Of the State in favor of the change.
A bill was presented by Mr. Wright to preserve
the purity of elections similar to the law Of Ohio on
the subject, Furnishing illegal voting with fine
and Imprisonment. 1t was ordered to be ehgrossed
in the House, by considerable majority but, owing
to the lateness of the session, did not pass.
A bill passed the Senate extending to the Bank the
privilege of issuing small bills for FIVE years provided
the Bank would pay bonus Of one per cent to be
devoted to common school purposes. On being
reported to the House of Representatives, amendments
We're made, striking Dat the tonas Of one per cent
and extending the privilege of issuing small bills to the
end of the charter. These amendments Disagreed
TO by the Senate. first and second committee of
free conference was appointed on the part of the
respective Houses; but failed TO agree in both
instances, and the bill consequently lost. The
privilege of the Bank to issue small bills expires
some time during the next session Of the Legislature
A bill was reported from the committee of Ways
and Means in the House of Representatives. giving
authority the Agent of State, Michael G.. Bright,
Esq, to make compromise or arrangement with our
public creditors, with view to the payment of the
principal and interest the public debt, empowering
him to call to his assistance the Executive officers of
the Stae-the arrangement to be one that should be
consistent with the honor and integrity of the State
but not to be binding until ratified by the Representa-
tves Of the people. On reflection, it was, doubt,
considered measure that would place the Democratic
Executive of the State in condition lay before the
next Legislature definite plan for satisfactory
arrangement with our public creditors. This, it was
thought should be prevented, in order to afford a
pretext for the continuance of the abuse of the wing
leaders against the Governor because he does not In
the absence of all necessary knowledge the subject
lay before the Legislature plan for the payment of
our public debt. Knowing that it would never do to
vote against reasonable proposition, as the one
above MENTIONED it was determined that it should be
defeated by amendment; and Mr.. Speaker Stevenson
came down from the chair, and, on his notion by a
party VOTE the Agent Of State was stricken out and
the whole duty of making compromise or arrange
Europe was saddled on the ENecutive-a proposition
so very absurd on its face-so well calculated to
embarrass the Governor in his future recommendations
to the Legislature, and TO make him the target for
moneyed to shoot at, besides imposing duties that
would oblige the Governor to leave the State to per-
form them-hat it is unnecessary to dwell upon it.
The bill thus amended passed the House of Repre-
sentatives and was sent to the Senate. That body
reinstated the State Agent, allowing him, in the
original bill reported from the committee of Ways
and Means call to his aid the Executive officers of
the State. This bill reported back to the House
of Representatives, between ten and eleven O'clock
the last night of the session, just after Mr.. Smith
of Spencers Jackass had been led up to the Speakers
seat amid all the fun and frolc of last night of the
session. The whig party, ever watchful and deter
mined in every way to embarass the Executive, were
again led off by Mr. Speaker Stevenson, in TRADE
against the amendment of the Senate and the measure
of the financial committee of the House. The Speaker
now descended to the ptful subterfge of attacking
the State Agent. because he had agieed to pay the
Attorneys fees contracted by his predecessor, Gov
Noble, and took the ground, that Mr. Bright, as
Agent of State, too expensive in his living,
while in the Eastern cities as our public Agent ;
SUCH we presume as his bills at the Asor House for
board, &c. in the city of New York But these imsy
excuses had their effect, the party war-whoop was
raised, and the amendment was not adopted A
committee of free conference the result-neither
body would yield, and this important bill also fell
between the two Houses.
In the general appropriation bill, ten thousand
dollars has been appropriated towards the completion
of the State prison at Jacksonville. The plan
of the new State prison has been altered by the
Executive of the State, under Ia of the last session,
so as to reduce the cost to considerable extent,
well other notifications, in accordance with the
improvements of the times. Fifteen thousand dollars
was asked by Mr.. Simonson, the Chairman of the
committee OH the State prison and adopted by the
House. but the Senate refused to appropriate more
than thousand for the present year The policy of
farming out the State prison will not be continued, it
is supposed after the expiration of the present contract
but will be placed under Superintendent, to be
appointed by the Governor or the Legislature. The
Governor, understand is preparing system for
its regulation and government, which will in due
time be laid before the Legislature. We pleased
to learn that this subject is committed such able
hands.
In regard to the amount of be raised for
the next year, the Wing House of Representatives,
reduced the the hundred dollars,
compared with the last year. On being sent to the
Senate that body increased the taxes cent the
hundred dollars last years taxation. The revenue
bill, as it passed both Houses provides for poll tax
of fifty cents and levy of 20 cents the hundred
dollars worth of property, for general expenditures
cents of which are to be devoted in connection with