Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-05-09
From the Vicksburg Intelligencer.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATION.

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATION.
There may be readers who will suppose the
annexed recital 10 be an exaggeration but, at
least 300 persons who were in the Capital of
the State Of Mississippi on the Sd of March,
ls46, can testify that this account falls far short
of the reality The Clerks of the House, as in
duty bound, entered the report of the member
from Greene on the journals; but, on the next
morning, it was expunged by the House at the
request of the member himself
And, moreover, lest any one should think
the member from Greene fictitious character
the reality of his character and existence is evi.
denced by the credentials; now on file in the
archives of the State--a copy whereof is here.
to annexed-which credentials are by no means
an improper Introductory to the sketch follow.
ing:
To the Governor, officers of State, Senator
and Representatives Of hc State Of Missis.
sippi, in General assembly conrened. and
to all 10 ,chom The bearer shall come
GREETING:
Know YE, that I, the undersigned returning
officer, in and for the county of Greene, and
State aforesaid, certify
That ohm McInnis, commonly called as John
McInns Cod, TO distinguish him from another
of the same name, was duly and constitu,onally
elected representative Of said county on
the first Monday and day following in Novem.
bo ic lad to
| the favor of all concerned.
Given under my hand and seal, this Odd DE.
cember, lS45.
JOHN X. RHODES, Returning
officer for said county. lst Mon
day ofNevember, lSl5.
The best subject which came before the
| Legislature during the session oflSl6, was the
al.absorbing one in regard TO the charter of
| McInnis's Ferry The owner os the ferry
vast mcmber-himse being the representa-
| tive Of his county of Greene-whcre the ferry
is located and through all tue trying scenes
of getting the charter through, that IIonora.
able representative bore himself in manner,
and with a spirit, which, 10 say the least were
remarkable.
On the first broaching of the subject, some
opposition was made. The representative from
Clark, an adjoining county, conceived that the
charter interiered with the rights of other ci,i.
zens who had ferries on the same river, (the
| Chckasahay y and, on the first reading of the
bill, this same representative (Mr. Moody }
}
Mclnnis to his feet. He had never spoken be-
fore ; but in this one effort, (his maiden speech }
he more than compensated for his former re.
mssness.
Il hope (said he, addressing the House but
not the Speaker,D 4 hope you'll not reject my
ferry bill Gentlemen, I'm Jound 10 Keep a
ferry. Them other men that's got ferries near
me, amt bound at all. They've got some lit.
tie triling flats 10 git across the river on when
they want to 90 to mill--and when i,'s conve
nent for 'em TO put a traveller over, they do il
--and when it amt they don't. But I'm bouno
10 keep ferry Ask Mr.. Moody; he knows al
about it. He knows I've kept ferry there a
cross the Chickasahay for thirty years past
My ferry's right on the big road to Mobile and
every where. There's three mails crosses at
my ferry. Gentlemen, I'm bound 10 keep
Jerry Mr.. Moody knows live at Leaksvlle
right at the Court House-and these teller:
that keep the other little ierries-they turn my
boats loose, and bore auger holes in 'em and
sink em. hope, gentlemen, you'll pass my
bill.-Tve just got letter from my son last
night-a telling me that them iellers has beer
boring more holes in my boat Gentlemen, In
bound 10 keep ferry always cross every
body that comes-i'm bound to do it. And al
ways keep good flats well painted with tar
After this appeal, and the necessary readings
being gone through, the bill passed the llous,
by a large majority, and was sent TO the Sen
ate.
Here novel scene occurred unprecedent
ed, perhaps, in the annals of legislaton-even
of Mississippi legislation. BY a resolution o
the Senate the representative from Greene wa
invited to address that august body upon thu
merits of his bill, which he had after the man
ner indicated in the above sketch of his remark
in the Ilouse.-Aiter the grave Senators ha'
sufficiently amused themselves with the mat
ter, they passed the bill. The worthy repre-
sentative Immediately hurried back to his sea
to the House; and, although the Clerk wa
reading in the midst of document the delight
ed member exclaimed:
Il