The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-02-27

coEUnBua Feb "A. 1852.
iAsssfs Editors:
The Legislature has hardly anything to
chronicle as having become law, though
much has been accomplished towards i..--
We have. At least, gthe beginning Of The
enll.g The Probate bill appears to be neat
q conclusion II is lime that some ssesult
were ubtuined For nearly seven Weary
weeks the subject has been a shuttle cock
between the two houses, until even refer
en:e to It was tiresome. The Senate has
passed the bill, making but two amend
ments to the bill as passed by the House,
1t is probable it will pass finally, asit stands
at present. The bill now allows the judges
to practice, law, excepting in probate mat
ters, and in cases to which executors, &c.,
are parties. They are allowed concurrent
Jurisdiction with the common pleas in sales
Of real estate, &C., by executors, and are
granted a small criminal jurisdiction, to-
gether with The issuing Of marriage licenses.
These are the main features Of the law, and
perhaps 4 isss just a one, as could, all
things considered, be devised.
The bill fixing the times Of holding courts
has become law. The dates for Scioto
county stand as follows: March 30, May
"a, October /.
A districting bill has been introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. Wilson. No action Of
any decisive nature has been taken on it,
and it would be idle 10 speculate on it, as a
great many changes will undoubtedly be
made on it, in the course Of discussion. No
more difficult matter to adjust could easily
come before legislative body.
Most Of the bills to which interest would
attach, are yet under discussion. The bill
on the legal commission, however, has pass
ed the Senate as it came from the House, ex-
cepting on The matter of salary. The Sem
at. adhered to the original clause, making
the compensation $4,000 yearly, in opposi-
ton TO the House provision Of four dollars
per diem, The bill only needs the concur
renee Of the House in this respect to become
a law. II is to be hoped that speedy action
will be taken in the matter, il anything is
expected TO be achieved by the commission
during the current year.
The Militia bill fingers in committee OF
the whole, and the tax-bill is some place
one hardly knows where. Nothing has been
done with II at least.
An investigation has been ordered as to
the truth OF some very serious charges
against the officers of the Lunatic Asylum,
near this city 1t is said that, through the
negligence of those having the charge Of this
institution, some members OF II have per-
ished from cold. Other cases OF neglect of
a most disgraceful character are insranced,
though tits due 10 the persons involved, to
say, that no foundation has as yet appeared,
other than common report. The proper
committee will take up The charges during
this week.
The subject OF most interest, however,
aiths sospsrs'enl tlinner-tueirD,---nud Kei:
seys table puts every one in good bumor
to talk--is the coming State Temperance
Convention. A kind of first course has
been served up already by the getting out
report Of temperance committee, giving
the gambling, drinking and other statistics
Of this city. According to this pretendedly
veracious report, we have here, one hundred
and forty drinking shops, and fifty-six gam
bling establishments. Houses of ill-fame
are said by it to "exist in every part Of the
CITY," Your correspondent confesses GER
tain degree OF amazement in finding wha
kind of a city he was writing for The Inqui-
rer in. Too much praise can hardly be
awarded for the committees industry '.in
every part of the CITY," Mr.. Cradlebaugh,
the Senator from this county and Pickaway,
on receiving one Of these documents through
The mail, with an intimation that he was
to bring it before the Senate, rose and de-
nounced the report as in the greater part OF
its statements either false or highly exagger-
ated. and remarked spiritedy, that he "did
not stand in the Senate of Ohio as an advo-
cate Of spies, qai tain prosecutors, or COM
mon informers, whose pencil and note book
were busy at the doors Of gambling shops
and houses of prostitution to blackcn the
fame Of noble CITY,"
The Convention. however, can hardly fail
10 be in the highest degree interesting. Its
session commences on the 25th. Gen. Sam
Houston, John b. Cough, and Gen. Cary,
are announced to speak on the occasion. A
decided charge for the passage Of the Maine
law emay be expected" as the Almanacs
sayJabout the end of the week. Whatever
be the prospect Of success now, there is not
much doubt but that it will fail in the end
Law. aftes law has been passed on the SUBJ
ject, but. only to be flung aside, and a new
one demanded, much in the same spirit that
a child calls for new plaything when the
old one is broken. The prevailing senti-
ment here, among moderate members is that
law enough to put down the o.l,ire retail
traffic, exists in Ohio, il it were properly
put in force by the clamorous advocates of
fa s,nua ri nco ,uhn I;La tba bo.,o ioo.L -.