Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-07-15
Madison Correspondence.
MADISON. Jnlv @ 1S52

MADISON, July 8, 1853.
The most noticeable event of legislation during
this session, was the passing by the Senate, YES
tcraay, by vote of fourteen to nine, the bill abol-
ishing the death penalty. This bill had previous
ly passed the House, and before Won get This let.
ter viii no doubt have received the signature of the
Governor and be the law. The comments of onr
Madison correspondent on the abolition of the death
penalty, for the want ofroom we omitted this week
presume the legislature will pass at this ses.
sion, not less than 100 acts, and the number may
reach $50 OF these, at least nine out of ten arc
ola local eharactcr-being amendments ofrai road
acts, state roads, local corporations, &C., &c
The history of legislation about this time, is real
ly amusing. Before the close of the winter ses-
sion, both houses passed resolution that no aeo
business would be received. This resolution has
been rcligiously adhered to- and the amusing fea-
ture of the matter is the manner in which ne, bo-
dies are tackled on TO old heads whereby the spirit
OF the resolution is palpably violated and its letter
strictly observed. The ingenious shifts resorted
to by members to achieve some desired end of le-
gisiation are worthy of Chatham street Peter
in the Senate day or two since, and found there
an animated discussion going on in reference to n
bill virtually abolshing the County Court Law
1t seems the day before it came up under the head
OF "bill to incorporate the Kcnosha and Wau-
kesha rail road company" and under that head
was passed without being read the few members
only who were in the secret, knowing its character
y IN idAr oil -
passed with however some amendments. Last
winter the House came very near passing bill
! repeating the whole system of county government
without knowing it. l venture that one half the
acts on the statute book will be just as new and no.
vel to the members who made them, should they
ever read them, as TO the man who may never
. have heard Of our legislature. A member Jumps
up in his place and says, " Mr.. Speaker! | wish
/ to make report from a select committee" The
report is received, and being read, runs about in
this wise: "The select committee to which was
referred Assembly bill No 1901, to incorporate
the Hoboken Moral Reform Society, beg leave to
report substitute for said bill, and recommends
its passage" Then adds the member 4" Mr. Spea-
ker, this bill is to incorporate the Pizarinctum Ly-
ceum. 1t is purclya local matter. move there
fore, that all rules be suspcnded-that the bill be
read by its title only,-and put upon its final pas
! sage now. The motion prevails of course
! Some troublesome member may suggest the pro-
| prety OF members knowing what they are voting
about; but members don't want to be bored with
the Pzarinctum Lyceum, and the bill to ncorpo-
rate the Hoboken Moral Reform Society is put
through with rush. 1t may contain n provision
to hang half the members, but none would be the
wiser for it, till the rope began to press upon their
nccks. This is history, without eXaggeration, Of
all legislation towards the close Of the session when
most legislation is done and if any person has
heretofore been troubled to account for the contra
dietions, the conusions, the blundcrs and illegali
tics existing in connection with our laws the above
will furnish partial, if not a complete solution of
the mystery.
The Fox and Wisconsin Rivers Improvement
bill has become a law 1t transfers this improve
mcnt with all its appurenanccs and hcrcditamcnts,
to a company which promises to incorporate itself.
The company promises TO complete the work and
to pay all existing indebtedness against it, This
is happy radiance to the State if it will only stay
off, but should the improvement not prove profta-
bic to the projectors, or realize their expectations,
which think it will not, the State will be very apt
to hear of it again.
AT the close of the last session, yourrcadcrs will
recolect, $4,000 were borrowed. This amount, it
was thought, would pay expenses already incurred,
and those TO be incurred in prosecuting the inn
parchment. But it is afact that every cent ofthis
amount has been exhausted, and whilst many of
the debts of the winter session are unpaid not cent
of the expenses of this session, or of the impcach
ment, have been paid, except ten days pay of men,
bcrs and mileage. AT least $50 go ofdcbts will have
been incurred besides the expenditure of last years
tax, and the $4,000 borrowcd-makng the cx-
pcnses for this year. for State government fully
up to 500, co., or about 81 for each and every yo
ter in the State. a history of this years cgisa-
ton so far as the of the public funds is concern
cd, would be of value to the people, for it would
disclose a system of proAigacy that would certain
ly result in the establishment of a different order of
things. And it is Il history which, so far as our
time and opportunities will allow, the people shall
be put in possession of.
The high Court of Impeachment is drawing to
a close Ryan commenced on Friday afternoon
| the hnal speech Tor the prosecution and VIII con-
cude it, probably, on Monday. 1t is terrible
sPecch-doubtcss without parallel in the State
for the depth and strength and scorching charac-
ter Of its invectivc, as well as the compact, clear
character ofis logic and the power with which it is
all brought to bear. If Hubbcll escapes after this
searching review of the testimony, he ought to be
considered not only pure, but not proper subject
even of suspicion, else the Court must incur the
imputation of great stupidity, or something worse
Probably Tuesday will wind up the bobbin Of
this the longest the least profitable, the most eX'
pensiye session of the Legislature, ever held.