Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-02-04
H0USE-MoRNINe SESSION.
O'Clock, P. NJ

| FRIDAY, Feb ).
| The House met pursuant to adjournment, anC
| the Journal OF yesterday being read,
Mr.. Odell presented petition from citizens o.
Bluntsville: referred to committee on counties anC
| county lines
Mr. Clemens a petition from 5000 citizens o.
| Davidson county, relative to mechanical labor IN
the Penitentiary; read and transmitted TO the Sen
| ate
| Mr. Cooper introduced bill for the benefit o.
| Mill owners in certain cases. Read first time and
| referred to the Judiciary committee.
! Mr.. Hebb offered a resolution that discharged
! convicts shall not after leaving the Pententiary
become farmers, or laborers, &c. Lies over under
| the rule
! Mr.. Dortch entered a motion to reconsider the
vote passing the North Western Railroad bill.
The House took up Mr.. Wynns resolution direc-
tory to the Bank committee. Mr., Chanbliss moved
to lay it on the table, which motion prevailed.
The House then proceeded to the special order,
being the Law Reform Bill. A motion pending to
indefinitely postpone.
Mr. Travis arose in support of the bill. He
would endeavor to show what would be the practi-
cal operation OF the bill now before the House. in
cutting off the expense and delays arising out Of
the old system He replied to the points insisted
on by the gentleman from Monroe. We have al
ready had some experience as TO Its elect IN SIM
plifying practice, from what is daily seen in the
based on the very principle of this BILL the friends
of the bin wished to extend the same mode Of prac
tee to other courts We have now courts of Law,
and courts of Equity, but, he was sorry to say,
very few courts Of Justice. If court OF Law can
administer justice, where is the necessity for court
of Equity?
And this bill proposes to give TO the Courts of
law all the advantages now enjoyed by the Chan
Gerry Courts and to abolish the latter. He thought
that there was real demand for this change; and
he hoped that gentlemen would not be scared off
from the support of the bill, by the denunciations
of the gentleman from Monroe 1t would be far
more profitable to the people, if gentlemen
would give more time to considering what 1t Is right
to do than in studying out what will be calculated
to carry them easily and successfully through an
other canvass (After a pointed and forcble reply
to the objections of the gentleman from Monroe
Mr. T. entered into a discussion Of the comparative
merits of the two systems and concluded his re-
marks about II o'clock)
Mr.. Bailey rose to discharge 3 sacred duty to his
constituents, by opposing with all his power bill
whose very title was missioner. Remarks had
been made about lawyers being opposed to this
bill Tennessee has 400 lawyers of whom % have
seats on this floor, and they held IN such low es-
timatou, that if they oppose this bill people will
saw that they have acted from interested motives.
He repelled the insinuation, and the gentleman on
the other side need not seek to produce such an I'M
preston for the people had not demanded any such
So called reform this bill calls for the only man
who, to his knowledge ran upon this issue was
beaten upw ards of 1000 votes 1t was said that
the profession were united in opposition 10 this
measure, and he was proud to say they were so, it
was decision of heirdehberate judgment; and who
Were more likely to understand the subject than
those whose professional duty it was to study 1t IN
all us bearings and branches. And instead Of ap-
PeahnS 70 the judgment of members, gentlemen
on the other side had pointed out the advocacy of
this bill as sure avenue TO popular favor and future
success IN political life, and this was the inducenent
held out to the young men to vote for this bill
He condemned and deprecated such course. These |
questions should be judged of the basis of prin
elpe, regardless of popular favor.
Mr. B. then addressed himself to an examination |
of the provisions of the bill, and the comparative
merits of the two systems His Exeellency in his |