Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-01-11
SENATE-AFrERNooN SEssIc
U0USE-MoRSING SESSION.

| Prayer Dy heN. EDGAR
The Speaker called the House to order.
! The Journals Of yesterday were read.
| Mr.. HUBBARD, from the Committee on Elections,
| reported unavoraby on bill No. 10 on the subject
of County Elections.
! Mr.. Cooke from the Committee on the Judiciary.
reported on several bills which were not acted on.
The Senate sent message transmitting several
bills, and the Messenger was directed to state to
the House that the Senate considered part of mes
sage received from the House yesterday, to be dis
respectful, and ordered that it be returned to the
| House.
Mr.. RICHARDSON, of Gibson, reported several bills
correctly enrolled
| Mr.. GIBSON, ofObion, introduced resolution to
appoint W. Caldwell an additional Commissioner to
negotiate with the Legislature of Kentucky relative
to the accession of certain territory, under of
the last Legislature. Rule suspended and resolu-
ton adopted.
Mr. HEBB, of Lincoln, introduced resolution in
relation to the issu nee of State Bonds-that it
shond not be done without direct vote of the peo-
pie. Laid over under the rule.
Mr.. SMITH, of Haywood, introduced bill to re-
duce costs III Circuit Courts. Referred to Commit
tee on Judiciary.
Mr.. DoRTcH bill to continue the organization
OF the Memphis and Lagrange Railroad Company.
Read first time
Mr.. HUBBARD from select committee bill to
provide for Geological, meteorological botanical
and agricultural survey Of tine State. Passed first
reading.
Mr.. BRoYLEs, bill to incorporate Gravel Hill
Cemetery Company.
Mr.. WYNNEs: bill to amend act of incorporation
of the town of Dover.
Mr.. BULLEN, bill! to equalize the distribution of
the officers of the Penitentiary. (The bill provides
that IT the Agent or Keeper be selected from one
division Of the State then the next two officers
shall be taken from the other two divisions respec-
tively)
Mr.. CLENoNs moved to indefinitely postpone the
bill
Mr. Cooke asked if it was intended to distribute
the convicts also? If so there would be injustice
done to Shelby County
Mr.. STEELE desired the author of the bill to give
his motives for introducing it.
The resolution to indefinitely postpone was lost;
ayes, 80, noes, Al.
Mr.. HEBB moved to amend so as to include.
Door-keepers and all other officers of both houses
OF the Legislature. Lost-ayes %; noes, A.
The bill then passed first reading and was refer
red TO tine committee on Penitentary
Mr. GILES moved to take up Senate bill COMM
bus and make it the special order for Friday,
Q3th) Passed.
The House then took up the special order, the !
bill to secure to married women their property.
Mr.. CAvIrr moved its indefinite postDonement. |
Mr.. Brown, OF Monroe wished to offer an amend |
ment that no divorce be granted without consent |
of both parties
Mr.. SYKES, Of Marry, hoped the motion would
not prevail All that he asked of the gentle
men was to give the bill fair examination
and bring forward their objections to it, and if he
could not remove them let gentlemen vote against
the bill He felt certain that no gentlemen here
would act from prejudice. He wished to give his
reasons in favor Of the bl-he wished to defend it
lie did not mean to attempt an eloquent speech
his only object was to make plain argument in its
lavor, and he called on the opponents of the bill to
bring forward their objections. He proposed to
show that the provisions Of this bill were better for
the husband better for the WIFE, better for the cred
tor, than the existing laws
Mr.. Cooke begged leave to interrupt for a mo-
nenD proposition had been made to invite the
ladies to be present at this discussion and now
vas the time to do it.
Mr.. SYKES, Does my friend from McMnn mean
his a cut to me?'
(Mr. Cooke dsclamed any such intention.
MIR. SYKES continued that he wished to call the |
ttenton of gentlemen to the effects of the exist
ne laws, and to show that they were worse than ,
he bill which he was advocating. Gle then went
nto an examination of the present laws, in course
i which he referred to Chancellor Kent and the
ate Judge Turley, paying a high tribute to the
,tter)
The Laws on this subject are now intricate and
duplicated. He wanted no special laws, but a
lam general law, that every man could understand
lstead OF the complicated settlements now IN use a
at this point, several Ladies entered the Hall and =
1ere accommodated with seats on the floor of the
Iouse) n
Mr.. SYKES went on to say that be had no per-
0nal in erest in this bill-none whatever-but he a
'anted to it passed because he believed it to be
st and useful His friend from Monroe wished to