The Nevada journal., 1855-05-11
The Last Hours of the Legislature.

On Monday the 7th inst, the Legisla-
ture, having been in session 1877 days,
adjourned at 10 P. NJ. The time fixed
upon for adjournment was at IL meridian,
but short time previous to the arrival OF
the appointed hour, the concurrent res
olution of the two Houses fixing the time
at - NJ. was rescinded, and the Session
heightened twelve hours The Alta of
Tuesday contains the following tclegraphic
dispatch The reporter whoever he may
be, either knew little of what he was wrl-
ting, or was desirous of travelling out of
his way to give the Legislature fashion
able rap over the knuckles, and show his
enmity to the Speaker:
Notwithstanding each OF the two Houses,
some time before noon, appointed joint com.
mittee of two, consisting of De la Guerra and
Hall from the Senate, and Johnston and Ar
rington from the Assembly, to wait upon the
Governor and inform him that the Legislature
had completed their business, and wished to
know if he had any further communication to
make, yet both Houses went on afterwards to
transact bushes, and passed several bills, Just
as before. 1t may be said that they had re-
scinded the joint resolution to adjourn hna lily
at ~ O'Clock NJ, and had fixed II o'clock
midnight for that purpose but such is not the
fact In the first place, they were precIuded
by tie very terms of the resolution itself,
adopted a week ago, from entertaining any
new business before the final adjournment, ex-
l. ,l,,t.n 20 fha tafn
Prison, unless by unanimous consent and as
q prolongation of the session was new business.
and did not only meet with unanimous con-
sent, but was opposed by nearly majority of
both Houses, the entertaining of it was all
outrage on all parliamentary rules and usages,
and an indgnity which in any other deibera
tive body would have compelled every honest
member Of the Legislature to retire from the
chamber. 1t was entertained, however, and
passed the Senate by small majority. 1t
then went into the Assembly, the time being
with in few minutes of II o'clock, and was
rushed thr ough that body with the most inde-
cent haste. 1t was really source of regret
TO the well-wishers Of Speaker Stow that be
permitted such hurried and improper pro-
ceeding. The Clerk of the Assembly, in call
ing the ayes and nays read over the names in
manner that was probably never heard of
before in deliberative body; after which the
Speaker in his usual arbitrary and dictaUorial
manner, hammer in hand, diSregarding all op-
position, announced the resolution carried. 1t
was at that moment one minute past II by the
Assembly clock, and five minutes past II by
the correct time Of San Francisco, as can be
testified to by numerous audience.
Now at the time the Session was pro-
longed one week by concurrent resolution
the sole object of the extension was to do
something for the security of the State
prison convicts. Whatever difference Of
opinion might exist among members, as to
the best mode of conducting State Prison
affairs, it was acknowledged on all hands
that something must be done. For fear
that extraneous matter might be brought
in to engross the attention of the Legisla-
ture, the wise precaution was taken, in
the resolution of the two Houses, not to
allow any other business but that pertain
ing to the State Prison to be acted upon,
except such as had already been intro
duced.
The resolution to extend the Session
twelve hours, in order to give the Cover
nor time to examine the Prison Bill which
had passed both Houses, was not new bus
incss in any sense of the term. 1t was
merely carrying out the very object for
which the Session was by the first concur
rent resolution prolonged, and had Cor its
end the consummation of the State Prison
matter. That the entertaining of the last
concurrent resolution was an outrage on all
parliamentary rules and usages, nobody
blessed with half sense believes. We will
do the reporter justice by saying, that he
was probably honest in his convictions
The well-wishers of Mr.. Stow" and
not only the well-wishers, (if by that term
is meant his friends) but large majority
of the House, fully endorsed the decisive
course pursued by the Speaker on the oc-
casion alluded to above. There were but
a few moments left, in which to call the
roll, and a few factious members as we'll
as some unattentive ones, could by not
answering when their names were called,
jump up, afterwards and demand one by
one to have their names called, and by so
doing consume time, till the hour fixed
upon for adjournment had passed.
By the decisive action of the Speaker
the will of the Senate and majority of
the House was carried out That Speak
er Stow was usually, or at all, "arbitrary
and dictatorial" is news to every member
of the late Legislature. AS a proof of the
falsity of the charge, the fact may be tri-
cited, that during a Session of