Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-02-02
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS.


ate did not meet ill after dinner. and
then did nothing Of importance.
The House met nj the Same hsur,
and passed, 10 third reading, bin
that. In effect. throws open our gar.
dens and orchards 10 fruit and melon
thieves. We hope Il will not become
u law, though we fear. !. may. Why
Il should be felony 10 steal 6vo cents.
and merely misdemsanor 10 rob
orchards and tear up melon vines,
and commit such outragss. wo cannot
tell.
Tho question Of amending tho Con.
stitution. 90 a. 10 dispense with a su.
perlntendent Of Public Instruction, was
indefinitely postponed; 80 there is an
end Of that matter.
Also, tho moton..to not alter the law
Of dcsccnts'was ooncurred In.
Mr.. Humphrlss. an oldlinsr. asked
that tho Judiciary Committee be In
atructed 10 inquire into the sxpsdisney
Of providing by law that any person
who regards a preacher a. meddlIng
In politics In any sermon. be author.
ixed to'answer tho same then and there.
We suppose that this neans that
preachers shallnot preach against sdul-
terry. stealing. swearing, sabbath
breaking. gambling. drunkenness sla-
very. whisky.selling. cheating. and
lying--for all these are political ques-
tons, and legislated upon. The fol.
lowing Ia tho resolution In full. We
are sorry to find our friend Jetsr among
those who favored such alaw.
Whereas, recent events plainly indi.
cate that the pulpit IL not always tobe
used In preaching Christ and Him cru.
cited. but Is frequently 10 be convert
cd into a political stump from which
fanatical demagogues are 10 vent fust-
ian and falsehood for the promotion oil
partisan purposes at the expense OF the
feelings Of O respectable portion oil
their own congregations. who do not,
under existing laws. feel safe in pub
licly exposing Mt the time and within
the sacred walls Of church, the tricks
Of these political priests. and thus I'M
willingly are compelled 10 permit i'm
pudent ialschoodsto pass without prop
or correction:
Therefore. be II resolved, That the
Committee on the Judiciary be instruc.
ted TO inquire into the eIpediency Of
80 amending Section 81. Chapter 6 o.
ed volume Of Revised Statutes, 1881,
as TO permit, in cases contemplated in
the foregoing preamble, = respectful
reply by any member OF such congre.
cation to such political discourses, a.
the same or any subsequent time. in
the same or any other convenient place,
without subjecting the person so re'
plying to the penalty Of said section,
and that said committee report by bill
or otherwise.
The resolution was laid on the table
} Ayes, 60: Noes. 10. namely. Messrs
Carnahan, Essex. Gordon, Hester
Humphreys. JErrR, King Of Johnson,
Landers. Lennon. Lewis, Logan. Low
Mcclure. Montgomery, Stanton, Usry,
Weir, and Williamson.
On TUESDAY, sundry resolutions
were passed in the Senate,!and some
bills passed. but We can gather moth
ing Of Importance from the meagr'
/ reports Of the papers, except that
bill passed to protect the Sabbath
: The Senate was not in session in tn,
afternoon.
? In the House, Mr.. Jeter reported
bill! to provide that the School funds
/ raised in each county by taxation shall
. be distributed in such county. TIL
report declares that such bill voul'
! not be in violation Of Sec. I, Art. 8
Of the Constitution. AZ Mr.. Jete
posted on constitutional questions, W
think thislsettles that point: but W
don't believe the bill will pass.
{. A bill was introduced by Mr.. Test
to provide for written briefs in case
submitted before the Supreme Court
not to be printed unless by consent
and oral argument to be allowed whe'
counsel so desire. This need not pass
3 for the Supreme Court will decide
$ unconstitutional to require them I
read such writing as Geo. Holland an
other lawyers get up. We won't blam
them. 1t is as much as printers ca
: do to read such scratching.
d On WEDNESDAY, in the Senate,
d resolution of inquiry was offered b
+ Mr.. M'Cleery. as to the expedier
e cy of abolishing the present Comma
), School System and substituting in II
stead the Congressional Township Sys
:, tenn as it existed prior to the act {
. i849, with the exception that all loar
etc., shall be under the direction {
township trustees. Consent.
: Nothing else of interest is reporte
for that day.
In the House, an Imperative rest
luton was adopted to abolish the o
4