The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-01-26
Eals.r,a, CerrespeaAeace.

very rev SAHent points Ior commcnt siucc
mr. last communication. Very few bills Of
. general character have as yet been pre-
scented to the Governor, though piles OF To-
cal and unimportant laws have been des.
patched by the General Assembly for his sig
nature. Many OF these bills 60 through both
houses without reading, and, 10 consequence,
the burden Of guarding their CONSTITUTIONAL
ty 10 devolvcd upon the Executive, and calls
for tho interposison Of the veto power rath-
or more frequently than would be necessary
were they examined by the members Of the
Assembly before voting upon them. This is
an evil, however, naturally incident to this
char acter of legislative cnactments, and it
is well that the Governor has the power and
disposition to revise the doings of the Gen.
eral Assembly in this regard.
The liquor law was discussed in the SEN
ate, yesterday afternoon, and most of the
leading members participated in the debate.
The question came up on the introduction of
bill to repeal the present law and revive
that Of the Code, with some amendments. 49,
The arguments Of the members, pro and con,
are such AZ the readers Of our paper are al
ready familiar with, and need not be repeat
ed, even though coming from the lips Of hon
orable Senators. The argument which seems
to be Of greatest significance against the
present law, was urged somewhat in this
form by Senators;
1t is said, argued Senators, that all laws
are violated and that fact might as well he
urged against laws Furnishing theft and muir
der as against the liquor law. The cases are
not parallel. Laws against these crimes are
violated and society sustains the law and the
criminals are punished. But the liquor law
is violated, not occasionally, but constantly +,
universally, openly; it is, in fact, utterly dis
regarded, except spasmodically in some scat
tering localities, throughout the state. No
Senator on this floor will tell us that the law
Il enforced in his district; and right here, in
view Of this Capitol, under the daily obser-
walton Of the law makers, the Executive, and
the Supreme judicial tribunal Of the state,
fifty or sixty groceries, with signs out in
vitng crowds to their liquor counters, make
mock Of the law which adorns your stat
ute book. The fact that this law is not en-
forced demonstrates the position that it is in
advance Of public opinion.
A direct vote was taken to repeal the law,
which was lost by vote eff Is to IL Neal,
OF Marion, was absent or the vote would
have been tie.
It's not possible to say definitely what will
be the final action Of the Legislature upon
the subject. The greatest difficulty with
which the friends of the present law have to
contend 10 the facts stated above, and this
leads many Of them to look with favor upon
some plan, il one can be devised, for strin-
gent restriction upon liquor selling, and for
the entire suppression Of dram shops, till
public opinion shall become intensified sufi-
ciently to demand and execute law for the
entire prohibition Of the traffic.
SATURDAY EVENING.
There are great many strangers in the
city at the present time. Many are drawn
here from the interest felt by them in GER
tain bills pending before the Legislature,
others by the political conventions, and 9TH
ers still rs members of the Constitutional
Convention which will commence it's session
IN the Supreme Court on Monday.
Senator Harlan arrived from Washington
last evening bringing official intelligence OF
his ouster by the Senate of the United States.
A resolution passed both Houses this morn
Ing to 60 into joint convention this afternoon
Tor the purpose of electing u. S. Senator
at O'Clock, p. NJ, the convention Assem-.
bled in the hall Of the House of Representa-
tiyes, and in five minutes thereafter James
Harlan was declared duly elected to the U.
5. Senate. The vote stood for Harlan, G3 !;
for Coolbaugh, IS.
This vote and the promptness Of the cleo
ton affords very favorable contrast with
the proceedings Of our General Assembly,
on the subject two years ago, and presents
most aattering endorsement Of Senator Har-
Ian from the State Of which he has been so
faithful and able a representative on tho
ioor OF tho Senate. His colleague Jones
who voted against his right to the seat holds
his own seat in violation Of the sentiments
OF bis constituents. II he has not lost the
power Of blushing he will feel his cheek Tin.
gle when Harlan rc-appears in the Senate
with this endorsement. from the State Of Iowa.
CAPITOL, Jan. 10.
The Constitutional Convention convened
this morning in the Supreme Court, and or
ganized temporarily by the election Of John
A. Parvin, of Muscatinc, President Of the
body.
The Convention has been tenders the hos.
FATALITIES Of the cities of Dubuque and Da-
venport during their session, and free pass
over the railroads, and in consequence of tho
want OF accommodations here, members seem
strongly disposed to accept proposition Of
the kind.
can't see any good reason why the ses-
sion Of the Convention should last over \
week or so hnt fra,o tha taiL .,..n...A -