Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-07-06

bly,. Judge Ringo dissented, and gave in my judgment, the more sensible opinion. But for this decision, no law would be nec- essary on the subject. The bill was intro- dueed by MT. McCulloch, and my amend ment giving full power to the county conrt adopted. It was further amended extend. ing the same power tn the county of Cbirot and all the other counties along he line of the road, and in that form it passed the Senate. l believe 1 wns the only man in that body who said anything in it's favor having to combat with the opinions and able arguments of my friends. Craiohnad and ASkew. From this statement it clear. ly appears that the failure of the bill to be- come law cannot be attributed to me.
 was asked at Monticello, my opinion on the "per diem question:" and gave onlva brief and very imperfect answer The report port of judiciary committee expressed brief Iy but clearly my opinion on the zeqol oues- ton, but had previously voted for Col. Craighead's amendment to the House reso- lution which provided that members shonla not receive the per diem during the recess. unless they were detained at the capital bv provldential cause. In the discussion of the subject, l expressed the opinion that each House mad the exclusive right to decide the | question for itself, and that the presiding ottlcer ot each House was the proper organ to carry out it's decision 1 could see no necessity for resignation because the House derided against the speaker, for hay ing recorded his vote on the journal against the majority, the presiding officer could have no difficulty in setting himself right betor the people. Having voted for Craig heads amendment, it follows of course, that l would not myself in any event have rec 'ived the per diem for the whole time My case, however, is rather pecu
 liar one. Leave of absence was granted to me by the Senate on the 22d of December, for ten days, although the journal only shows q general leave of absence I left Little Rock on the evening of the 22d and knew nothing of the Governors proclama- ton until was on my return to take my seat at the expiration of my leave of ab- Sence. My per diem during my leave of absence would have been about forty dol lars my mileage was thirty-nine dollars;
 
 would be one dollar more than did aetu- ally receive, although believe that Eeqolly l was entitled tO ninetv-siX dollars As 1t was, the President of the Senate having given me a certificate for the mileage, | en- | dorsed on it that submitted to the decision 1 of the Senate, and released all further claim l itis, think, universally admitted that a member is entitled to his per diem when absent on leave. just as an overseer's wages are never curtailed when he is absent with the consent of his employer and without any stipulation t. the contrary. The Sen ate s the exclusive judge of the reasons for l granting leave of absence to one of its mem bcrS. It granted the same to other mem bersat the same time 1t did me, but we left the Senate with quorum sufficient to tram Sact business. Leave had been previously granted to Coll RosSon a most valuable member on the ground of sickness which continued through the whole recess. His case came clearl y within the exception pro- vlded for by Col. Craigheads amendment and If the reasons in the other cases were not exactly the same, yet if the Senate had the rgh to decide and did decide. that they were sufficient who can gainsay it? Twas Tn my seat in the Senate every day of the session from the lst November to the Dist February, except the 23d December and the lIth January, on which days there was no quorum, and no business transacted. If 9 member absent himself beyond the time tor which he has leave, I think in justice and equity he forfeits all claim to pay, and my opinion always has been and is that if q member finds that for any reason he can not return, so as to discharge in some man. ner hs public duty, he ought to resign and let some other man be elected in his place.
 There is another subject on which il may he expected that should say something. l allule to the caucus of the 9th Novem- Der, 1898, which nominated Judge Sebas- tan. Certain newspapers seem to consi- der this question and the per diem of i'm poaance enough to divide and distract the democratic party, but if they think they have influence enough to bring about this result, l beg leave to differ with them in opnlon. If 1 understand matters correct lv, (ot which l am not certain) the divi- sion sought to be effected is the Johnson, Sebastian faction" on one side, and Col Hndman seems by common consent to be placed at the head of the other. Having voted against the supposed wishes of '.the family, as 1t Is called, in several elections m the legislature, and having courteously invited Col. Hindman to make a speech. suppose am considered as neutral in tht fight, and as 1 dislike to be 50 counted feel constrained by a sense of self-respec to define my position' As to my vote against " the family" all have to say, i that 1 don't know who constitute |" tn tamily,' and l have yet to learn that w have m Arkansas any 1st and 2d familie as they have in Virginia I am in th habit of judging man not by his name or hlS family, but by his merits as an in Ii vidual, and if he comes up to the Jefer sonian test of "honesty capacity and fde lay to the constitution" l ask no furthe questions. When man cannot stand thi test, 1 am in favor of s'rotation," and no before. If by the Johnson, Sebastian faction Is meant Robert w. Johnson anC William K. Sebastian, have only to say (without meaning the slightest disparage hlCho to OtilcI ciHiltlt dll(l tdleultu Seu tlemen who aspire to their stations that do not believe the State could be better re- presented in the Senate of the United States than it is at this time As to my invitation to Col. Hindman to make hi speech, would have treated Col. Rust O any other of our public men with the sam courtesy, for the reason that l like alwav to hear good speech, but 1 must say tha l thought 1t in had taste for Col. Hindmal to castigate the General Assembly as he did especially as he knew. that some, at least of those so severely taken to task ha, joined in the invitation to him. If he ha occupied in his party the high position ( Henry Clay or General Jackson, in thei respective parties during their palmy day. there might be more excuse for him, bu for one l am not willing to concede S much to him, although, 1 admire his peI sonal character so far as I am acouainte with It, and his fine talents as writer an speaker For what reason he publishe the correspondence between Major Flou noy and Mir. Watkins in which my nam appears, l cannot imagine; l do not SC ,f. 1 r.