The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-26
The LEGISLATURE.

The Legislature.
We give an abstract of the proceeding OF
the Legislature up to Monday evening, since
which time there has been no quorum in the
House, On account of the republicans having
adopted the revolutionary step OF leaving
their places and going home, thus stopping
the wheels of government.
The object of this high handed procedure
was to defeat the apportionment bill, which
the Governor proposed to veto. Ii, on send
ing the veto to the House, there had been a
quorum present, OF course the bill would
have been passed over his head, SO the plan
of a republican stampede was adopted. But
the Governor was obliged to return the bill
to the House within ten days of its passage,
or it would become law without his sigma
ture, aad the question arose, how could he
do this to House without quorum, which
OF course could transact no business, receive
no messages, &c. So the notable plan was
adopted to have the vetoing message pre-
scented to the House on Tuesday morning
Immediately after prayers, and before the
House, by ordering a call, had ascertained
that it was without a quorum. In this
adroit plan, however, the republicans appear
to have been foiled. Immediately on the
close of the prayer, Mr.. Anderson moved a
cali of the House The Governors Secreta
~ was at the same instant announced, but
as the Speaker recognized Mr.. Anderson
first, and put his motion, of course the cal
Of the House had to be proceeded with until
a motion to dispense with further proceed.
ings under the call was adopted. The Go
vernor's Secretary. however, announced his
message amidst intense confusion, and hand
ed it to the Speaker, who refused to receive
it. The document got on the floor, was
kicked about, and we have no definite ac.
count of what was its final fate. Since this
emeute, the House did no other business ex-
cept to meet and adjourn from day to day
until Thursday at 10 o'clock, when they adj
journed sine de.
No general appropriation bill, that we can
learn, was passed. The penitentiary bill al
so, we believe, was kept in his pocket by the
Governor, to force the democrats to pass tie
appropriation bills before the ten days were
up, and that important measure is also de-
feated And indeed nearly all the most i'm
portant work of the session is rendered nu-
gatory by the revolutionary movement Of
the republican members.
OF course there can be no justification lor
the course adopted by the republicans. II
the apportienment bill was the outrageous
measure they pretend it was, they had
washed their hands by voting against it, and
the responsibility rested upon the demo
Gratis, who must defend if before the people
Concede the point, that when minority II
the Legislature are unable to defeat mea
sure insisted upon by the majority by legiti
mate means, they are justified in blocking
all legislation by deserving their seats, ant
there is an end of good order and representa-
tive government. The only recourse tn
people have then left is Lynch Law and Vi
gilsnce Committees.
1t is hard enough, we know, for men t.
keep their seats AZ SpfiNelIeIu "a , per al }
when they pay 81 per day for board; bu
under the circumstances we can hardly jus
tIfy the democratic members for finally con
sen,ing to an adjournment on Tarrsday.-
Men of the right stamina, it appears to US
would have brought back those fugitive re-
publicans and had quorum in that House
before final adjournment, and If it had
kept them at Springfield until The grass grew
and died again, and all the sherifis and con
stables in the State, and Pinkerton's force to
boot, had been brought into requisition te
drag those men back to their seats. 1t wa:
time to try the strength of the government
against brute force, and the trial was one
worthy to be made.