St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-02-16

Board of Education, and to the cause
of Education, that he should be added
to the committee, that it might have
the benefit of his counsel.
The motion was carried.
On another occasion the business
before the House was the question of
re-considering the vote upon post.
poning the bill in relation to testimo-
ny.
Mr.. Claggett said if we indefinitely
postpone we cannot take up this mat
ter again this session. The Supreme
Court held that every person must be
allowed to testify. He did not believe
but the Constitution ought to be
changed if that decision is right, and
he appealed to the House in favor OF
considering the matter before throw
ing it aside.
Mr.. Bowdoin thought we had taken
up time enough already upon this
question. As the matter now stands,
negroes can testify-this bill proposes
to exclude such testimony. We did
indefinitely postpone it, and now it is
proposed to reconsider that vote. We
had refused to change the law in re-
gard to interest of witnesses, and it
is trifing to bring these matters up
again. If it is right for person to
testify in one case, it was right in
another. He thought the House would
never change the law in these regards,
and he was opposed to reconsideration.
Mr.. Kellogg asked Mr.. Bowdoin, if
the people favored the change in re-
gard to negro testimony, was he not
willing to have them change it? He
thought it at least no harm to have
the people pass upon such matters.
Mr.. Bowdoin said we are the Repre-
sentatives of the people, and we passed
upon it as the voice of our constitu-
ents.
Vote was not re.considered.
In the House long discussion arose
on resolution instructing the Com
mittce on Ways and Means to report
bill reducing interest on taxes. The
resolution was adopted by large ma
jority and the rate Of interest Oh de.
linquent taxes will doubtless be re-
duced to ten per cent. The State re-
ceived several severe castigations for
setting up 25 per cent. shaving shop
in every County Trcasurer's Office,
while the people paid penalty for
taking more than ten per cent.
The Senate have had under consid-
Grafton q resolution for bill making
the State Bank money lawful tender
for taxes. Mr.. Bailey was decidedly
opposed to such law, while Messrs.
Davis and Bowen favored it. The old
anti-Bank feeling arises on all these
questions.
The subject of appropriations to the
different State Institutions, is topic
of much discussion. They will be made,
but with as much economy as posi-
bic. as in fact nearly all the members
are pledged to the strictest economy.
On the 9th inst, both branches of
the Legislature met in joint conven.
ton in the hall Of the House of Repre-
scntativcs, for the purpose of elccting
three Directors of the State Bank, and
three Commissioners of the Free
Banks, to serve as such for the next
two years. The following gentlemen
were elected Directors r. Noble of
Clayton county, j. T. Edgi,gton of
Lucas county, and Richard Bronson of
Dubuque county. The first two are
Republicans and the last is Demo
crat. After the election of the Dircc-
tors, William Bickford of Jefferson
county, Thomas Graham of Tama
county, and John w. Ellis of Davis
county, were elected Commissioners.
The two first are Republicans and the
last is Democrat.