Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-03-23
DOlNGs AT THE CAPITAL,
SENATE CHAMBER, Desmoines, I
tnf March 18th, 1860. {

80. ~ ..,r,ri.r. March 18th, 1860. !
3 FRIEND JOuRNAL:--I cannot account 70
the tastes of certain members of the presen
General Assembly, in pursuing the cours
they do. Some Of the districts of this Stat
were outrageously bamboozled into the ide'
that, when they were voting for pompous
solemn looking persons, with bold, high fore
heads, form erect, and military stride, they
were electing the perfect fac-simile Of |
Webster, Pitt, Cicero, or Clay say they
were badly fooled, for their Representatives
don't bear the slightest resemblance to thu
men who bore those great and illustrious
names. The fact is, they were orators
philosophers, statesmen, while these are
politicians and political demagogues That is
just the difference between them. With this
brief preface, proceed to say that the present
session of the Legislature has given full proof
Of the utter despair and hopelessness of the
once great Democratic party. The esurvivors,
as one after another Of the decayed planks
drop into the great untraversed ocean, leaving
for them but bare fragment on which to rest
their hopes of political salvation, foster their
strongest hope upon the merest trifle. So,
here, Senators, Representatives, with their
certain and inevitable fate staring them full
in the face, catch at straws. To illustrate
A few days ago. bill passed the Senate,
appropriatng Sc, 900 to supply deficiency
in the Penitentiary appropriation of two years
ago. The circumstances were these: Money
was in transitu to the State Treasury. The
Penitentiary had expended its appropriation,
either properly or improperly-it matters not
now. 1t was now destitute of the means to
provide for the daily sustenancs Of the pris-
oners. Money must be supplied or the
convicts turned loose The Governor inter
cepted the money in transitu, and appropri-
ated the above amount to the purposes and
objects required. The House passed the bill
without discussion. The Senate the same
But, yesterday, an idea crept into the brain
of the Senator from Buncombe that political
capital could be made of this matter, and very
asked permission to change his
vote. Objection being made, the Senator
moved to reconsider, which, after some dis
cussion, was done. The bill was again put
upon its passage, and carried by vote of 26
to IA. Here was an hour spent merely to
satisfy the "private feelings" of the great
from Buncombe. But that
was one of his political straws.
A bill has been introduced, making 10
hours legal day, in cases of elections.
There is great need of reform upon this
subject. There is no reason in the world
why it should take Board of Canvassers
four or five days to canvass 500 votes. If
the Legislature would pass some law by which
votes should be all canvassed by - o'clock
on the night of the election, and paying the
Board for one days work, it would be better
still. 1t can be done, for and thousands of
others have seen it, time after time. The bill
has been referred, and will probably pass.
A bill providing for the administration of
oaths, in manner and form as may be most
binding on the conscience of witness, was
yesterday referred, upon a strict party vote,
by the casting vote of the President-absent,
Senators Bowen, Scott, Watson and Rankin.
The liquor bill, which passed the House,
was yesterday referred to special committee,
with instructions to report a stringent license
law, by vote of yeas 20, nays 17-Democrats
voting against. This is equivalent to defeat
of the House bill, and allowing the present
law to stand without amendment.
The Senate have, to-day, had under con-
sideration the county and township organiza-
ton bill. A motion was made to strike out
"Supervisors, and insert commissioners"
which was lost-yeas IA, nays "a. Wilson,
of Dubuque, moved to amend by adding
Supervisors to the County Judge, and dividing
counties into Supervisor Districts to the
number of four, which was lost by two votes.
1t was ordered to be put upon its third read
ing on Friday morning, when l think it will
become law by oery close vote.
A bill providing for resident commissioner
in New York city, to induce emigration to
Iowa, with salary of $1,000 per annum,
which had passed the House, was, to-day,
defeated in the Senate.
An Intellectual effort was made, this after
noon, in the Senate, to concur in the House
resolution to adjourn on the 9th. An
may be looked for the first
Monday in April. ZENI.
aa SENATE CHAMBER, Desmoines,
r....z March 18th, 1860.
FRIEND JOURNAL In former communica-
tons. I have undertaken, in q very imperfect