The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-03-20
Letter From Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, March Il, 1St


Correspondence of The AlIeghanian
Since my last communication, three
| measures of great public interest have been
acted upon in one or other branches of the
Legislature.
In the Senate, the Joint Resolution relative
to the abolition of slavery in the District of
Columbia was passed on Thursday night, at
about u o'clock.
In the House, on the afternoon Of Friday.
7th inst, the General Appropriation Bill was
passed with unusual unanimity.
The most exciting bill of the session. how
, ever has been the following, originating with
Mr.. Hopkins, of Washington county
''SEC. /. BE 1t enacted, &C., That the act of
Assembly approved 9TH March, ammo domini
1861, entitled AN Act for the Communication of
tonnage duties be and the same is hereby
repealed"
Mr.. Williams, of Allegheny county, offered
an amendment to the foregoing, as amended
by Mr.. Cessna, of Bedford county, to the
effect that the act passed at the last session
of the Legislature was unconstitutional. that
said tonnage tax be restored as fully as tho
said reUealing act had never been passed, and
that it shall be the duty of the Attorney Cen
eral to proceed forthwith to sue for, recover
and collect by distress, or otherwise, the ar
rears of the said tonnage tax, which was due
and owing at tt time OF the passage of said
repeating act, together with such additional
tax or duties as would have accrued upon the
tonnage of said company, until the date of
the presen: act, &c, &c.
Mr. Scott, of Huntingdon countY, endeay-
ored TO further amend the amendment of Mr.
Williams by substituting proposition having
in view the settling of the question of consti-
tutionalty by the Courts. But this appeared
to the majority to be too tedious, they prefer
ring to close the matter up by the ''shorter
Str hot u-;n
in the end, be found that ''the farther way
around is the nearer way home" The Courts
will, in the event of the final passage of the
bill as proposed by the House, have to deter
mine the question ut issue. Mr.. Scott's
amendment received only fifteen votes
All attempts to further amend the PROPOSE
ton of Mr.. Williams were voted down The
discussion of the questions involved in the
bill brought out the best speakers in the
House. 1t was debated up to late hour on
Thursday night, when vote was taken upon
the final passage of the bill as amended by
Mr.. Williams, which resulted follows =
Yeas. 10 /; navs, .25-Mr Pershiug voting ndy
If the Senate pass the House bill, it will be
a complete reversal of the action of the last
Legislature. I will not attempt to decide
as to which the present or the late House of
Representatives properly reflects the popular
WILL Each Representative is amenable to his
constituents for his vote.
Inc senate W1li TO QOUDt, so amend the
House bill that it will present the same fea-
lures as Mr.. SCOTS proposition. In the end
a Committee Of Conference will fix upon one
other of the opposing views, or one made
up of portions of each, or, as is possible, let
the whole affair .'die a natural Death" Then
would be a fitting occasion for Sambo's solil-
oquy-.. White man mighty unsartin %
The bill entitled San Act to provide for
the adjudication and payment of certain NIL
itary claims has passed both Houses. BY
its provisions all volunteer officers who have
been sworn into the service of the State or
the United States will be paid from the date
of their respective commissions. The U. S.
Paymasters have heretofore calculated the
officers pay-rolls from the date of mastering
into the service of the United States. The
State now steps in, and will advance the pay
to our volunteer officers for the time between
the date of commissions and mastering in
Officers who have not been sworn into the
service of the State or United States are not
provided for. The bill also makes provision
for the payment of claims for su5ssting vol
unteers from term of enrolment up to arrival
in camp. Heretofore the payment was limit
ed to ten days for each man. HUGO.