Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-26

o'clock A VI.
Journal of yesterday read and approved.
REPORTS.
Mr.. Wolfe. Judiciary Committee. reported on
the resolution directing the Committee TO exam
Inc into the expedIency OF making Islander. libel
and bastardy mIsdemeanOrs, and nclosng bill
on the subject of bastardy. The bill was read IA
first time
Mr. DOwney, judiciary Committee. on the
resolution to inquire IT each house OF the Less-
lature has power 10 compel the attendance OF
members, reported in their opinion they had
COncIrred in.
Mr.. Wolfe, judiciary Committee. reported
back the resolution OF inquiry To the expedi-
ency OF abolishing the office OF Attorney ecu
eral. with the reply that there bill for that
purpose already before the Senate. Concurred
in.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Mr. Brown, of Wells-No ~: To make Ga
vim and Hord's Revised Statutes evidence in all
courts in place OF the acts therein contained.
The rules suspended and the bill read
second time and referred, with an amendment. to
the judiciary Committee
Mr. Shieds-No A To enforce the 18th ar
ticle of the Constitution.
Mr. Beeson-No 40: TO amend the act in re
lation to County Auditors.
Mr. Hord-No 46: To amend section 6 of the
practice act.
RESOLUTIONS.
Mr. New: That the Superintendent OF the
Blind aud Deaf and Dumb Institutes be requested
to give exhibitions of the progressing of the pu
pills to the members of the Legislature. at such
times may be convenient Adopted.
Mr. Shields: That the Committee on Judiciary
he instructed to bring in bill to have the reven
ues, county aud State, collected by the Township
lreaSurers. and to pay over the county and Stale
portions 10 the Cousfy Treasures.
Mr. March NOV ed To amend To make the reso
luton one OF inquiry, and also To refer IL TO the
Finance Committee. 1t proposed to make very
important change in the collection OF the revenue
and required consideration.
Mr. Shields spoke ut length in favor of the pro
posed change. he was satisfied that IT would be
a great saving of expense and would be tar more
convenient To the tax payers. He simply pro
posed 10 have treasurer IA each township who
would collect the taxes when the duplicate
made out and pay over the county and State por-
tons to the county treisurers.
Mt. Wolfe: Would not that add to the expense?
Mr.. Shields could not see why. A township
treasurer could afford collect in his neigh
bOrhOod for less per ceut. than one man at the
county seat could do it. he wished to get the
views OF Senators upon the subject He did not
object to the change OF reference.
Mr.. Wolfe: lt did not occur to him that the
change would be OF utility. The Office of county
treasurer was one made bv law, and It WAS res
pUn>ibe office These officers were not overpaid
now, considering the responsibility, aud they could
not afford reduction OF their lees. Here you
create ten or twelve additional officers in each
county aud how are they to be paid without add
tiOnal expenseg He met the arguments of Mr..
Shields IA regard 10 the COW enence and did hot
think the experience of Senators would sustain
Mr. Shelds's view. Mr. Wolfe thought the
change would be an increased expense without a
corresponding benefit. II the time liked by law
for the county tre,surers TO visit the townships
was too early. before the farmers had disposed OF
their crops. change the time
Mr.. Shields resumed: lie still convinced
the mode proposed 10y the resolution was the best
and cheapest. Ia States where it prevailed it
was found To work we'll aud why not do 80 in this
Slater The people would Vet demand the change.
The assessment 10y townships worked we'll.
Dir. Murray: 1t Is natural Tor persons to wish
the public business 10 be diiused When the
counties were first organized the policy TO
centraze the business on the county seats. de
had always favored the diffusion The assess
ment by townships was the tine system, aud the
change proposed in the collection was not ncw.
IL had been tried in other places aud he consid-
cred il decided Improvement. He would favor
the pinn DE WAS opposed 10 having litte nests
Ut officers in the county seats. who monOpoi'zed
the Offices he would break up these cliques and
give much power as possible TO the people IL
was Democratic. and it Was right and just.
Mr.. Ferguson: When the interest of the Off
Ger conflicts With that oi the people he would
strike al the officer and save the people. lie he
lieved in bringing as much business TO the peO
pie ~ practicable and in any vote he should give
he would stop CONSIDER whether it took
from the profits OF an Office or not. lie hoped,
hosever. the resolution would be one OF inquiry.
Mr.. Williams proposed amendment that the
Committee OF County aud Township business
inquire Into the expediency OF requiring County
Treasures t. employ AMI keep deputies IN evch
t0snship 10 collect le,enLe
Mr.. Shields accepted the amendment.
Mr.. RI, favored the resolution Of the gentle
man llOm Knox for the reason that 1t male no
change at all. There vas a tendency to scatter
Offices AMI dfuse them To such degree that all
dignity and all Consideration was removed from
the Offices ct the country The judiciary had
been impaired in this way. He argued against
any change with great force To strike down
responsible Office and create IN each county ten
90 twelve pe,Iy Offices Ia il stead. would be 10
make farce of the whole system Why not ut
once place II ia the hands of the Constable.g He
ridicuei the idea that seemed Ia prevail of fitier
ng away the responsible othe e. of the county
Nc Wulie replied Ia the question OF expense.
aud by taking his county Hards0nl a. a basis,
his calculation of the cost OF the collection being
ut two and half per cent. (Which was the pro
posed cost OF collection by the gentleman IRON
Jackson,) made II greater than IL j. now. lie
Was opposed 10 the change however. independent
OF this view. aud agreed with the gentleman from
Shelby that IL Was wrong TO ritter away respou.
sible offices.
Mr.. Landers was farmer. but he WAS opposed
70 the change. lie could see no economy IN a.
The system Of township assessment was not 40
good As the county assessment BY scattering
these petty cmplo, ments among the people. the
inevitable eflec, IS 10 ge, crowd OF irresponsible
and inefficient Offices
Mr.. March replied ~ some incidental rem lrks
Of Mr.. Ry. IN regard ~ justice. Of the peace.