The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-02-22

HARRISBURG. Feb. 10. 1866.

iho cObSeo uSHil ~ uoldpie 10 dtIenQ TO The
proceedings of the Legislature, or, any
thing else But I think>not much has
been lost to you or your readers by this
misfortune of mine, as but little of any
public consequence and nothing of a
local character to interest you, has trans
pired since my last; and now that the
Legislature has adjourned over to the
9th, we need not look for Legislation of
any kind, public CIR private, before the
1st Of March, when the real business of
the session will probably commence, and
there must be much industry displayed
on the part of the two Houses if they ex-
pect to get through by the 10th Of March,
the day fixed upon for, TIE final adjourn
ment. However, we do not look for the
accomplishment of this task It is too
labprious to be endured by the physical
constitutions of the honorable members,
and 50 public opinion hereabouts assigns
the latter end, or at the earliest the mid
die of April as the more probable time Of
final adjournment. Whilst upon this
subject, [ may as well express the opinion,
which is very generally entertained by
those who watch the course of legislation,
that the Legislature is falling into a very
bad practice Of rushing bills through
without proper consid Grafton. The fact
is that such pile of private business is
accommodating upon their hands that it
cannot be disposed of in the ordinary
course of legislation in less time than
six months session would give them and
as they ave not inclined to sit so long,
and as, also: the good people, their con
slituents, might grumble at such an enor-
nous consumption of time without any
corresponding benefit, they have adopted
the very Objectionable course Of dispens-
ing with the rules, postponing the regular
order of the day, and rushing certain
bills through with lightning speed, some
times against the protestations of one
third of the members, who have not only
not read them, but actually never heard
Of them before the instant when they
came up for consideration. In this way
occurs much pernicious legislation, and it
is the sentiment Of all rejecting minds
that the, custom (of late an every day one)
would be " more honored in the beach
than in the observance" You may form
some conception of the amount of business
before the Legislature when ] tell you
that during single session of three
hours, one hundred and slxty-three bills
were read in place and reported from the
different standing committees. g
| Since my last, one bill of great public
Importance has passed both Houses-I
allude to the bill amending the revenue
laws Of the commonwealth. This bill re-
peals the tax on real estate, and imposes,
among other taxes, three-fourths of one
per centum upon the gross receipts Of
every railroad, canal and. transportation
company in the State, In addition to the
taxes now provided by law; and one per
centum upon the par value of the stock
held By each individual stockholder in
any bank, State or National, in the COM
monwealth-the three-fuurths of one per
eentum tax on railroads, &C., to be pledged
| for the redemption of the military loan
created under the act Of May 15, 1861.
This, you will perceive, changes entirely
the revenue laws of the commonwealth,
and is, indeed, an act of the very highest
importance. ..z
| La politics we have nothing specially
interesting. There has been much quiet
talk among Republicans in reference to
the views recently put forth by President
johnson, IN his interviews with the Fred
Douglass committee, the Montana com
mittee, and the delegation from the Y Yir-
| ginia legislature, ia which be defined
pretty clearly his reconstruction policy
and his idea Of the status Of the freed
men. There is, of course, some diversity
of opinion on the subject, but, undoubt-
odly, the majority of Republicans incline
to favor the policy indicated by Congress
rather than that foreshadowed by the
President So far as the Republican
members of the Legislature are concern
ed, think there will be decided ex
preston Of opinion on the question before
the close of the session.
Iu. reference to the gubernatorial ques