The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-17
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 1C.

Judge hughes introduced IN Une
House yesterday morning a bill to
prevent the breaking of quorum in
the State Legislature. 1t provides
that any member contumaciously re-
fusing to vote shall be deemed guilty
Of misdemeanor, and, on conviction,
fined $1,000; the Marion Circuit
Court to have jurisdiction in all such
cases. The bill was ordered printed
and made the special order for to-day
at two o'clock, at which time a spicy
debate may be expected.
This measure is intended to pre-
vent an anticipated "belt" when the
Congressional Apportionment bill
shall come up for final action, and is,
of coarse, aimed at the minority.
1t is not, however, impossible that
some such action may be required to
bring portion of the Republican
members to vote on an apportion-
ment bill, for it is simply impossible
for the committee, who have the mat
ter in charge, to frame an act that will
meet the wishes of the dominant par
ty, in all sections of the State.
Districts that, like the First, are
hopelessly buried under overwhelm-
ing Copperhead msjorities, viii, of
course, insist on being relieved at the
expense of more fortunate localities.
This demand will be met with the ar
gument that smallmajorities in a large
number of the districts will incur the
danger, should any unfortunate event
injure the prestige of the party, of
throwing all such districts into the
handsof the Cops, and that it is bet
ter to insure Republican ascendency
il, the strongholds of the party than
to risk general defeat by reinforcing
distressed garrisons.
Many of the leading politicians in
both Houses have introduced Con-
gressional apportionment bills, and
the Committee cannot suffer for want
of voluntary assistance in their ardu-
Gus labors.
Senator Kinley's bill is, in the
opinion of your correspondent, the
best yet presented. 1t relieves the
First District of Dubois and Martin,
leaving it otherwise unchanged, and
gives a Republican majority in all ex-
cept the Second District, and even in
that does not pile up the Butternut
vote higher than it does the Republi-
can majorities in, at least, two other
Districts.
The sale of the Sinking Fund build
ing has been postponed for sixty days
by a joint resolution offered in the
House by Newcomb, of Marion, and
passed in both branches under a sus-
pension of the rules.
Meantime, joint committee will
examine the building with a view to
its conversion into Supreme Court
rooms, and offices for the financial of
fcers of State, instead of erecting a
new structure, as has been contempla-
ted for these purposes. Ea
1t is said that combination had
been formed to buy up the Sinking
Fund building ''for song" and if,
by the expenditure of ten or fifteen
thousand dollars it can be adapted to
the aforementioned purposes, the
State will be largely the gamer.
There is no doubt that an Emigra-
ton Bureau will be organized during
the present session, as the importance
of systematic efforts in this direction
is beginning to be appreciated.
Aside from legislative proceedings,
there is little of interest occurring
here. The array of candidates for
offices, to be filed by legislative cleo
ton, has suffered no pereeptible dim
mutton since last report, but their
claims will be adiudicated by the Re-
publican Caucus tonight, and an
exodus of the disappointed may
be looked for tomorrow, greatly to
the damage of hotel proprietors.
Fred. Douglass lectures on Mon
day and Tuesday evenings were large
ly attended and gave very general sat
isfaction. They have been SO often
delivered and so extensively quoted,
that their freshness is somewhat i'm
paired.
On Monday evening the colored |
people were confined to seats in the