Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-03-08
HAnRrsDURG CORRESPONDENTS.
HARHIsurno. March 4, 1867.

HARRIsBrRC. March f. 1867
The jury bill to which referred at length
/ in former letter, has been slightly amended
aud passed, first reading by the Senate
! The only important alteration is in the sec
ond section. which now is as follows: Strike
ont all after the words persons to serve as
/ jurors in the several courts Of such county
during that year, aud-aud insert in lieu
/ thereof 'If the said commissioners cannot
agree upon the names of the persons 10 be
selected by them as jurors, they shall proceed
as follows each of the said commissioners
shall make list containing the names of one
half Of the requisite number Of persons, and
! ten per ceutum in addition thereto. and the
I proper number shall be obtained by each Of
said commissioners striking out from lhe list
/ furnished by the other a number equal TO the
said addition, and the names not stricken out
shall he the selection Of the names of jurors:
and the said jury commissioners shall in the
mode and manner now directed by law, place
( the names in the proper jury wheel, and the
said jury wheel, locked. as now required by
I law, shall remain in the custody Of the said
+ jury commissioners, and the keys thereof, in
tile custody of the Sheriff of said county
There is no doubt Of she final passage Of the
bin by both houses, and the Governor viii
promptly sign IL ifpossed Justice demands
that It should become law. and that right
speedily.
An edor, Is being made by editors and pub
fishers GO h",e bill passed providing for the
publication of tae LAWS oft the Ce,zr7or wealth
in at least two newspapers in each county, at
the expense of the county. Let the Knights
of the quill press the matter vigorously. The
people Of Peuua. are as much entitled 20
know what acts pass each session as are the
citizens Of other States If the bin does not
become law this winter, let the newspaper
men refuse to support any man for the Legis
iature without he pledges himself to the
measure.
The temperance convention held in this
city on Tuesday and Wednesday last, was de.
cidedly the largest body of similar charac,
ter ever assembled in Pennsylvania. and the
first one ever presided over by Governor Of
the Commonwealth Although some of our
former Governors were favorable to temper
ance none of them had the courage, while
holding Office, to accept the presidency of
public meeting. Governor Geary vas tenn
porary chairman Of the convention held last
week. and npon accepting the position he de
Iivered a short address, in which he referred
to the evil Of intemperance, and expressed
q determination to battle under the temper
auce flag as he had done under the flag Of his
country. His Excelleney stated that in his
whole lifetime he had not used q quart of in
toxicating liquors, and he never viii. The
convention was composed of the finest look
ing body of men and women. ever assembled
in convention here, and all expressed deter
minatiou to use every effort to abate the evil
Of drunkenness. a series of resolutions were
adopted denouncing the liquor traffic and the
use Of liquors as beverage, whether in the
form Of Stomach Bitters, or in any other
shape. Arrangements we're made to estab-
lish an organization to be known as the Penn
sylyania State Temperance Union and a
great amount ofbusiness was transacted look
ing to the advancement Of the temperance
cause. Every county in the State was repre-
sented, and ] noticed that in nearly every in
stance the members of the convention were
Of the best men to be found in the commmi
ties which they represented. Whether the
meeting Just held viii accomplish The great
work designed by the members thereof, re.
mains to be seen. That something should be
done to lesson the traffic IN ardent spirits, is
not disputed by any one, but it is not proba-
Bile that prohibi1ory law viii ever be enact
ed by Pennsylvania Legislature. Our IL
eense laws should be more stringent, and few
er retail houses licensed in the various towns
and counties.
In a recent letter I alluded to the fact that
bill had been introduced having for It's OBJ
iecl the abatement of the gif, f,-enterprse nui-