Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-11
Ohio Legislature.
Friday, April 10, 1868.

1
The PRESIDENT called the Senate to
order at ten o'clock.
Prayer by Rev. A. G. Byers.
THE BILLIARD TABLE BILL.
The question, when the Senate took a
recess last evening, being upon the passage
of Mr.. Mann's House bill to amend the act
for the prevention of gaming, so as to ex-
empt billiard tables kept for hire from the
operations of the act,
Mr.. KEIFER made an argument against
the bill ON the ground, among other things,
that billiard saloons were in general but
another name for drinking saloons.
Mr.. DOWDNEI moved TO refer the bill
to select committee of one, with instruc-
tions to amend so as to provide that no
liquor shall be kept for sale upon the prem
ises where billiard tables are kept for hire.
Mr.. STAMBAUGH argued against the
bill, dwelling at length upon the demoral-
izing effects of billiard playing, especially |
upon young men,.
Mr.. TORRENCE illustrated by citing |
facts from attempts at reform in Cincinnati. |
taking the position that persecution of men |
for induleing in innocent amusements, as
well as for promulgating certain theories
in religion and politics, defeats its own
ends and extends the alleged evil it seeks
to suppress.
RECEPTION OF GOVERNOR FAIRCHILD.
companied by Governor Hayes, of Ohio,
having entered the Senate chamber,
Mr.. BROOKS moved a recess OF ten min
| utes, which was agreed to.
The PRESIDENTth then introduced to the
Senate Governor Fairchild, OF Wisconsin.
Governor Fairchild then made brief
address, thanking the Senators for the cor
dial manner in which he had been received.
1t was particularly gratifying to him. not
merely as an individual, but as the repre-
sentative of sister State He was proud
of Ohio, his native State, for her bright
record during the war, showing that her
| sons had turned out by thousands and tens
| of thousands for the defense and mainte-
nance of the Union.
Governor Fairchild was then introduced
personally to the officers and members OF
the Senate, and at the expiration of the
recess, the discussion on the pending bill
| was resumed.
THE BILLIARD TABLE BILL.
Mr.. DOWDNEY defended his motion to
refer and argued against attempts at NOR
al reform by legislation for the IroscTip-
tion of innocent amusements.
Mr.. COREY urged that there was no
law on our statute book, prohibiting inno-
| cent amusements, and argued against bill
lard playing as generally associated with
drinking and gambling, and as by its fas-
cination, leading to dissipation and vice.
| +.
sideration of The bill be postponed till the
second Wednesday in December next,
which was not agreed to-yeas 8, nays 26
The question then recurring upon the
motion of Mr.. Dowdney to refer the bill
with instructions, it was lost-yeas T.
nays %.
The question then turning upon the pas
sage OF the bill,
l Mr.. BROOKS explained the reason why
he should cast his vote in favor of the bill,
by saying in substance that he regarded
billiard playing for amusement as belong
ing to a class of subjects with which legis-
lation had no business to intermeddle. Pc
nal enactments that could not be enforced,
being against public sentiment, should be
expunged from the statute book.
Mr.. KEIFER, while opposed to legisla-
ton to educate the people mOrGllg, was in
favor of legislation to prevent them from
being educated immorally.
Mr.. STAMBAUGH urged that it was the
duty of legislators to prohibit all allure
ments and devices that lead directly to i'm
moral practices. The law against billiard
playing was no more disregarded than the
laws against liquor selling and against bet
ting on games at cards, on hOrse-racing
on elections, &c. The latter might as well
f be repealed as the former. The law against
billiard playing was for the protection OF
sound morals, as well as other laws against
betting and gaming.
, Mr.. MAY did not regard billiard play
ing as gambling. He was opposed to gam
bling. 1t was true that bets might be
made upon the result ofa game at billiards,
and so they might upon the result of a
game of checkers, chess, &c. Billiard play
ing was game of skill and athletic exer-
else.
Mr.. BURROWS said that there were
men opposed to the bill who were puri-
tans by nature-men with sharp noses and
f bare bones-men who would have Pro-
crustean bed of morals, and stretch or cut
short every other person to suit its dimen-
siOns. He referred to the laws against
witchcraft; and to an old law of the New
Haven colony, infiicting the death penalty
for the neglect of certain religious obser-
vances, and to the consequences that fol-
lowed the enforcement of such laws. as il
lastrative of the consummate folly of SIM
liar legislation.
Mr.. GOLDEN demanded the previous
question. which was duly seconded, and the
question being, Shall the main question be
now put the Senate refused to order 1t
yeas 16, nays 20.
Mr.. BERRY moved that the Senate take
a recess, which was not agreed to- yeas II,
nays "A.
Mr.. GOLDEN having renewed his de-
mand for the previous question, which was
duly seconded,
MIR. LAWRENCE moved that the Sem
ate take recess, which was lost-yeas II,
nays "a.
laid on the table. Lost-yeas 8, nays 27.
The main question was then ordered, and
the bill was passed by the following vote
YEAs-Messrs. Berry. Biggs, Brooks,
Burrows, Carter, Dangler, Dickey, DowG-
ney, Emmitt, Golden, Hall, Hutcheson,
Kenney, Kessler, May, Onderdonk, Pott ,
Terrence, Winner, Yeoman-20.
NAYs-Messrs. Campbell Conant, Co
rey, Evans, Everett, Godfrey, Jamison,
Keifer, Lawrence, Linn. Rex, Scribner,
Simmons, Stambaugh, Woodworth-l5.
On motion OF Mr.. MAY, the Senate, at
one o'clock, took recess till three P. Nj.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The PRESIDENT called the Senate to
order at three o'clock.
/ Mr.. EVANS moved to suspend the rules
to enable him to offer a resolution relative
to the length of time Senator should be
allowed, during the remainder of this ses-
sion, to speak on any one question.
The Senate agreed to suspend the rules
yeas o. nays 9. .J
Mr.. EVANS then offered the following
!, resolution:
Resolued, That, during the remainder of
the present session OF the General Assem-
bly, of Ohio, no Senator shall, without
. unanimous consent, be permitted to speak
, more than ten minutes upon any one ,queS-
tion under consideration, and that it shall
be the duty of the President to strictly en-
force the provisions of this resolution.
Mr.. STAMBAUGH gave notice of an in
tention'to discuss the resolution, which, un-
, der the rule, would have the effect OF lay
ing it over for one day.
, Mr.. EVANS moved 10 suspend the rule,
which, after some discussion, was not
| agreed to-yeas 16 nays l6.
So the resolution was laid over under the
rule till tomorrow.
, THE ZANEsvILLE NATIONAL ROAD BRIDGE
The substitute for House bill by Mr.
HILL, from select committee-Toa author
ize the board of public works to purchase