Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-01-20
CITIZENS. ssEErlNG.
A Lnrge Atsendnnce and Canns
1m0ms Action.

- ~ 1shS = o~S
A Lnrge Aaeemdnnce and Uanns
ismo~s Action.
The ctixsns' meeting, Saturday evening.
st l. .hrmann's Hal. TO consider the act re-
ported BY the joint committee Of Aldermen
aud citizens. relative 70 the best course to
pursue in the settlement Of our city bonded
debt. Vas largely atteadsd, and unanimous
In favor Of the bill, the draft Of which we
published ia our Saturdays issue. The
meeting was called 10 order and Mr Rungs
elected chairman. and John Grevsmuehl
secretary. The different sections Of the
proposed act we're read and discussed st
length. J. p. S,ibolt, In behalf Of several
g,n,lcmen, prop ,sed that ths meeting con-
slider the propriety Of adding . section,
whereby the Bolrd Of Commissioners shall
be elected BY the people. instead Of being
appointed, as provided in the second section
Of the proposed act. This proposition was
pretty we'll discussed by Messrs. SGbolt,
Klug, Andersen. Wunder.ich, Sherman and
others. Il was finally decided that such an
addition Was unnecessary, - the people
elected the governing body Of the city. and
could instruct such officers ~ they might
wish.
A motion 10 adopt chs report Of the joint
committee WAS made and carried without .
dissenting voice. and Mayor Donahus re-
questel to inform our representatives at
Dss Moinsa in regard to the action Of the
meeting, and request them to promote the
matter BY using their influence in having
the bill passed. There is strong dispoai-
tion on the part Of our cit,zsns. both Ger
man and American tax-psysrs. 70 have this
proposed law enacted. and steps at once To-
ken for the liquidation of our bonded debt.
Thare 10 no desire on the part Of the city to
repudiate . single dollar Of this debt, but 10
make The best possible terms with the bond
holders, and give them new bonds which
will eventually BE- paid. The action Of the
General Assembly will be waited for with
no little interest BY our citizens, with the
~ish that nov, when the matter 10 ripe for
action. it will give u a chance to get rid Of
this vcxsd question.
Tas Fissr Iowa LsoIsLAruRs.-We have
before US ".he Census Of Iowa. % returned
in the year 1867" which, in addition to the
usual statatieal information given for the
year, contains much valuable matter in ref
erence to the earlier history oi our State
Glaucing over the contents, the eye rests On
"The Fret General Assembly which con-
sened at Iowa City. November soth, ls46.
This body was not then - large - IL 10
now. by considerable. Thirty three coun-
ties only were represented-these being oil
that had. up 70 that time. been organized.
Scott couaty vas represented in the Senate
by Loring Wheeler, Esq. who also had
the honor of representing Clinton county
for the same term. Tho population
Of Scott was not then large enough to soti-
tie il to one Senator, and consequently it
had to share with Clinton in the enjoyment
Of Loring Wheeler representation. Nine
teen Senators At that day gracsd the Senate
Chamber with their prcsencs-just the
number that Scott county has Of Supervi-
sors. Now the regular number Of Senators
is for;y-eight.
In the House Of Representatives We lind
forty members representing the thirty three
counties. James McManus WAS the repre-
sentative for Scott Elijah Sells represented
Muscatine county, and VIM E. Leffingwsll,
Clinton county. Lee was then the most
populous county in the State. 1t Was rep
resented BY six delegates. Van Buren, and
Des Moines counties came next. They
we're represented each by four delegatcs.-
The present Legislature numbers ninety
sight members, and the county having the
largest representation is Dubuque, which
sends four representatives.. Lee, Des
Moincs, Scott and Clayton each send three
Rcprcsen' atives. Jesse 3. Brown was the
first Speaker, and Silas A. Hudson was the
trst Caief Clerk. rhe latter was succeed
ed by }. Scott Rchmsn Jan. 4, 1S4s. The
FIRST officers Of the Senate were: Thomas
Baker, President, and Jshn B. Russell,
Secretary.
In the Second General Assembly. held at
Iowa City, in ls4s, Lorins Wheeler agsin
represented the counties Of Scott and Clir-
ton John P. Cook, at the same tesm, rep
resented the counties Of Cedar, Linn and
Benton. In the House Of Representatives
Scott county was represented BY John D.
Evans.
In tho Third General Assembly. held in
1850, VIM. Z. Leffinswel represented Scott
and Clinton in the Senate, and Laurel
Summers was SCOTS Representative in
the House.
These statistical records, showing the
cornplexion Of political affairs in the early
history Of Iowa as State. are ever looked
upon With interest. They remind one Of
times past and scenes gone BY that mus.
have been ~ engaging 10 those psrticips-
ting ~ are present political movements. A
score Of years hence the doings Of she pres
ent day will be scanned over with pleasure
BY our children. And 40 we 20
VINO Ans VAoRAxrs The statute thus
defines them:
"All persons who tell fortunes, or where
lost or stolen goods may be fsund; ali cem-
mon prostitutes and al keepers Of bawdy
houses Or :housss for the resort Of proeti-
tusss ; oil habitual drunkards, gAosstsrs, o.
other disosdsrly persons; all psssoas wsn-
desiug shout aud having no visible calling
OF business 70 maintain thsmeslvss "a
persoas begging In public plscss q from
house 70 house. OF procuring children 70 y
do; oil persons going about - collectors q
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