The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-06-11
HOUSE OF DELEGATES

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Opened with prayer by Mr.. ELI RID
DIE, Delegate from Ritchie.
Mr.. GOFF, acting Chairman of Ju
dietary Committee, reported a bill TO
the relief ifs NJ. Sommers in practicinl
law without taking the test oath.
Mr.. J. H. FERGUSON, Chairman o
Revisory Committee, reported chapter
l3, IA and 15 of the Code for the consid
Grafton of the House.
Mr.. MAHON offered petition sigDct
by Jacob Wright, aud as others o
Jackson county. Referred.
Mr.. MANN offered a resolution of in
quiry in regard to having assessors fol
each township.
Mr.. POWELL offered petition fol
the repeal of part of the charter of the
town of Sistersville.
A large number of petitions were of
fered and referred for the relief of va
rious persons from taking the test oatf
for teaching school and praeticiDg law
House bills Nos. and declaring
parts of the Ohio river bank to be a
lawful fence were read and engrossed.
House bill No. 9, for the relief of Sam
uel Sominers. was read the first time
with an accompanying letter from Mr.
Sommers, declaring his present and fu.
ture determination to obey all the laws
of this State, and iR o merciful manner
asking that he may be relieved SO that
he can proceed TO earn living for his
family. 1t was ordered to its second
reading without any objection.
Chapters IL, IL, l3, Ia and 10 of the
Code, were ordered to their second read,
ing.
Mr.. STEERE moved to take from the
table IA resolution offered by himself
yesterday, demanding that no petition
for relief from the test oath, without
letters accompanying, from the person
praying for relief, acknowledging their
error, bo considered.
MIR. J. ii. FERGUSONmoved an indeti
mite pOstponement.
Mr.. GREGORY offered an amend,
ment tightening the reins, making il
impossible for any honest man to get
his petition before the House.
Some debate then arose, as to the
question of order in Offering an amend
mont upon motion for indefinite post.
ponmest, and MI. FERGUSON with.
drew the motion to postpone.
Mr.. CHAMBERS opposed the resolu'
tion and said he was in favor of prov
ing that the great Union party was toe
honorable and too brave to deny these
rebel lawyers the right to earn bread
for thsir families.
Mr.. STEERE said it was these rebel
lawyers that starved the Union braves
in Libby Prison, and now he was op'
posed to letting them ever return to the
bar-.a and the rebel lawyers and Union
LAWYERS have all swindled the poor Ia
boring men long enough, and now he
was in favor ofsetting them all at work
and let them earn their bread as honest
men at hard work.
Mr.. RIDDLE "a preacher) said he wa:
opposed to forgiving the men that took
up arms against the government, hence
he would favor the resolution.
Mr.. J. Ii. FERGUSON said this reso'
lutioa invited the very worst men tC
come forward and tell a lie by saying
they are repentant when they are not
for the sake of admission to the bar
He said the Bible does not ask men tc
ask forgiveness of this House, but to &C
to their closets and there make theil
confessions to their God. Further, the
paroles held by these rebels, acknowl
edged by General Grant, says these mer
shall return to their respective homes
and pursue their usual avOcations ol
business.
Mr.. PARKER thought the preacher
from Ritehie was in orror as to his un
derstanding of the law, and again thai
he did not believe, as the gentleman
from Peasants (Mr. Steere) remarked
that the loyal fraternity of West Vir
ginia were pack of swindlers and rob.
6ers, and it was generally such men a.
these that were under obligation to the
lawyers.
He thought the time had come fol
these rebel lawyers to 60 to work and
thereby remove them frem the chimney
corner, where they have been peevist
and doing nothing for nearly four years
encourage them now by allowing
them to earn their bread, and they will
certainly love the Government more
than they do while they are oppressed
and prevented frem following the pur
suits of their usual labor.
Mr.. PINNELL said these rebels hat
hunted down the Union men of thi:
State, and be was determined that tht
K. X. Klans never shall get control o
affairs in this State. He would prefe
to throw aside all the laws and agaiI
90 into battle with these men than al
low them to participate in our affairs.
Mr.. GREGORY said he asked no ia
yors fron the rebels in this State. II,
did not want their support, favor no
affection. He had voted against al
these pardoning laws and would still
oppose them as long as he lived.
4 vote was taken upon the amend
ment aad lost.
The ayes and nays were demanded
AYES, 81; uays. 1S-Messrs. Chambers,
H. Ferguson, James Fleming, of Harri
son, and Largent voting with the Dem
ocrats.
Messrs. WEIGH and WAGGY wer
allowed leave of absence for ten days
Mr.. ARMSTRONG moved to tax
from the table the resolution offered b.
MFR. EVANS asking the Sergeant-at
Arms to furnish each member of thi
House with S. worth of postage stamps
Mr.. WEIGH moved an amendment
striking out S. and inserting $40.
Mr.. J.H. FERGUSON opposedthe res
olution and said the House had as geo
right te vote themselves $1,000 eac
as they have to vote SlO.
Mr.. WEIGH said he did not care any
thing about the stamps, but If tn
J House was going to give anything D
thought $40 each was little enough.