The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-03-05
FROM ePRINorIH1D
Constitutional Convenr,o,

i y ~
40 sections regulating the Judiciary" 1t rive.
the supreme court seven judges, leaves the pra..
emit division Of the State into three grand div;.
sions, but requires that the court in addition "a
its present terms, shall hold one session each
year at Chicago. The report was made the order
of the day for March 3D..
Mr.. Haines of Lake, complaining that in des.
i8natinx the clergymen of the city who were 70
open the daily sittings of the convention with
prayer the niger preachers had been omitted.
offered resolution reotifying the mistake, which
was adopted.
The article on military affairs was then taken
up and debated until adjournment. The section
making niggers alike with white men subject TO
military duty and ode draft" was adopted. Qua.
kers were excused from military service in time
Of peace. motion to adjourn over to Monday
created an hours debate and was lost, upon
which the convention adjourned.
Saturday. Feb. 26.-After wasting another
hour on the question of sdjourning over, III.
special order for the dsy-the article on town.
ship organization-wss taken up. 1. was adopt.
ed in shape very little to change tho system
now in vogue on that subject. Then tho report
on roads and internal navigation was taken up
A long and tedious debate followed, ending i.
the adoption of the following section:
SECTION |. The general assembly may provide
for establishing and maintaining roads and cart.
ways connected with public road, for private
and public use.
Adjourned.
Monday. Eel. 2s.-The day wa, spent in an
earnest debate Of the homestead question The
committee had reported in favor Of homestead
exemption from sale on execution worth $1,000
Mr. Hayes, Of Cook, moved to amend by insert.
ing $4,000, and advocated the amendment in q
very able speech. The amendment carried, and
the article, consisting of two sections, was
adopted, Is follows:
SECTION /. There shall be exempt from the
liens OF judgments ard DEGREES Of courts AID
from forced sales under any process or order of
any court OF law or equity in this state, where
the cause of action shall accrue after the adop-
ton of this constitution, except for non.payment
OF taxes, or for a debt incurred for the purchase
or improvement thereof. homestead Of the val.
ne OF not less than $4,000 to every householder
being the head of family such exemption 70
continue, after the death or desertion of such
head of the family, for the benefit Of his wife,
or widow, and minor children. Such homestead
shall not be sliensted by the husband without
the consent OF the wife, TO be obtained in such
manner as shall be provided BY law
SIC. 2. There shall be, in like manner and for
like purpose, exempt from sill forced sales not
less than 5000 worth Of personal property and
household effects Of every householder being the
head OF u family for the use of such family, and
after hi. absence, desertion or death. for IN. wife
or widow and family.
Adjourned.
Tuesday, Marcel IA resolution offered BY
Mr. Anthony WAS adopted, after 4 hot debate,
calling upon the auditor for detailed statement
OF all registered bonds Of counties. cities and
towns in the state. issued for railroad or ether
purposes, with the opinions of the auditor and
attorney general as to the legality of their is.
sue &c.
The article on Legislative Department." ~ it
passed IN committee of the whole a week ago,
WAS taken up. strong efFor. VA, made 70 re-.
instate the 39th section, forbiddiug counties.
cities, towns, &c, to loSn their credit TO railroad
or other companies, but again failed, by vote
OF 90 to 81. Finally the whole article wa. adopt.
ed substantially as it came from the COMMITTEES
Of the whole. Adjourned.
Wednesday, March 2.-Ths legislative articl.
was again up for final action The action had
upon it yesterday was only to adopt the amend.
ments that had been agreed upon in committee
OF the whole. To-day the article was taken up
for final adoption section by section All were
then adopted, except sections 3G. 40 and "A, up.
on which motions for reconsideration are pend.
ing. The section most debated vas the 18th, to
which Mr.. Hayes moved an amendment that no
person should be member of tho legislature or
Judge Of any court who held pass or gratuity
from any railroad company. The amendment
was lost.
Thursday, Aowh 3-The legislative report
was finally adopted and ordered to be envrossed,
not, however, until after an ndmsnt had been
adopted requiring two.thirds vote in case Of
subscriptions by cities, counties and towns to
railroads. Tho amendment was opposed with
the utmost vehemence BY members from the
southeastern part of the State, but prevailed BY
svote of 81 to "a. The article has now to pass
the committee on revision, and then, if pro-
nounced by the convention all right, it becomes
part of the new constitution.
This disposed Of, the article on the judiciary
was taken up. but no progress was made beyond
the first section, when the convention adjourned.
A corresponden. contributed the folluvinv.