Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-22

soon give nnlshlng stroke to the session
of 1871.
The events of the past week have been
of unusual interest. Many important
measures have received final consldera-
tlon. and olkers have been hurried along
until the only question is their passage
% postponement
The grand jury bill has become law.
That relic of olden time has gone down
to the grave-kilIed by the fiat of the
ballet and decently buried by the repre-
sentatives of the people in legislature as
sembled. Let us hope that the step TAX
en- by our state may prove judicious and
wise; that popular rights may be as sa-
cred and SECURE under the new law as
they have been under the old. This re
lzed, then may we have cause TO rejoice
that the old and cumbrous grand jury
system is no more.
An amendment to the usury law has
passed both houses. 1t relates particu
larry to the penalty imposed upon those
who violate the law by taking illegal in
terest upon their loans. Under the old
statute, parties violating its provisions,
forfeited the entire loan, principal and in
teresi. This amendment provides that
the interest only shall be forfeited upon
proof of usury.
The resolution amend NC the state con
stitution relating TO local legislation has
been adopted, and it will be submitted to
the people at the next general election
1t ought to be ratified aud 10 doubt will
be. As gave the full text of the pro
posed amendment in former letter |
will not notice it further at present.
The Dells Improvement bill passed
the assembly last Tuesday evening by
two majority. AS matter of record |
send you the vote upon the passage Of
the bill.
Ayes-Messrs. Allen, Anderson, Ar
mold. Ball, Bowen. Bremrer, Chase,
Cheney, Cousins, Dick, Eastman, Fay,
Fitzgerald. Galagan. J. w. Hoyt. Jeffers,
Judd. King, Knoel, Kuntz, Lonergan,
Mccormick. Merriam. Merrill, Meyer,
MhiIs. Morgan, MouIton. Nichols, Ock-
Ter, Citing. Peterson. Q. S. Powell, +.
T. Powell. Rhodes. Richter, Rood,
Rounds. 9useh, Samuelson, Semmann,
Sherman, Smith, Trumer, Vaughn,
Wagner. We'll, s. A, White and Mr.
Speaker Snith-49.
Noes-Messrs. Atwater, Ayers, Ba
con. Bailey. Baker, Barnes. Bate, Blake
D. W. Briggs, P R. Briggs, Chambers,
Coons, Curtis, Dana. Davis. Field. Free
man, Fryer. Hall, Hammond, Harris,
Heimdal, Hnekley. Hixon, Holloway,
Hoskins, Hoye, c. NJ. Hoyt. Humphrey,
keenan,, Marvin, Maxon, McDdl, Nc
Donald, Mcintosh, Montgomery. More,
Pease, Pengra, Rankin, Richards, San
derson, Swain, Thorn, Torgerson, Watts
aud j. S. Whte-47.
Absent or not voting-Messrs. Bar.
nard. Manson, Orion and Semple-4.
No question or measure has been be
fore the legislature of this state for years,
probably, of such vital importance and
over which so long and so holly -contes
ted fight has been waged for and against
its passage. Every inch of ground was
disputed. All the force Of intellect and
all the strategy Of parliamentary tactics
were brought into requisiiion by the
friends and foes of the measure. So
nearly equal in strength were they that
neither party could safely Cain. success
until the vote was actually taken. In OF
der to allow the investigating committee
time to examine into the charges of brib'
cry which had been made, further action
upon the bill was postponed from Thurs
day Till the Tuesday morning following
The committee made its report Monday
evening. 1t embraced the testimony oil
over twenty witnesses and so conflicting
WAS the evidence il was extremely diff
cult to tell what of il was truth and what
was-something else. II is qnite eviden
assemblyman Freyer, of JEFFERSON coun-
tv. hal stamps about his person tina;
once belonged 10 Mr.. Thorpe. of Fond
du Lac, man favorable The Eau Claire
interest On the other hand the testi-
mony showed that parties in the intere,,
of Chippewa approached assemblyman
Richter of Milwaukee with promise Of
sundry dueats if he would vote against
the bill. C. NJ. Hoyt, another Milwau
kee member was short the necessary
spelter to square his boar'l bill at the
Rasdall House, and Jefferson the propri
etor undertook to negotiate loan with a
gentleman from Eau Claire BY securing