The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-03-04
Illinois Legislature.

|
the Illinois legislature was doing compare
lively little business, because they pass APP
parently SO few bills, it must be borne in mind
that all the little local and special bills, which
heretofore cut so large figure in the proceed
ings of our legislature, are cut off by tine new
constitution, and the work is now confined to
important general laws, which require close
examination in committee, and a great deal
of careful deliberation in perfecting. This
work is all the more tedious and lahorious, AS
it must be carefully probed by the new or
ganic law. with which itself the members
were, at the start, but imperfectly acquainted
This work has grown SO heavy on their hands,
that they have about concluded it will be I'M
able to complete 1t in one session of ordinary
length, and it is very probable the legislature
in week or two, may take recess until
some time in May, or possibly until next win
ter, when it is further possible the session
may be held in Chicago
Among the more important measures under
discussion during the past week was the reg
istry law, useless, expensive and cumber-
some piece of machinery, from which it is
more than probable the good sense of the
present Legislature will entirely relieve the
people. Its most vigorous opponent in the
house is DR.. Roe, republican, from Mclean
county, under whose stalwart blows a vote in
favor of its repeal has been forced in the
house. The senate will doubtless have good
sense enough to concur in so judicious a mea-
sure.
The investigation in the Adam Smith canal
| front lease at Chicago has led to unani-
nous report of the committee IN favor of an
nu!ling the lease as fraud. The opinion of
the attorney general, however, is still awaited
to decide whether the steal is so we'll hedged
about legally as to leave the state without
remedy.
The penitentisry investigation is said, after
good deal of hesitation on the part OF the
committee, arising ont of fear on the part OF
the radical members that something might be
elected to "injure the party" to be now fair
ly started in the work Of a thorough search.
The developments promise to be rich and facy.
The republicans are again brought up stand
ing on the penitentiary question by an offer
from Sam Buckmaster, to take the peniten-
tlary for ten years and give bonds in the sum
of $4,000 that he will keep the convcts in
better order and condition than they are kept
at present without cost to the state. As it
now costs the state 100000 year to run the
institution, it would seem to be a mere uues-
ton of stealing whether this straightforward
offer shall be accepted, or whether the present
system of robbery shall be allowed to 60 on.
The committee Of the house, to whom had
been referred the memorial Of certain LAWYERS
about Springfield and adjacent towns asking
for the passage Of d law to hold all the sess-
ions of the Supreme Court a. Springfield, re-
ported against the expectancy of such a
change, and so the thing went dead.
The ir!epressibe niger got into the house
again on Tuesday on bill offered by Mr.. Root
prohibiting distinction on account of race, col
or, or nationality IN the admission of pupils to
the public schools, and prohibiting the es.ab-
lshmcnt of separate schools for children of
color, and another by Mr.. Phillips providing
for and regulating the establishment OF s.pa-
rate schools for colorcd children Both bills
were referred to the committee on education.
A motion to lay the former bill on the table
was voted down, AZ to "a.
The farmers club are trying to engineer a
bill through the Legislature declaring war of
determination on dogs. The bill proposes
that all dogs which are valuable, and which
the owners choose to preserve, shall have 4
brass collar placed upon them. AL uncOlar.
ed dogs are to be regarded as abandoned, out
lawed, and subject to the operation of bullets
and strychnne.
A good deal OF time is occupied in perfect
ing the various appropriation bills. The state
house appropriation, from $1,5OO,oOO asked
for, has been cut down to 5000, 900, and those
tor the institutions at Jacksonville, the Reform
School, Northern Insane Asylum, &c, &c, are
generally being considerably whitfield down.
Cincinnati Commercial republican, has this
litelikc description Of President Grant: ..
1--WE are presented with the spectacle of a
dull, slow, coarse man standing in the Presi-