The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-02-22
IOWA Lu0ID1.AYURas
Dies MONIES. Feb.

EDIToRs COURIER At 10 A. NJ.
This forenoon, steam was put on, and
the machinery OF the old mill that
grinds out our laws was set in mo-
tion tor another weeks work About
the first business transacted, was the
Offering ofa resolution BY Mr.. Dun
combe, to the effect that from now,
till the close of the session, the en-
tire business of the afternoon DO de-
voted to the consideration ofthe new
code. He urged the great necessity
for such action bya few timely res
marks, in which he said that unless
some specific course Of action was
marked out, it would be utterly i'm
possible TO get through with tho code |
during the present session of the leg
islature.
An hour was spent in the discus-
sion Of this question by Msssrs. Dun
combe, Kassou, Hall, Ellsworth and
Leahy. Thelatter gentleman moved
to postpone the consideration of the
resolution for ono week, which he
afterwards withdrew, and the reso-
luton passed the House as offered
by Mr.. Duncombe.
A similar resolution was offered in
the Senate where il was ordered
printed and made special order for
tomorrow.
On motion, the rules we're suspen-
ded and the bill presented by Mr..
O'Donnel, of Dubuque, was taken up
and passed, awarding to the widow
Of his deceased colleague, Mr.. Kaier,
the sum Of $3.50, being the amount Of
per diem due to her husband at his
death. This bill passed in the Sem
ate also:
Several petitions we're offered,
among which was one from citizens
of Page county in reference to the
publication Of the laws in newspa-
pers; and one from citizcns of Free
mont county, asking for the repeal
Of the prohibi.ory liquor law.
Several bills were then taken up
out Of order and passed, relating to
| the legalixiug Of the acts Of some
trustees in O'Brien county and the
survey Of the plat of the town of
Northwood in Worth county.
| A resolution was passed in the
Senate, endorsing the action OF Presis
dent Grant, in relation to the Indian
Reservation lands. This body also
reconsidered the vote by which the
bill was passed repeating the law
empowering the people Of townships,
incorporated cities and towns TO vote
Eve per cent. tax to aid in the con-
structicn Of railroads, Some mem.
bers thought they discovered mig
ger in the fence. and seemed to thlnk
he was concealed in the amendment
made to the bill by Mr.. Duncombe.
A bill had passed previous to recess,
prescribing the timssapd manner
when railroad taxes should be col!ec
ted. and setting forth, that after the
r.. X. Company had complied with
all the conditions &C., mace between
) it and the people, then sixty days
notice should be gwen before the tax
J should become delinquent.
, 1t was discovered that the bill
passed on last Saturday, being sub.
stitute for Senate File No. /, render.
ed the bill passed previously null and
void, as it provided for Mr.. Dun
). cun6o's amendment, that all take.
heretofore voted, or that may here
>fsvi uu vopru, uoiole JHe TAXING ct
. iect OF this act July lst) should b,
collected and appropriated according
I. to the provisions Of chapter 48 of thu
laws of the Twelfth General Assem-
bly,, and chapter 102 OF the laws O
the Thirteenth General Assembly
1t will be observed at > glance tha
the bill passed in this form. woult
r invalidat6 the ne passed previously
] prescribing the time and manner fol
:. collecting such taxes.s ss. Isis
On this discovery being made tn,
expression that, "Duncombe is /,
= sharp one, he is worth watching
!. could be heard frequently interchan
q ged between members. In VIVA
4, form the bill will pass now, it is i'm
possible to say, because the action o
q legislature IS about as uncertain a!
: that Of q petit jury.
I The House commenced today Il
i hold afternoon sessions, and tho frs
bill that came up for second reading
was one 10 relation TO reducing lht
weekly allowance of postage to mem
bers !rom $500 to $3.50. Mr.. Reee
Of jackson moved that the member
J, of the Senate be included in the bill
which wac carried. ~
Mr.. Caldwell moved that the rule,
be suspended and the bill put upor
}, it's passage. Lost.
= Mr.. Hall moved that the consider
Q alton of the bill be indefinitely post
ponei.
Quite a discussion followed thi
motion, participated in by Messrs
J. Caldwell, Leahy, and ODonnell. Mr.
: Caldwell argued strongly against thu
motion and in favor of the bill
Mr.. O'DonneIl opposed the bills
: said he was opposed to any retire zach
9 mont measure that would cause hin
J. to put his hand in his pocket and ap
4 propriate Of HE own means, to th,
carrying on of the duty he was sen
here to perform. He for ono, uset
every cent Of postage allowed hin
0 in conducting the hnsiness he wa
o here to transact, and he presumed
q that nearly every member in the
House did the same, aud intimatee
= strongly, that if members persisted
L in this uncalled for course of retrench
!. ment, they might possibly find i
J. carried out to perfection when thei
three or five hundred Thousand dol
- lar appropriations were asked for
/ Probably the new Capitol was on hi
mind when he gave utterance to thil
j. expression. Pending the discussion
, Of this bill which is II. r. No. 81
MIR. Dnncombe offered substitute
), for it, to the effect that members o.