Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-02-19
From Jefferson City.
JEsrrKsox CRY. 10, Fab. II. 1874
I Theirs is cSrtainty not an hcts such

From Jefferson City.
JEsrEHsox Cry, no, Fsbs1s. 1sls
Thcrsis csrtaialy nst ad6thotssucp
: dull, hnm.drnm place on Tho Amer
lean comtineift. Is Jcferson CITY.
Aud Il would not be q matter OF
surprise To STE a whole community OF
hypochondriass. Nor docs the dull
ness Of the capital seem to be at all
relieved by the presence OF the Leg's-
|laturc, aud tho crowd Of strangers
who are annually attracted htther by
the meeting Of that august body. Ii
Mark Tapley had a veritablc exist
once, to-day no would surely seek
out this city, as ho would deserve
great credit for being jolly in such u
place and under the surrounding cir
cumstnnccs.
Another week has passed since my
last writing. and little Of Importance
has TRANSFERRED during that time. 1t
seems to be impossible for the Leg.
islature to get to work in earnest,
and so little in the way of practical
legislation has been accomplished SO
far, that some people are beginning
to despair OF anything being done
during this session. a minority of
the members sccm TO be afflicted with
a mania for appointing investigating
committees to inquire into matters
which concern mcithSr the people .
the Legislature, of which arc the ON
mitice To investigate the affairs of the
North Missouri Railroad Company:
which l mentioned lust week, aud
the joint committee appointed to in
Quire into the management of the
Missouri Pacific railroad. which j.
holding daily and nightly sessions,
and examining cloud Of witnesses.
brought from every part of the State.
That the affairs of this road have
been grossly mismanagcd, no II
will deny, but l am unable to see
where the Legislature gets any legal
authority to appoint such a commit
tee, and no II appears Ia know
what remedy ran be applied by the
Legislature to correct the evils and
abuses resulting from such misman-
agcmcut, after tho investigation
closes. TO many, it seems like a"se-
less expenditure of time and money.
and an unauthorized proceeding, and
poor way of Imaugurating the boast
ed system of rcirenchment and re-
form, which is the war cry of o great
number of the wiscncrcs in this Leg
islaturc. Tho truth of the whole
p,ntfur &c that Tim sSn,unv V.iSa mud
pound foolish" policy seems to ill.,
of its acts thus far.
sTRoTUER's BILL.
Senator Strothcr has Introduced s
bill which has passed the Senate, and
will doubtless pass the House, lrav-
ing the jury in the trial of capital OF
lenses 10 say whether the criminal
shall suffer the death penalty or i'm
prisonmcnt for life. This bill, if ii
Incomes a law, will virtually effect
The adjustment ofrapital punishmc :, Il
in this State, and will be a humane
and lust law. Senator Strothcr Is
taking n high rank among the able
and practical legislators in this
Assembly. lie Is n clear, torcible
speaker, n ready dcbater. and is re-
garhed MS one of the ablcst men in
the Senate. On all questions ~iuvolv-
ing the principles oi his party, he is
un6inching in his fralty to his party,
and uAwavering in his devotion To
its principles. lie is DEMOCRAT.
Another important feature of crimi-
nal legislation, is the bill introduced
by Judge Shelley, Chairman of the
Judiciary Committee in the House,
providing for the trial Of criminals
in cases where the plea of insanity
is submitted. The bill provides that
i'll all such cases the plea of insanity
shall be first tried by a jury impan-
ncllcd for that purpose, in which the
defendant shall undergo examination
by experts, and if the jury find that
the defendant is insane he shall be
subject to be treated rs m insane
person, but if the jury find the &C.
cused not to be insane, he shall then
be tried for the crime charged as
other criminals. This is withou,
doubt n good law and ought to be
passed.
ZION. Il. A. COLLINS,
the talented Representative of old
Lafayette, is making his mark in tho
House, and is one of tho truest ant
abIest Democrats in the Legislature
!, In the discussion of the propOsitiol
to call q Constitutional Convention
he made n fine argument i'll favor o
a Convention. and when the vote
!: was taken Yesterday on Turner's res
Olution, his vote was cast Cor n Con
vcntion. Mr.. Collins is the author
Of cnr.,nl in,r. rfT,t hills Qtnnnt
which is his bill for the protection .
female virtue, and a bill to secure tc
Lafayette county The proposet
asylum for the partially insane. III
is ever awake to the interests of hi
efficient legislator.
THE ORPHANS HOME BILL.
} This bill whicl, was introduce, .
S last winter, is again before the Leg
| islaturr. and is being advocated b,
I Mrs. Lvkins and Mrs. e.. G.. Bling
:. ham, OF Klusas City, and a number
of respectable and Influential citi
zcns OF Jackson county. The bill
|, provides for the endowment of tn,
Institution by the State and make:
the House Il State Institution, for tho
pun losc VI PioN iNiiS a uoIlIc toI tit
destitute and homeless orphans o
: the State. 1t is Il mcritorIous mcas.
ure and ought to become a law. Too
much praise can not be accorded I,
Mrs. Lykims for tho labor and TIM
and money she has already bestowed
: on this matter. and she has been zeal
+ Ously aided by a number of good, be
, ncvolent ladies of the State.
, Yesterday the vote was taken OF
MIR. TURNER'S RESOLUTION,
in%struciing the Judiciary Commute,
: to propose a bill submitting to til,
, people of the State at the earlies
= possible day, the question of calm:
!, u Constitutional Conventions, and th,
' following was the result of the vote
} For the resolutions:
+ Mcssrs. Adams, Baugiman, Bradley, Chand
Ter, Chiffon, Collins. Cornelius, DOrniin, For
, shry, Guthrie, Heard, Iutchins. Kenneth, Nc
!, Daniels, McWorkman, Morgan, Newman, Nor
/ man, North. Price, Ryan, Slirrley, SLACK
Stott., Stumpr, Turner, Walker Of ST. f'rancoi
and Wilson's.
Against the resolution: =
Messrs. Bell, Berry, Bis.s. Eittcngcr, BrowI
of Andrew, Brown of Morroe, Bunch, bur
rows. Gable, Cahill, Campbell, Carson, Clark
Di-sel, Dry. Duchouqurttc, Edward. of Iron
Fox, Hawkins, IL .adtte, ii .iInsotii. Houston
Hughes; Hull, %kirkpatr,ck. Lay, LEBANON
qaand. Mason, Moore, Pollard, Peers, Pope
Post. Pile. Ray, Rednon,l. Richardson, sap
pingt u, Sniduw, Stephens, Tate, TAtuni, Tit
e lexington, Twiss, Wagner, Walker Of Howard