The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-03-05
West Virginia Legislature
FRIDAY, FEB'Y %.

tiru au oCt ~ pIoNioO ioi thS pSS
ton of oil wells, and the protection Of
oil producers" passed Feb. q, 1872
IA to3
House bill 10, to amend and reenac,
an act passed Feb 81, ~, for the pro
lection of certain personal representa-
ives; Ii to 5, and
House bill 81, authorizing cemetery
associations to sell their land for other
than burial purposes; Is to3
The reports of the conference Com
mit,ee on the jury law were taken up.
The majority report, which was
signed by Messrs. Camden and Butch er
as chairman of the respective commit
tees, submitted various amendments TO
the bill as compromise between the
two houses, leaving the question OF
selection of jurors to the county courts;
whereas the minority report which ls
, signed by Mr.. Scott, recommends the
| recession of the Senate, from its posi-
ton, and its asking for another Conn
mittee OF Conference.
The substantial difference between
the two houses is that, the Senate
wishes to give the Sheriff exclusive
power to select jurors, while the House
desires to adhere to the old jury law,
with the necessary notifications to suit
the new order OF things
Mr.. Scott spoke at considerable length
in support of his position upon the
question, and Messrs. Camden, Hall,
Of Wetzel, Cunningham and others
stated the necessity of having some
Jury law for the present requirements
OF the courts, even if it be an inferior
one The former thought that there
would be session of the Legislature in
the tall, and that the two houses might
thereby he enabled to reconcile their
d fferences in more harmonious man
Der
The majority report was adopted and
the bill a. amended passed.
In the House OF Delegates on Friday
the majority and minority reports OF
the Com mittee on Printing, &c, coming
up "a unfinished business, and the
question being the motion OF Mr.. Butch
er to adopt the majority report OF the
Committee,
Mr. Knots, of Marion, said:
Upon this question / desire to ex-
plain my vote, and like others upon this
floor, feel delicacy, when l arise to
say ANYTHING touching the charges that
have been brought against the Public
Printer OF our State, and l do not in
tend that one sentence or expression
that may fall from my lips, shall in any
way influence member upon this floor,
but to the contrary, want every mem
Der TO vote the honest convictions OF his
heart, and il | stand alone in my vote, !
nope no one will do me the injustice OF
attrlbuting it to other than the honest
sentiments of an honest heart. l have
long had my serious doubts as to the
legality OF the act passed by the Legls-
lature OF 1872, constituting committee
with power to investigate the charges
against the Public Printer. The Public
Printer OF this State was elected by q
Joint vote o. the Legislature and by
what authority the House Of Delegates
at their session in 1872, by a resolution
appointed this committee and instruct
ed them to sit after the adjournment OF
the Legislature, without the concur
renee OF the Senate, | am at loss to
know, and would like to know out OF
what fund the expenses of this commit.
tee were paid, and the law authorizing
it. NV own opinion is that this whole
proceeding from the beginning was con-
Quoted without law or authority, and
when brought beforeta court OF equity,
| it will be 30 decided. The Governor,
John J. Jacob was the chairman OF
this commlttee-chalrman OF a COM
mittee to investigate grave charges
against man, who at the time was
particularly the worst enemy the Gov
ernor had in the State. Mr. Speaker
and gentlemen, if his Excellency bad
possessed the same delicacy that / do
To-day in speaking upon this question,
he would have res gned the chairman
ship OF that committee.
The Committee of this House on
Public Printing, to whom this whole
subject matter was referred, have
brought in two reports, majority and
minority report, neither of which do l
intend to support The proposition OF
the gentleman from Jefferson to adopt
the majority report of the committee,
and 80 soon as this is done to pass res
olutions requiring certain officers of the
State TO bring suit against the Public
Printer, cannot endorse for / do moi
think there is any virtue in this course
There is no consistency The majority
report OF the Committee clearly exoner
ates Mr.. Walker from every charge
made against him ard il, by vote, this
House should adopt the resolution
spoken OF, / ask the members OF this
House if We should not be swallowing
ourselves2 No, gentlemen intend to
vote sgainst every report made to this
House, and every vote | may give upon
this question will be to send the matter
to the courts of our State. Where elsa
can the character of the man be vindi-
Gated but in q Court OF Justice 7 And Il
is because believe him innocent tina,
am so anxious to have this matter 60
to the Courts. claim if we adopt the
majority report oftbis Committee. which
com pletely exonerates him. it would
then be said by our political enemies
and heralded to the world as a political
white wash. Then let US lay these re-
ports upon the table, and adopt reso-
luton to bring this whole matter before
the Attorney General of our State, and
| if, in his opinion, after careful exsmIn'
alton, that there is anything in the re-
uorts OF these Committees warrantne
him in doing 80, let him at once com
mence proceedings sgsinst this public