Litchfield enquirer., 1873-04-03
THE RAILROAD COMMITTEE.
Tho Charges Against John VI. Hall
 Fully Refuted.
STATEMENT FROM THE COMMITTEE.

The undersigned, composing the rail road committee of the last general assem- bly, having had our attention called to certain charges or insinuations made against the committee and against MT. Hall. chairman on the part of the house, by N. l.. Goodwin, of East Hartford, 8 member of the house, make the following statement of facts:
 We understand Mr. Goodwin to charge,
 1st That certain resolutions of his re- lating to the report of the railroad com ID missioners were Host or stolen.'
 In, reply to this charge the committed would state that upon their organization they appointed Mr. Plunkett, of Glaston- bury, os clerk, who had exclusive charge of the papers received by the committee, and to whom all papers coming to the committee were delivered by the clerks of the house, and who kept the same under lock and key in the bureau at the right of the speakers desk. No resolution was lost or suppressed after reaching the con- mittee. All resolutions before delivery to the committees are solely in the custo- dy and under the control of the clerks of who alone are responsible for their safe
  fore, that the committee or any member thereof had anything to do with the loss or suppression of any resolution, bill or other matter coming before them is false and malicious.
 2d. That the committee neglected to report as required on certain resolutions of MT. Goodwin concerning the report of the railroad commissions and matters re- lating thereto.
 In regard to this matter the committee would state that the resolutions supposed to be referred to by MT. Goodwin pertain ed to the same subject matter directly or indirectly, viz, the report of the railroad commissioners.
 sOn the 24th of May, resolution in the handwriting of MT. Goodwin, entitled Concerning the action of the railroad commissioners" was introduced in the Senate by Mr. Wadsworth, of the Second district, and passed. It was transferred to the house and passed May 2S. This reso- lution did not reach the committee, prob. ably having been sent by the clerk to the secretary's office, where it was afterwards found, instead of to the committee. It was ascertailed at once that this resolu- tion had not been received by the com mittse and could not be found, and Mr. Goodwin immediately had notice of the fact whereupon another resolution of the same import and in the handwriting of MT. Goodwin, was on the 9th of June, 1872, introduced in the Senate by Mir. Wadsworth. The following is copy of the resolution
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
 May Session. A. D., 1872. ResOlUed, By the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives in General Assembly convened:
 That the joint standing committee on railroads be, and hereby is. instructed to ascertain and re- port on or before Thursday, June +, what action, if any, the railroad commissioners have taken to comply with the law in making their annual re- turns to them the said commissioners. Wheth- CT they have in any instance notified the treasur- CT of the state of the neglect of railroad com- pany to comply with the law in regard to making its annual returns to the end that he might pro- cesd to collect the provided forfeiture of twenty five dollars for each day of such neglect or refusal, and Gin case they have not reported to the treasurer) their reason for neglecting 80 to do.
 Resoloed further, That copy of the foregoing resolutions be transmitted to each commissioner bymail.
 This resolution bears the following en- dorsements Senate, June 5th, 1872, passed B A. Tough, clerk"
 "H: of R., Juno 7th, 1872; tabled, George H. Cowell, clerk
 Also HI. of R.. June 11th, 1872; amended by changing date from 18th to 18th day of June, and as amended, passed; Geo. H. Cowell, clerk"
 Senate, June 18th, 1872; indefinitely post poned, B. A. Hough, clerk"
 Also HI of R. June 24th, 1872; amended by in sorting in place of Thursday, June 18th, July Sd, and as amended passed, w. k. Foster, as sistant clerk"
 ''Senate, June 18th, 1872; tabled, B. A. Hough, clerk
 Also "Senate, July 2d, 1872; reconsidered and amended by making the time July 10th, and as passed; B. 4. Hough, clerk
 And finally, HI. of R., July Sd. 1s72 reconsid- CT and concur; W. R. Foster, assistant clerk.
 These inducements show that this res- olution, which started in the senate May 24th, on its way to the committee, was kept before the two houses till July 3d, when they finally agreed to its passage. As the legislature adjourned for the week on that day Gt being an adjournment over "the Fourth, '') it did not reach the com- mittee at least till the afternoon of the 9th day of July, too late, of course, for the committee to comply with the require ments of the resolution and report on the 10th. While this resolution was thus slowly finding it's way through the two houses to the committee, two other reso- lutions, introduced by Mir. Goodwin, and germane to the same subject matter, had been sent to the committee-one entitled Resolution de delinquent railroad com panies," and the other Resolution de railroad commissioners report:
 The committee considered all these @o (o 1x, o1 by legislative committees having in their possession several resolutions pertaining directly or indirectly to the same sub iect matter,) and voted to embody the same in one report. The committee di- rected MT. Hall to prepare report for that purpose. He did so and submitted it to the committee who unanimously adopted it. The following is copy of the report
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
 May Session, A. D. 1872.
 The joint standing committee on railroads to whom was referred the resolutions de action of the railroad commissioners beg leave to report that they do not find that said commissioners have taken any action to compel the railroad companies to comply with the law concerning annual returns, or reported the neglect of any company so to do to the state treasurer that
 
 the companies to make such returns to misun- derstanding of the presen. law upon the subject on the part of the companies. On this account they have neglected to report to the state treas urer the de.inquencies aforesaid. An examina- tion of the commissioners report will show what companies have neglected to make returns re- quired by law.
 All of which is respectfully submitted,
 JOHN M. HALL,
 Chairman on the part of the house."
 This report was introduced in the house probably some days prior to July 26th, as it appears on the printed calendar of that date as No. 279. It was made the ssorder of the day" for July 31st at 3 80 o'clock p. m., and on that day the house accept cd the report of the committee, and on August 1st the report was accepted by the senate. @
 When the report came before the house Mir. Goodwin claimed that it covered three resolutions, and there ought to have been a report on each one separately. and