The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-02-11
Centre Railway Company was taken up and

- S oliA 10 AGAltcti Cclkttl leTfiJoIN rom
Guadalupe county and attach to Wilson
county passed.
A bill to prohibit the sale of intoxicating
drinks in reach Of certain places was taken
up.
Mr. Goodwin amended by adding the
Agricultural College and White Mills The
bill was then passed over temporarily.
The bill to incorporate the Longview and
Texarkana Air Line Railway Company, and
to provide aid in the construction OF said
road. was referred to the Committee on In
tenal Improvements.
A bill to appropriate money to pay
Richardson, Belo 6 Co. for printing
done for the Department OF Educa-
ton. Tie House went into Committee
Of the Whole aud aud adopted the report
Of the Printing Committee, and the bill
was then passed by &C yeas, to nays.
A bill TO encourage the construction OF
narrow gauge railways.
Mr.. Meissner moved that the bill be
amended so as to not include railroads en-
couraged with money subsidies.
One section Of the bill proposes to IN
crease the amount Of land donation from
sixteen to twenty sections in consideration
of limiting passage to two and one-half
cents per hundred miles. There was con-
siderable discussion upon this part OF the
bill, and that part Of the bill, IN whole, re-
ferring to this matter was stricken out.
The bin, as it finally passed, grants sixteen
sections of land per mile, on special con-
ditions.
Bill to have abstract Of land titles pre-
pared and published was taken up. This
bill requires full report in regard to all
patents heretofore issued. The bill also re-
auires the Commissioner to make out sup
Elemental reports for each year up to tine
first Of January, 1876.
Mr.. Won Biberstein moved to amend by
changing this time so as to comply with the
fiscal year, which the House did. Bill
passed.
Bill to create the county of Gordon was
taken up. This bill proposes to make a
new county out of a part of Pamela.
Mr.. Anderson advocated the bill, which
was opposed by Messrs. Brown and Abnar,
eolored members from Harrison county.
The consideration of the bill was post
poned
Mr. Stewart, of Montgomery, introduced,
by leave of the House, petition six yards
in length, of innumerable signatures, from
the citizens of Montgomery county residin g
west of the San Jacinto river, praying for a
division eff the county of Montgomery.
Also, with reverence, a separate petition
bearing the signatures of sixty ladies OF
Montgomery county, praying for division
of the county.
Mr.. Stewart, of Montgomery, chairman
of the Committee on the Penitentiary, in
troduced the following resolution:
ResolCed, That the Committee on the
Penitentiary be instructed by the House to
take into consideration the propriety of re-
porting bill similar in character to the bill
enacted some years since by the General
Assembly of the State of Missouri, known
in that State as the three-fourths imprison-
ment law, ''under which convicts who, in
all things, have confomed to the rules OF
the prison, and faithfully discharged tho
duties imposed upon them during their In
generation, shall be pardoned after serving
three-fOurths of the period for which they
were sentenced"
Also, that so much of the Governors
message as relates to the State penitentiary,
particularly. in regard to the modification
of the confinement of first class convicts,
and IN regard to the establishment oil
houses of correction for Juvenile convicts,
also, as to the mileage of sheriffs, and
the number of guards allowed by the courts
in transporting convicts to the peniten-
tiary, be referred to the Committee on the
Penitentiary, with instructions to report by
bill or otherwise in each particular.
Adjourned.
TUESDAY, February 8, 1875.
Roll called; quorum present.
Mr.. Epperson moved that the committees
be called regularly, and report all business
ready for the action of the House.
Mr.. Goodwin presented bill to indem
nifty the State of Texas for bonds issued t.
the International Railroad Company. Re
ferred to Judiciary Committee
Mr.. Storey introduced bill toincorporatC
the Austin and Pacific Short Line Railroad
Company. Referred.
The constitutional convention bill wa:
taken up.
Mr.. Kessler mtyed to postpone the con
sideration of the bill until the fifth Of
March.
Mr.. Denman moved to amend by referring
to a select committee.
Mr.. Sadler wanted to know the object oil
such postponemeRt. He wanted to know il
anybody was demoralized.
Mr.. Denman said he was not demoralized,
but he had to acknowledge that mitrailluse
had been fired into, his camp. he referred
to the Presidents message in the kilograms
of the mornings STATESMAN.
Mr.. Cochran moved to postpone the fur
Their consideration of the bin until this day
week.
Mr.. johnson moved to lay the motion on
the table. Tabled by q vote Of A yeas to
SO nays.
Mr.. Denman reno we'd his motion to refer
to a select committee.
Mr.. O'Neal moved to table this motion.
Tabled by vote of 45 yeas to 81 nays.
Mr.. Denman proposed to re-refer the bill
to the committee on constitutional conyen-
ton, and urged the House to pause and
consider the serious question now before
them.
MIR. Miller said he had listened to tie APP
peal of an extreme convention man. He
hoped the House would profit by it. He
wanted a convention, but he knew it to be
fraught with great danger to the State, and
he desired to see Texas spared.
Mr.. Cochran said he would do nothing to
endanger the interests Of Texas. He wanted
consideration postponed, but he did not
want reference to a committee.
Mr.. Simpson said he looked with the
greatest apprehension upon the position
taken by the President Of the United States.
He had all the time been convention man.
He recognized that the people wanted 8
constitutional convention, but he was nov
inclined to pause, for he could see danger
ahead. He loved Texas too web to do on,
thing to drag her into snares now being
prepared for her.
Bill made special order for Wednesday
the seventeenth instant.
Mr. Storey said that while be was In f.
vor of passing constitutional convention
bill, he wanted it passed so as to be decideC
by the people at the ballot-box. Just now
however, there was no use for hot haste
and he hoped to see the consideration Of tn
bill postponed. The vote on postponemen
was taken and stood: yea 50, NAYS 20.
Special order, the bill to provide for th
building of two new penitentiaries. Ate
some little discussion, the bill passed viii
an immaterial amendment.
The bin to create the county Of Gordol
was reported favorably, and immediatel
considered, resulting IN the passage Of th
bill by &c yeas to % NAYS