The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-01-09
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ILLINOIS LEGISLATuRE.

! The Illinois legislature met, in accordanc
with the provisions OF the new CONSTITUTE on
at - o'clock on Wednesday, January 9Th
All the members Of both houses seem to have
been present. The Senate was called to or
der by Senator Early, of Rockford, who, a
chairman pro tenn, at the last session, claimed
tina, right. The next movement in order wa
the election of u permanent president OF tht
senate. AS we have no Lieutenant Governor
but the "heads of messes" not heing ready fol
that movement, after slight display of Pc
litical tactics, the senate adjourned to !.
o'clock next day.
The House was called TO order by Mr.. Har
low, Secretary of State, who was soon super
seeded by the election Of f. NJ. Haines, of Lake
as temporary speaker. A motion was then
made and carried to appoint committee to
wait on the Supreme Court and ask them to
send detail of Judges to swear in the mem
bers, but before the chairman had time TO ap
point the committee the house adjourned.
The reason why both houses adjourned
thus suddenly was, because thus far, nOtwith
standing the secersst caucusing, it had been
found impossible for either the democrats OF
republicans to strike such bargain with the
handful of Independents, who hold the bal.
ancc of power in both houses, as would cna
bic them to elect presiding officers.
SO on Wednesday night the caucusing was
resumed with great energy The democrats
met in one room, the republicans in another
and the Independents IN third The contest
between the democrats and republicans
seemed to be, which could bid highest, or 60
down lowest, to secure the vote of the squad
of Independents. 1t would take small vol
ume to give the ups and downs and all the
details of this PraCterian contest. but finally
the democrats seemed to be ahead, for before
Thursday morning it was announced that a
bargain was struck by which the lndepen-
dents we're to have the officers of the house
and the democrats those of the Senate. The
Independents named E. NJ. Haines as their can
didate for Speaker of the House. and the dem.
ocrats named Tom Casey as their candidate
tor President of the Senate.
Pursuant to this bargain on Thursday, as
soon as the members had been sworn in, the
election of speaker was proceeded with, and
Haines WAS elected. receiving 81 votes to Gull
Ion SO. No further elections were attempted
that day, bat 1t is understood that the "alled
powers have agreed to vote for Capt. Crow
ley, of Cook, for. Clerk, and, in short, haye a
list of all the other officers Of the house "cut
and dried" and agreed upon but they con-
cluied to go slow with the election in tie
house, to see how the other part of the bar
gain Jared IN the senate.
And there, unhappily, things didn't seem
to work SO smoothly. When the Senate met
on Thursday, and the democrats put Tom
Casey in nomination, and the republicans
John Early, and the vote was then taken, it
was found that the Independents had flown
the track and voted for a granger named
Glenn. There were thirteen ballots taken, but
each time the vote stood Is for Casey, GO for
Early and for Glenn. There was evidently
q screw loose somewhere, and the senate adj
iourned to Friday without eftectng an or
ganiZation.