Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-03-09
OUR MADISON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence OF the HERALD

uPOu' II WIN PAVOaOiJ eCi i4iuaeS 10
session in about ten days-or about
the time it did last year. Considera'
BILE business of Importance remains
to be disposed of. The committee
on apportionment has not yet com
pleted its work The members of the
committee were congratulating them
selves few days ago with the
thought that they had disposed of
their work, and were about ready to
submit their report. A revision of
the papers showed that the State had
been re-districted, and that Iowa
county had been left entirely out.
Of course, there will be grand at
tack made on the majority report of
this com nittee when it is submitted.
The Democrats has recently been
caucusing, and express the determine
tion to fight all political measures to
the bitter end. 1t is reported, | know
not with how much truth, that the
report of the majority of the COM
mittee on superintendent will give
the Republicans an advantage of
about four Senators, and from five
to seven Assemblymen. An unusual
large number of Senatorial and As.
sembly districts will be very close, so
that, the strength of the parties in the
Legislature will be very uncertain,
and rest in very large degree on the
character of the men nominated IN
close districts.
The proposed amendment to the
Jury law has been killed. The judo.
larry committee reported it unconsti-
tutional. The bill was then referred
to a select committee, who made a
lengthy and interesting report in
favor of submitting the question to
the people in the form of an amend.
ment to the constitution. The report
of this select committee arraigns the
present system in a vigorous style,
and closes as follows:
We attack it because it prescribes
rules and perpetuates methods for
discriminating difference between
men that are rejected by all men in
all other matters that can concern
their material interests.
We condemn it as giving a single
mind, and not always an honest one,
equal consideration with that OF
eleven, that have reached conclu-
sion through clearer perceptions and
greater integrity.
We arraign it before the bar of
public opinion, as being contrary to
the spirit of more enlightened age
than the one in which it had its
origin.
We have no veneration for it, for
though it be ancient, it has no gray
hairs, and is no more entitled to ven
Grafton on account of its antiquity
than is an Egyptian mummy.
We put it behind us, as belonging
to the ancient past, serving its pnr-
pose we'll enough in it's day, perhaps,
but it has no place in the machinery
devised in a more progressive age
for determining differences, where it
can only obstruct, instead of assist,
in promoting the ends Of justice.
We denounce it as fruitful Of liti-
CATION, as retarding justice as shield
ing crime we doubly denounce it as
absurd.
The motion to submit the question
to the people was defeated
The centennial bill has finally pass
ed, after being amended 50 that no
bills shall be paid without being APP
proved by the Governor. The
amount offered is $4,000. The Com.
missoners are hard at work, and will
do all that can be done to secure
representations of Wisconsin at Phila-
delphia that will be creditable alike
to her agricultural, mineral and nat
ural resources, and also to her present
high standing as an epterprising and
intelligent commonwealth,
A bill of considerable Importance
and interest has recently been re-
ported by the Assembly committee
on education. 1t provides that
County School Superintendent shall
be elected on the first Tuesday of
April, 1877, and shall enter upon
their duty in January, 1878. The
salary of the County Superintend-
ent is to be paid out of the State
treasury, and is fixed as follows :
In all counties containing more than
10000 inhabitants, it shall be $500;
in those containing more than $4,000
and less than 10000 inhabitants, it
shall be $1,000; in those containing
more than 10000 and less than 25.-
900, it shall be $1,000; in those con-
tanning more than $4,000 and less
than &c, 900. it shall be 5000 in those
containing more than 10000 and less
than $1,000, it shall be $500 in
those containing more than 5000 and
less than 10000, it shall be $3.50
and in those with less than 5000,
he shall receive a per diem of four
dollars for each day actually and
necessarily spent in performing the
duties of his office provid that
the number of days shall not exceed
I25 in any one year, and that be
shall present to the comfy clerk,
quarterly, before he shall receive the
salary due him, sworn statement
showing the number of days actually
and necessarily spent by him in the
l:roLoroo of bic dutiae dnripo, tbe