The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-01-26
OUR HARRISBURG LETTER.
HARRISBURG, January 20, 1877.


Many supposed that the present session of
the legislature was going to be a dull and
uninteresting one. Never was there greater
mistake. II promises to be n most lively
and important one Several bills have al
ready been introduced that will give rise to
much earnest discussion, and more are in
course of preparation. As l predicted in
my last letter Local Option bill has been
introduced in both the Senate and House,
and numerous petitions from all parts of the
State have been presented praying for its
passage. All indications point to the fact
that the temperance party is going to make
grand rally in support of this bill and
make desperate effort to secure its passage.
1t is an open secret that those who oppose
IL are 20 be marked down in the books of the
local optonists for future reference, and
should they ever again solicit the sutl'rages
Oi their fellow citizens for any office OF hon
or or profit the temperance men promise to
give them every attcnti)n which their cas-,
ie'erv'o. |. - u t"rpleAing question t.
nany members AMI they would ia,u rs,Hp
the oIdcaI "i rrc'sding thor woes ui ~
against 1t. They are sure IT, make enemies
"n wnchever side they array themselves.
D,dgng wont do, as both parties are CD til,
lookout Tor strasgior., The question has las
amusing ~ well as lis grave features.
Inc Boom nll ma, nccn INTRODUCED ia IT,,
! al 'a'c and H. uuumIps vii agaiu nt htaiU
| tn tue land. i.e., N.ii ,iuuJtit,, De anutu
er Struggle between the iu,nberlutu aud IL,
| Boon CoInPan! upon tno question ot rate
| tor ODomage. For ways Inat are dark anu
tricks that are vain and demuiaIzug com
mead us to the man nipulations that are fur
| and against this notorious bill. IL WAS a
steoch in the nostrils of honest men last
winter and we can only hope that 1t wilt
not prove such Il destructive boomerang t.
the reputation of this legislature as il dad u,
| the last. Some Of the lame ducks of that
memorable encounter are still waddling
around the legislative halls, but 1t is just pos
sible that they have learned wisdom by bit
ter experience.
bill to submit to the voters Of the State
| the proposition to remove the capital to
| Philadelphia came up in the House to-day
on second reading, but pending its Discus
| sion the House adjourned and it is held over
as the great sensation Tor tomorrow. Ther
seems to be but little prospect for the pas
sage OF the bill, but as it may be disposed Of
before this letter reaches you, it is useless to
speculate upon its chances. Nothing more
is heard of the million dollars worth of mil
tia story, and if the idea was ever seriously
entertained it has been dropped. There are
plenty of people here who would be glad
to see Camp Curtin once more filled up with
troops and the streets OF Harrisburg resound-
ing with the clash of martial music and all
the attendant pomp and circumstances OF
glorious war. They remember The flush
times of the rebellion and sigh for another
chance to reap harvest of gold. 1t seems
that they are to be disappointed.
The resolutions in regard to the Presiden-
tial question which were offered in the
House last week by Mr.. Schnatterly, land
which embodied the Democratic view OF the
question: after hanging on the ragged edge
of unfinished business for several days were
called up on Friday last and indefinitely
postponed by the unanimous consent of both
parties. Each being willing to wait and see
what action Congress would take upon the
compromise measure as reed upon by the
joint committee of the Senate and House.
The first animated debate of the session
upon bill took place in the House to-day.
1t was upon bill providing for the pay
ment of costs before an appeal could b.
taken1from the decision of Justice of the
Peace. Nearly the whole of the session was
taken up IN considering the matter and not
less than twenty members took part in the
debate. 1t was finally defeated.
The Democrats are holding meeting in
the Court House this evening to endorse the
plan of counting the electoral vote agreed
upon by tho joint committee OF Congress.
B.