Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-13

the stiffness of the night. 1t fill
the vast hall to the very roof
not a word or syllable is lost. TIL
very echoes ~quivering and hesitat
ing in the remote corners Of tn
immense chamber are driven bacl
and drowned out by the successive
flow of words that follow. Hi
rulings are quick and positive
earnest yet courteous and fair, ant
rarely questioned. Mr.. TaliaferrC
is a valuable accession to the legis
lative arena, and certainly one o.
the most promising young men Of
the State. The simplicity of hi
manner and his thorough knowl-
edge Of such parliamentary law as
can be applied in a body like this,
as well as his high character for in
tegrity and morality, command the
most profound respect.
A MISDEMRANoR BILL
similar to the one which passed
both houses tive years ago, but not
in time to be engroSsed and signed,
passed the house this morning after
a long debate. Stokes, who, by
the way, is one of the most bril-
liant and efficient members, is the
author, and carried it through in
the face of great opposition from
the same class of men who opposed
and bitterly fought it two years
ago. 1t gives magistrates enlarged
jurisdiction in cases not involving
more than fifty dollars. A much
stronger bill has passed the senate
on the same subject, and this one
will most likely pass that body if
ever reached.
THE LOCAL OPTION LAW.
This comes up every session Of
the legislature.
Fisher, of Smith, is the author
of a bill on the subject, which came
up on its third reading this after
noon and was the occasion of such
a rousing discussion as has rarely
occurred in a Tennessee general
assembly. The bill, as usual, pro-
hibits the sale of liquor in quanti-
ties less than a quart. 1t provides
that each ward and district may
have one saloon, provided the PEG.
ple of such ward or district sc
elect. The penalties are very Sc,
we're, the bill loosely drawn and
, really defeating its prOfessed object
Mr.. Fisher is a fair speaker anG
advocated the bill with earnest
ness, fairness and ability, and HI
} was listened to with courteous at
tention. One or two speeches fol
, lowed, which l characterize a
vulgar, obscene and disgusting. Tn,
house laughed and blushed, tn,
speaker used his gayel, bu
the discussion ran its cours,
, all the same. | have seen
, good deal of the world and o
mankind, in camp and field, il
crowded city and thinly settled
7 wilderness, but l never heard any
thing more repulSive to the instinct
of decency than the remarks in
} dulged in by one Of the members
BE was not expelled or even repri
manded, except as the speaker plier
his gayel. l do not care to dwell
! on this feature Of the discussion
} AT 4 o'clock George B. Peters go
} the floor and attacked the bill Of
its unconstitutionality in a yer
effective and brilliant style. H
} riddled it as / think no other ma
on the floor could have doEey an.
t held the house as few member
were ever seen to do on any su3iec
. George has improved wonderfully
and his parliamentary experienC
in the last legislature gives him q
: advantage WHICH all feel and admi.
His voice is stronger, and his conf
Y dence has grown with experience
practice, study and age. After b
t. spoke Mr.. Fisher closed the debat
e, in 3 clever speech Of fifteen minute
An amendment was offered prohiI
p iting the use of snuff and Tobacco
y but this was voted down as an OIL
80 t%raneOus issue. A majority Of Il
~ committee on tipplina and tippIir