The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-02-01
HARRISBURG LETTER.
Legislative Correspondence.
HARR IsBURG, Jan. 80, 1873.

HARR IsBURG, Jan. 80, 1873.
The great anxiety of the average small
politician to keep on the right side of the
| fence and avoid making record that might
be difficult to straddle at some future time
was strikingly demonstrated in the House Of
Representatives on last Monday evening.
Mr.. Quigley, a rather sensational democrat
| from Clinton county, offered a resolution ex-
pressing the thanks of the Honse to Hon.
VIM. A. Wallace and Hon. j. d. Cameron
for their action in voting for the Matthews
resolutions which declare that the United
States Bonds may be paid in silver coin.
The dodging and squirming that tosk place
when this resolution was read was disgust
ing as well as amusing. Notwithstanding
the fact that the resolution was so worded
as to compliment both democratic and a
| republican leader and Senator, more than
half of the members of the House were
afraid to meet the issue and either made q
hasty exit from the Hall or sat in their
seats and did not answer when their names
were called. Only SO men had the nerve to
put themselves on record ON this all-absorb-
ing and important question, while III were
absent or did not vote. No one accuses the
average Pennsylvania legislator ofpossessing
an undue amount of brilliancy or quickness
of apprehension, but it does seem that it is
almost time that they were able to have an
intelligent opinion upon this much ventila-
ted silver question.
On Tuesday morning the house disposed
of the case of Hon. OF ,Bullard summarily
and suddenly. The judiciary committee
presented long report, the gist of which
| was that there were no precedents in Eng
| land or America to show that members Of
| Parliament, Congress or other legislative
| bodies were privileged from arrest when
charged with criminal acts, and recommend
| ing that Mr.. Bulard be remanded TO the
custody Of the jailor of Delaware county,
| from which he had been taken by the order
of the House. To this the House agreed
| by an almost unanimous vote, only or &
votes being recorded in the negative.
Petitions praying for the re-enactment OF
the Local Option Law pour into the Senate
and House every day but apparently have
no effect upon the minds of members.
Though their opinions on financial subjects
may be misty and wavering, it is safe to as,
sert that every Senator and every Represen.
tative has an unalterable opinion upon the
subject of local option-that opinion in nine
cases out of ten being the identical opinion
of majority of the voters of the district hi
represents. ...,. ...I. ........
1t is perfectly plain to the unprejudiceG
observer that there is not the slightest pros
pect of the passage of local option law by
the present Legislature. On Monday even
ing Mr.. Fullerton, Of Indiana county, trieC
to have special session fixed for next Tues
day evening to consider the local option bill
but the proposition was defeated by vot
of 6s in favor TO 70 against. These GS afiir
native votes included all the friends of tn,
bill and perhaps ten or twelve of its enemie
who while opposing it were yet willing h
give it a courteous and respectful considera
ton. The bill will probably be defeated b.
two-thirds vote.
A full month has now passed since th,
Legislature met and though there has beer
"a good deal Of work but little has been &C