Connecticut western news., 1879-04-02
CANAAN, CONN. WEDNESDAY, APR. 2, 1879.
The LeRiSl0tures


 The Legislature was in session last week un- til Friday, when it adjourned until January D. 1sSO The number of bills and resolutions In troduced was unusually large, but the malorl ty of them failed to pass. The Judiciary com mittee alone rejected over two hundred. Thi. committee has most of the work to do and the House was fortunate in it's chairman of tn, judiciary committee. There are few men bet ter qualified for the position than MT. Robin son. With ability, tact and experience, he seemed to possess what is more important thab all else-good, practical common sense. Tn, Senate and House seemed somewhat inhai- monious towards the latter part of the session, and Q number of bills failed through disagree ment. The House passed the bell-punch DlI by large majority, but the Senate rejected II unanimously. There have not been many changes in temperance legislation. The olt town agent system has been revived in towns that have voted no license. Five per cent. O. the license money is to be paid to counties County commissioners are required to have h. cense books with 'tstubs." and the clerk of the Superior Court is to countersign all licenses. The s'strong minded" far ed badly. All the wo
 
 and convincing arguments of the LitchfielC Enquirer backed by the Governors message. have gone, in the poetic language of the late lamented James Fisk Jr., ''where the woodbint twineth." The committee, as usual, dodge0 the question entirely. They reported tha' there arc some ladies who don't want to vote: and therefore those who do should not havt the right. A rather lame and impotent con- clusion.
 The resolution for the building of an addi- ton to Middletown Hospital and to appropri' ste $11O,OO0 for that purpose, though strongl, urged, was continued to the next session. Al 90 the resolution making an appropriation oi $15, 900 to the State reform school.
 The following appropriations hsve beel made: Improvement Capitol grounds $25, 900. Fish commissioners 5000, American asylum for the deaf and dumb s2,0OO, State reform school $5, ,00O State library not exceeding $5, ,OOO State agricultural society $2,5OO.
 The following are some of the general acts To take control of the jails out of the hands O. the sherifs, and give it to the county commis- sioners. This is rather an extraordinary law. To pay salaries to State attorneys. The salar! in Litchfeld county is $1700. Authorizing Staie attorneys to employ detectives in case' where punishment is more than ten years i'm prisonment; prohibiting judges from reservint questions of law without the consent of botl parties. giving State as many challenges g. the defence in capital cases or in cases of i'm prisonment for life giving witnesses mileag, each day in criminal cases limiting pay oi county commissioners to $4 per day not to ex ceed 1C0 days enabling parties to file notic, In town clerks office when title to real estat, is in question; allowing the foreclosure of ta, liens exemptiRg poultry to the amount of $25 repeating obsolete law in regard to horse rae ing and trotting, so as to enable agriculture societies to offer premiums according to law requiring owners of land on highway to GU brush, thistles, briars, etc., on highway ono, in each year, under penalty of not more thai s; amending election law so that registrars O voters may act as counters; to prevent tn, adulteration of food and authorizing it to b. analysed; requiring land owners to keel fences along line of railroad in repair, or il case of failure so to do, that the railroad ms. make repairs and collect from the land own CTS; that dogs shall be muzzlad on the 1st da. of May or be killed; regulating elections il school districts giving school visitors g pc day, but allowing towns to vote more; tha when towns neglect to keep roads in repai county commissioners may attend to them providing that the secretary of state shall hav 100, 900 copies of the laws of the session print ed, the same to be delivered to town clerks fo general distribution throughout the State, als repeating the law for the publication of tn lsvs in the newspapers
 The court of claims bill which was suppose to be in the inte: est of Mir. Patterson failed t pass. MT. Hoyt dealt it some telling blows il the Senate.
 A strong and persistent effort was agail made to get Charles J. Allen of New Milford who is serving life sentence for the shooting of his brother in 1865, released from state pris on. It was strongly opposed by New Milford The state prison committee finally reported il favor of it, but when it came up in the Hous it was defeated by large majority.
 The Governor has refused to approve thu resolution continuing the Capitol commission 70 it has ceased to be. This looks like g mas terly flank movement-what the boys in tn army used to call "bully strategem."
 The new ''non-partisan" board of state pris on directors is as follows: Nathan Belden, H T. Gperry, John H Leeds, Francis Wayland Thomas McManus and the present incumbents
 A bill was passed extending the registration laws to the October town meeting, in view, W suppose, of voting on the constitutional amend ments.