The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-06-07
ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.

10 puan the Illinois legislature has adj
journcd, and the people who watched its pro
ceedings in breathless terror Of some GROWING
addition TO its long catalogue of niquities,
feel relieved TO produce proper characte
rization, however, of a body which returned
Logan to the |. S Senate over men like Law
renee, Washburnc and Oglesby, requires u
friendly rather than a prejudiced hand, where
fore we have recourse to that staunch republi-
can organ the Chicago 1ribune, which says:
"The power of this legislature to talk, spend
public money, and do nothing is without pre-
cedent There have been weak legislatures ;
idle disreputable legislatures; ignorant and
conceited legislatures; Drawing vapid, irlvo-
lous legislatures; blackmailng, dishonest le'
gislatures at various times; but this Illinois
Legislature of 1879 has come nearer to uniting
in itself all these characteristics than perhaps
any predecessor in this or any other state
And much more IN the same happy vein.
Among its closing proceedings last Friday
was the passage OF Il bill reducing coroners'
lures to SIX men: and the bill to allow an
annual vote on the question of continuing
high schools This latter, with ten other bills,
was left in the hands OF the governor 10 veto
or approve after tie adjournment. The Cover
nor has approved the bill, as also that requi.
ring the supreme Court To hold two terms Il
year in each grand division; and has vetoed
the bill lorbidding the payment of miners in
store orders, and the bill l0G to extend the
jurisdiction of the county court
When the bill covering what was known
as the Chester steal" came up IN the closing
hours of the senate there was smart sprink-
ling of row ,Joslyn sad the bill as origi-
nallv passed by the senate appropriated $50,
900 to complete the Chester penitentiary, re-
ouirinr the work to be let to the lowest bidder,
the commissioners to give bonds, etc Gov.
Cullom and the commissioners were greatly
dissatisfied. because it cut off all chance
for a steal. etc, and had the bill substituted
on its third and last reading in the house
by "A new BILL nearly doubling the appropri-
alton and striking out the lowest bidder clause,
the clause requiring the commissioners to give
bonds, &c: and in this shape, at the last hour,
the bill was rushed through the senate, on the
mere question of concurrence with house
amendment. Senators Joslyn, Riddle, Gallon,
Fuller and White, therefore, join in protest
against the bill on the ground that 1t had in
fact been read but once in each house, while
the constitution requires that all bills shall be
read three times in each house, and generally
because it is "villainous fraud, conceived in
fraud and brought forth in iniquity." Though
s,aunch republicans, the protesting members
accused Gov. Cullom OF being the chief engi-
necr of the steal and declared they should fol-
low him up for it from this time out. They
also declared they should have the payment OF
the money cnjoined by the courts. The en-
citement in the senate during the fiareup was
intense every member being ON has feet ana
a majority yelling, "0rder!" "sit down" dry
up" &c, at the top of their voices.
A few hours before the final adjournment the