Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-11

Tho Legislature.
 DiscussEom on the Prison Labor BfIl- T1Re stock of the New Haven Water Company Imcreased-The COnsfitu- tiOna1 Amendment Relating to che Appointment of Judges Passes the HOuse-The Hearing on the Gas Questionable old Company Presents Its Case.
 Especial correspondence of the JOURNAL ANDCoURIERl
 HARTFORD, March 10.
 The Senate met at 10 o'clock this morning, Lieutenant Governor Gallup in the chair. The first business in order was the reception of a communication from the Governor sub mittine a memorial of inhabitants of the Dis trict of Columbia concerning deprivation of rights by legislation in the State of Maryland. The matter was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations in concurrence.
 After few committee reports had been read and tabled for calendar, the calendar for the day was taken up. The first matter con- sidered was the bill regulating the employ ment of State prison convicts, and which provides that whenever it shall be proposed to employ fifty or more prisoners by contract or otherwise at any trade or occupation, the dl- rectors of the State prison shall give public notice of the fact by advertising the same in one or more of the leading papers in each city and town of the State having more than ten thousand inhabitants, for the period of four weeks before making any contract, and shall inquire into the effect of such proposed employment upon the interest of the State, the morsl and physical condition of the prisoner and upon free labor. The bill also provides that the directors shall give a hearing to all who may wish to be heard in the matter and if they find that it will be detrimental to the best interests of all parties in interest 1t shall be prohibited. The bill was before the Senate when it adjourned on Tuesday At that time several amendments offered by Senator Peet were under considera- tion.
 Senator Brewster made strong speech in opposition to the amendments and in favor of the bill as reported by the committee. He took the position that the amendments would utterly defeat the objscts of the bill. He thought if the Senator was in favor of con- tract labor in the prison he should come squarely to the front and offer an amend ment to that effect, and not attack the bill in this way.
 Senator Peet in reply said that his amend ments put heart and blood into it, but he sup posed they would be voted down. He talked
  personally would be benefited while the party opposed would suffer.
 The amendments of Senator Peet were de feated by vote of yeas to IA nays
 Senator Patton then made a humorous speech in opposition to the bill and was fol- lowed by Senator Hoyt in favor. The bill then passed without further debate.
 Other bills were passed as follows: Pro viding that no fees of State attorneys shall be taxed or collected in any criminal cause re- IL -k Il, kL,,o-, probate; for recording judgment in civil &C., tion 50 cents, and 25 cents additional for each page exceeding two; providing that witnesses may be committed for contempt of court :; and that the Superior Court shall possess the same powers as are given to probate courts when an insoIvent estate is in settlement be- fore it resolution imposing State tax of II mills on the dollar on the grand list of 1879, to be paid on or before November 10, 1880 1; resolution authorizing the New Haven Water Company to increase it's capital stock to $1,- 800, 900. Senator Coe moved to amend in place of ''directors' to insert stockholders, and in place of ''stockholders' insert "origi- nal stockholders" the object being, the Sena- tor said, for the stockholders to decide upon the increase of capital in place of the directors and the subscriptions to the new stock to be taken by the present stockholders first j; resolution appropriating $25, ,0OO to erect 8 cottage at the State Reform School to sepa- rate the older and more vicious boys from the younger, less hardened and more easily in fuenced. Bill providing for committal to the workhouse of night walkers and lewd per sons. Bill authorizing any constable or po- liceman to kill unlicensed dogs and receive bounty This repeals the law giving ''any person" the power to kill dogs. Resolution for g commission, consisting of the Quarter master General, the Brigadier- General and three persons appointed by the Governor, for the purpose of examining and locating site for permanent camp ground for the Con- necticut National Guard, and to ascertain the cost thereof and report to the next General Assembly. The actual expenses Of said com - mission shall be audited and allowed by the Comptroller and paid by the Treasurer. Bill that the separate taxable property of married women shall be listed in her name for taxa ton. Bill empowering registrars of births, deaths and marriages to administer oaths in cases coming before them. Bill amending the statutes giving the cities of the State the same power now vested in the Sslectmen of towns in regard to gates, signals or fagmen at railroad crossings.
 After the rejection of several bills reported adversely by committees, the Senate, at 1 o'clock, adjourned to Thursday at 10 g. m.
 The House.
 The House was called to order at 10 o'clock, prayer by Chaplain Sage A large number of committee reports were tabled for calendar, after which the calendar matters for the day were taken up.
 The House resumed consideration of the bill extending the scope of investments by savings banks, the question being on an amendment by Mir. Rowan, of Norw ak, pro- hibiting investment in railroad bonds. MT. Morris, of New Haven, made speech against the amendment on the ground that sa wings banks must have greater liberty, or they could not continue to pay dividends. Mir. Davis of Hartford, MT. Nichols of Danbury, MT. Battell of Norfolk, ard Mir. Gilbert of Hebron also opposed the amendment. The amend ment was rejected, and after other changes of like character had been proposed and voted down. the original bill passed.
 The House then took up the order of the day, being resolution for a constitutional amendment as follows
 The judges of the Supreme Court of Erro IS and of the Superior Court shall upon nom- inatiou of the Governor, bo appointed by the General Assembly in such manner as shall by law be prescribed.
 Mir. Merriam, Of Meriden, chairman of this committee, made strong argument in favor of the amendment, which he said had been urged by ex-Chief Justice Seymour and ex-Governor Hubbard, backed by the entire bar association of the State. It will call to the bench superior class of men-men who could not be persuaded by party, but who would accept nomination rendered by the chief magistrate of the State. It makes no change in the power of the Legislature, they having the fiual decision. But it throws out the question of politics, and leaves the Legislature to accept or reject nomination for reasons governed solely by the character of the nominee. It is the same principle en- bodied in the Constitution Of the United States and of many of the States He be- ieved that the people of the State would rati- fly the amendment cheerfully.
 Mir. Wadhams. of Goshen, spoke in opposi- tion to the amendment, making one of his characteristic speeches, causing as usual much merriment.
 Speeches in favor of the amendment were also made by Mir. Mitchell of New Britain, MT. Stanton of Hartford, MT. Hoilistsr of Litchfeld, MT. Tinker of New London, and MT. Gardner of Derby.
 Mir. Chandler, of Thomson, opposed the bill as tending to standardization. Giving the Governor power to nominate is equal to giv- ing him power to elect, for the Legislature would not be likely to reject his nominations.
 MT. Pember, of Vernon, did not favor dis turbiDg the present plan. He believed that a caucus of honest representatives of the dom- inant party could make wise nominations.
 Tha vnfa WAS then taken hy yeas and rava