The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-18

STATE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE,

A Vote Reached on the PrOhibItOFI
Amendment-The Measure Defeated b
l5tO0,
The Senate convened promptly OF II
o'clock yesterday morning. The Senator
were all in their seats when the President
called for order, many OF them having or
their best bib and tucker in anticipation
Of the presence Of lady visitors, The lob
by was equally as crowded as on the day
previous, but the ladies were not quite &C
numerous as they were on Wednesday al
ternoon.
The session was opened with prayer by
Rev, ], D, Moffat, Of the Second Presbyte'
rian Church.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS,
The minor business Of the morning SEES
sion consisted in the presentation OF q Pc
tition by Mr., MCGregor, signed by Mis-
A. Taylor and eighty other women oil
Wheeling, asking the adoption Of the pro:
hibltory amendment, and the report oil
the PenitentiRry Committee, This COM
mittee visited the PenitentiRTy last Satur.
day, and reported that they had examined
the institution and found every depart
ment in proper working order, and there
fore had no adverse criticism to make on
the management. The committee recon-
mended the employment OF q regular
chaplain, whose duties, besides giving re-
ligious instruction, shall be to teach the
ilIiterate. The committee also report
that they consider the female department
unfit for the necessities OF female conyicts,
and recommend the construction Of an:
other and sepsrate building for the use Of
these ConviCts.
THE PRouIBlToRY AMENDMENT.
The prohibitory liquor amendment com.
ing up under the head OF unfinished bust.
ness Of yesterday, Mr.. MCGregor obtained
the floor and spoke In favor Of the adoption
OF the measure. He denied the points
made by Senator Faulkner yesterday in
regard to the failure OF prohibition In
Maine, and quoted extensively from sta.
tstiCs 10 support the position he took. He
referred to the decrease In the liquor bill
OF that State rom SIS, 900, 900 annually to
$4,000, and quoted the report oil the
Sheriff Of Cumberland county, the county
In which the city OF Portland Is situated,
which officer asserted that the poor house
had been emptied OF paupers, and the
death rate had decreased from out OF so
to out OF 800, all Of which resulted from
the abolition OF the manufacture and sale
OF intoxicating liquors. Mr.. MCGregor
also fortified his position by reading the
testimony OF Senators Blaine and Hamlin
In regard 10 the benefits resulting from
prohibition. Citing our own State Mr.. Nc.
Gregor maintained that the crime prevail.
ing could be traced To the use OF liquor,
and read from the Auditors report as to
the percentage OF criminals sent To the
Penitentiary from the counties In which
no license was granted In comparison with
the number sent from the counties In
which liquor was sold-the comparison
being largely in favor Of the anti:lICense
counties. In conclusion, Mr., MCGregor
asserted that the State was responsible to
certain degree for murders committed Ia
this State In which liquor was proven TO be
the elementary cause.
Mr.. Dennis obtained the floor at the con.
Clusion OF Mr.. MCGregor's speech and
spoke for half an hour In favor OF the In.
definite postponement OF the resolution,
The Senator said what he most desired 10
do was to present the real issues involved
In the questionable true question the
Senate was called on TO decide. He didn't
propose to discuss the temperance ques.
ton, as 1t didn't enter into the matter at
all. He admitted that all that was said Of
the evils Of intemperance was literally
true; that wretCheduess and crime were
prevalent and that whisky in the main
was the cause. Mr.. Dennis then argued
the utility Of the amendment even II It
become q part OIL the fundamental law.
The resolution seeks to prohibit the manu-.
faCture and sale OF Intoxicating drinks.
The great question, said the Senator, with
the temperance people was To find rem.
edy for drunkenness. But does this do III
No; he didn't think It did, The manu-.
iacture OF liquor in this State does not
amount 10 anything, 90 hardly any
Of the liquor drank was manufactured In
the State. II the sale Of intoxicating
liquors was prohibited then some good
might be accomplished. Mr.. Dennis re.
ierred to Mr.. Smiths proposition made
Yesterday to forbid the importation Of
liquors into the State In addition 10 pro-
hibiting the manufacture and sale, claim.
ing It IL be unconstitutional, as II was de-
legated 10 Congress 10 regulate the com.
merce between the States. Mr.. Dennis
claimed that his sympathies were az great
for temperance as any man, but he did not
think the passage Of the amendment pro:
posed would work the benefits and good
claimed, and he would therefore vote for
the indefinite postponement Of the meas
ure.
Mr.. Brown thought It was about time to
inquire what question was before the Sen.
ate. II was not whether the Senate thought
the amendment proper and right, but
whether the request Of the 10000 people
who petitioned Tor the privilege Of voting
on It would be granted. The Senator from
Greenbrier has stated that there is already
q provision In the Constitution providing
for the enactment OF laws regulating the
sale oil liquor, and II the Legislature would
pass the laws asked for what need the peo-
pie bother about It. But, continued Mr..
Brown, II this Legislature would pass q
law OF that kind the next Legislature
could repeal II. The people want the
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