Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-23
At 10 a m tbe House WAS q

At 10 a. m. the House called to order, Speaker Case in the chair. Prayer was offer ed by Chaplain Sage.
 MT. Baker, of Norwalk, was excused from further service on the Committee on Contin- gent expenses, on account of sickness and
 MT. Porter, of Pennington, was appointed to | fill the vacancy.
 Business on the calendar was disposed of as follows:
 A bill was passed that every person throw | ing his enclosure open to the commons shall ! erect divisional fences between his and ad- joining lands so long as his enclosure remains open to the commons.
 A bill was passed which changes the time for the expiration of licenses in the town of New Haven to December 31st. An act was passed which declares ferment- ed cider to be intoxicating liquor but the
 manufacture of fermented cider and domestic wines is not forbidden, provided they are not sold by the dram to be drank on the prem ises.
 A memorial was ordered to be sent to the officers of the New York General Assembly asking for a repeal of the law regarding com
 pulsory pilotage in Hell Gate.
 bill was passed requiring every peddler
 not an inhabitant of this State selling goods
 which are manufactured in this State, or
 iewelry, plated ware or essences, or any cot ton, woolen or silk goods, to procure a i- cense at 8 cost of $25 for each town. A penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $1OO is placed upon any peddler violating the law. A failure to show a license when required by the proper officers subjects the peddler to fine of $7, Every peddler, a citizen of this State, shall procure @ license of identification at a cost of 50 cents.
 At II a. m. the order of the day was called for, it being the bill requiring all elective officers in this State to make oath before talk ing his office that he has not used any money illegally to procure his election. The amend ments offered were that the members of the present Assembly take such an oath, which was withdrawn; the amendment adding ''mules'' to the illegal considerations was adopted. Another amendment allowing money to be used to the amount of $329, and that no nominee shall sign any other name than his own to letters directed to H. L. Mercy, was adopted.
 An amendment offered by MT. Bryant, of East Hartford, that all other expenses be paid by the State Treasurer, was adopted.
 MT. Hall, of Wallingford, moved an indei- nite postponement.
 MT. Futile, of East Haven, said that he was convinced he was advocating lost cause, for he knew that purity of elections was thing of the past. This bill in it's original form, if passed, would furnish corrective to great evil. He was surprised that such a bill received no favor from members on either side. In the words of Lord Mansfield, 'sI would not do that which my conscience tells me is wrong for all the applause of the world" It was corruption, of the suffrage which destroyed the Grecian and Roman re- publics. The time has come when some demonstration should be made against these occurrences of bribery. which defeat the voice of the people at every election. We have been legislating in the interest of all classes. To-day, by following the recom- mendation of the Judiciary committee, we shall legislate in the interest of political beg gars.
 Mr. Cowell of Derby, said that while in New Haven recently he asked why the town of East Haven was loaded with 8 debt of $lSO, GOO. Be was told that most of this was used in changing the political complexion of East Haven.
 Mir. Futile said that this debt was caused by building bridges.
 Mir. Harrison, of Guilford, said that, as the House had now had its fun, he would explain why the Judiciary committee had recom- mended the rejection of the bill. There was already a. bill on the statute books against bribery at elections; such law must have moral sentiment back of it.
 Mir. Northrop, of Middletown, didn't think the bill would meet the evil-a grievous and growing one.
 The bill was indefinitely postponed.
 On an unfavorable report of the Judiciary committee bill making it obligatory on selectmen to call town meetings on petition of twenty citizens, was rejected.
 A resolution was tabled authorizing the Governor to appoint a commission of three persons to cause complete survey of the State to be made.