The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-08
Close of the Legislative Session.
Especial to the Baltimore Americana

such grand success, and the Speak
er's gavel will fall on about two hum
bred bills of general and local import
Enacted upon but the House has not
manifested the inclination to do any
extra work, as the early adjournment
yesterday showed. The Speaker was
out of the chair, and one of the jovial
spirits held it. One of his first official
acts was to adjourn the House, in the
midst of a roar of laughter.
AS the session draws to close, the
members are beginning to manifest a
frolicsome disposition, and there is a
good deal of fun passed around dur
ing working hours. Frequently the
Joke is to call up a, bill which is the
pet offspring Of some staid old coun-
tryman, and every member will vote
"no;" and after there are about
eighty or ninety "nOes" recorded
against the measure, which. perhaps,
is some innocent litl1 local affair,
and it's progenit0r is worked up to a
state of INDIGENOUS frenzy, they will
change their votes to aye. A bill for
the determination of screech owls in
Garrett county came up the other
night, and ii jolly member from Kent
arose and said there was a snake in
the hill, and moved to amend Ivy
striking out the word "screech,"
which was accordingly done, much
to the disgust of the gentleman who
had labOred to prepare and pass the
bill.
The biggest job was put up on two
of the Montgomery county delega-
ton. There was a Senate bill for a
stringent dog law in that county, and
one st;lwart old farmer of Mont
gomery favored it. while another
was vio,ently opposed toit. A scheme
Was ,oncWted, and when the bill
came up some OF the best speakers in
/ the House, with all due gravity,
made splendid arguments in favor of
the bill, thereby bringing the oppo-
nent of the bill down to the tooth
Snashing verge of despair. They
then turned arc ind and, to the i'll
tense surprise and disgust of the other
man, heaped upon the bill some
ridiculous amendments and passed
| them. One of these was Il long one.
ur 'viding hat at congressional cleo
lions the tickets of the contestants
should he printed as "for the dog
law" or "agains, the dog law" etc.
Another one was that all dogs, with
| their ears and tails cut, should have
the taxes ON them proportionately
curtailed. Another was to the effect,
"that all dogs or parts of dogs, in
consistent with the provisions of the
act lie, and the same are hereby, re-
ppaled." Another WAS that all dogs
going from the sheriff at the rate of
over mile minute should be ex-
empted from the provisions of the
act ii. e., not be killed.. The worst
part of this little joke, which kept
the House in roar for half an hour,
! was that they were sent over to the
Senate. aud President Williams WIS
enraped because these amendments
had been sent to that body, and Sem
ator Moore, who had offered the bill,
was so choked with emotion at seeing
his darling used for such purpose
that lie wanted the bill sent back
without comment, which would have
been decided insult. The amend.
ments had to be read in the Senate,
and, after suppressed laughter on the
part of everybody, except Messrs.
Williams and Moore, it was decided
not to concur in them. The bill, how
ever, was effectually killed. There
was no reason why the Senate should
have gotten on its ear about it, how
ever, ior only few nights previous
that body got hold of one of Sanator
Brattan's bills for the protection of
in-ectiverOus birds. and tackled onto
it amendments including ground
hogs, sand pipers and gallinippers.
However, little folly is pleasant,
now and then, to the wisest men.
The rush which accompanies the
closing days of each session set in
about the middle Of last week, and
now there is an indiscriminate scram.
BILE to put bills through. All pro.
priety and courtesy has been set aside,
and each county is trying to get its
own bills in, at the expense OF those
of every other county. In this state
of affairs Speaker KeilhOltz has a
hard row To hoe. Members come up,
look, over the files and sure ptiIious.
ly slip their bills up toward the TOP
and other bills toward the bottom,
and il is with difficulty that they are
kept straight. Senator Clarke, who
offered the best bill for glass ballot
boxes that has yet been drawn up has
been utterly unahlt. tf) oct II throu0l,