The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-08

baggage, etc Referred.
Mr.. Browning: To amend article I
Coz, chapter 2, title s, and repeal arti-
Gle COZ, same chapter and title of the
criminal code. relative to the disposal |
! of cases by district court. Referred. !
| Mr. Burns: To amend existing laws /
relative to reports of justices OF peace |
and jurors warrants. Referred.
By Mr.. Robertson: Joint resolu- |
| ton TO amend article IS, section 3. of |
the constitution, consolidating civil !
and criminal terms of county court. |
| Referred.
Mr.. Kendall: Resolution inviting |
| Hon. Q. j. Barrett to the privilege of |
the floor of the house. Referred.
Mr.. CundifI: To amend article 1853, |
| chapter l, revised statutes, relative to |
time and place of holding elections |
and providing for two ballot boxes.
| Referred.
| Mr.. Swan: To amend article 1889 |
revised statutes, providing for writs |
| of sequeStratiOn in certain cases. Re |
| fefred.
\ message from the senate an
nounced the passage of house bill No.
| s, relating to restoring jurisdiction to |
Parker, Uvalde, Red River land Starr
| counties; senate bill 40, to amend ar
ticle $50 of the penal code; senate bill |
No. 120, to provide for the payment of |
attached witnesses in felony cases; |
senate bill No. IA, relative to setting |
apart half proceeds of public land |
sales for benefit of pvblic free schools.
The bills were referred by the speaker |
to proper committees.
Mr.. Durant, on question of priv |
ilege, said:
1 rise to a question of privilege to |
defend myself by speaking as to a |
certain article appearing in the col
umnS of the Dallas Times under the |
guise of an editorial l am satisfied |
that no such article emanated from |
either Mr.. Sterrett or Mr.. Walker |
Consequently it would give me no
pleasure to see those gentlemen ostra-
cised, nor will l have that paper
frowned upon by members of this
honorable body. They have only been
guided by the damning faculties of
one who strives to injure my reputa-
ton and lower me in the estimation
of you who have hitherto treated me
kindly. The call OF my country for
bids that personal adVersaries should
mar my personal feelings now; but
when my official duties will have been
performed, | shall then be ready to
lash his infamous carcass to the post
of public opinion, and split his bull
dog hide with cat-o'-nine tails, if he
deserves it.
Petition from citizens of Bowie
county against the repeal of the law
requiring railroad cars to stop at the
state line, was read and referred.
Committee reports of various COM
mittees were sent up without reading.
Mr.. Hill, chairman of judiciary COM
mittee No. 2, reported;
Favorably, bill to compensate
sheriffs, constables and peace officers
for removing prisoners in misde.
meanor cases. Minority report by
chairman and Messrs. Finch, Robin
son and Jones.
Bill restoring civil and criminal
jurisdiction of the county court of
Tom Green county.
Bill making it misdemeanor to
, sell or act as agent for the sale of
lottery tickets, under penalty from
800 to $500.
} Mr.. Hunt called up the bill from
the senate restoring jurisdiction to
Parker and other counties. The sem
ate amendment as to Starr county was
concurred in.
The resolution for special adjourn
ment to 2 p. m, to consider adverse
reports of bills, was postponed.
The bill to publish 5000 copies of
the laws of the regular and called seS-
, siOnS of the sixteenth and seventeenth
legislatures, was finally passed.
Senate bill 81, to amend art. 240, t. 8,
oh. ., of section l of the act to
adopt and establish the penal code
: and code of criminal procedure, passed
, February q, 1879, was passed to third
, reading. It fixes penalty for officers
! of the courts receiving higher fees
/ than the law allows.
5 Senate bill to amend article 1883 of
9 the code of criminal procedure, so as
to allow grand jurors 81 per day, pass
|; ed to third reading.
Senate bill No. 81, to prevent coun-
: ty officers and their deputies and em-
; ployeS from purchasing property at
c tax sales, was passed to third reading.
Senate oil No. 140, to amend article
D 1135, C. l, t. 28, revised statutes, so as
/. to require county judge to keep his
q | office at the county seat and attend
!. daily and not absent himself from the
d county longer than ninety days with
i out consent of county commissioners
+ court, was passed to third reading
I with amendment offered by Mr..
q Moursund to make absence apply to
J the state as well as the county.
q The next bill considered was senate
e bill No. 9, to amend articles 100 and
e 731 of the code OF criminal procedure,
r so as to allow defendants to testify in
Z their own behalf in criminal cases,
u except persons insane when offered
as witnesses, or insane when the
! events they are to testify to hap
pened; children or other persons who,
o after examination, appear not to pos
e sess sufficient intellect to relate tran
sactions with respect to which they
e are Intercepted. or who do not I'M
g derstand the obligations of an oath;
persons alleged to have been seduced,
:, or with whom adultery or fornication
5, is alleged: and persons convicted in
e this state or elsewhere of felony, I'M
: less such conviction has been
p legally set aside or unless such convict
q has been legally pardoned, the pardon,
however, not to restore the competen-
g Justice who has been convicted of per-
jury or false swearing, unless such
pardon specially so state.
Mr.. Thompson, of Bexar, moved to
It adopt the majority report.
|
u Mr.. Wurzbach suggested that the
D way to get the bill before the house
would be by motion to reject the adj
verse report of the committee.
! Mr.. Dennis moved to reject the re-
o. port.
. Mr.. Labatt said the bill was one Of
more than ordinary Importance, and
a. was no innovation. 1t was a bill cal
i culated to brush away the cobwebs OF
! prejudice, and was in keeping with
~ the progressive legislation on the sub
4 ject in other states.
Mr. Hill said: This bill should not be-
D. come a law. Because the senate passed II
it cannot operate as a lever on me to
cause me TO cast my vote for il when
believe as do that there are no merits In
{, the bill. No man IS worthy OF q seat here
d who can be Influenced In that way. Pass
3 this bill and you will find that thieves and
1t scoundrels will profit by lt-for it places
n 3 premium Oh perjury. Place deprayed
man on trial whose hands are stained In
blood and who has violated every law
II human and divine, and he will take the
u stand aud swear 10 any state OF facts for
ID himself and appear as innocent as an
10 angel of light. But on the other hand,
when an honorable gentleman by adverse
10 circumstances is placed on trial, in case he
a | refuses or neglects to take the stand.
"a then if the state has made out such case
| Iaax Lamb 10 bo dafa md