Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-04


Wiliiamsor ard Maury, who introduced the
bucket-shop bill, furnishes the AmeriegH with
the following statement, which pretty ef-
iectuslly SETTLES the question whether 1t
passed the Senate and became law:
STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE BERRY.
/ am satisfied that Hou.e bill number 2l5
tknown as the bucketshop bilD was not
passed on its third reading in the Senate BY
the recent General Assembly. / learned this
from Senator John I. Williamson, of Msury,
in 3 conversation had with HIM at his rooms
in Nashville soon after the final adjourn
ment Of that body. / am the suthor of the
bill, and Mr.. Williamson had charge of it
in The Senate. / alone am to blame for the
irregulariiy and mistake which resulted
in the respective Speakers signing,
and the governors approving the
bill. No responsibility attaches 10 The
was in consequence of Misunderstanding
what Senator Williamson said 10 me about
having the bill engrossed when he came with
i, into The House, as he has said in his pub
lished statement of the matter. / very much
regret the awkward blunder, but justice de-
In ands that the efficient officers OF the two
houses, who might suffer some unfair criu-
cism 10 the premises, all be fully exoner-
ated and the responsibility properly located.
L lIuEt also ludl the lOl4OWiDR
statement OF the facts in the Gaze will resolve
all doubts as to the passage or non-passsge
of the bill, and show as well that my mis-
take was excussble, il not inevitable, all
things considered. On the last day OF the
session March 30th), in the forenoon, went
over to the Ssngte CD amber and hsd a con-
versation with Senator Williamson about tie
several House bills of which l was the
author and then on their third reading in
the Senate, the et-shop bill being among
the number. Mr.. Williamson very kindly
agreed TO call up this bill al the first opper-
tunity. / saw him again early in the alter
noon and learned that the roll of mem
bers was being called, aud that each
ssnator would thus have an opportunity to
| call up one bill. l again called his attention
to House bill No. 215, and he said he would
| call it up when mis- name was reached. l
| returned to he House. About an hour be.
fere fnai adjournment Mr.. Williamson
came into the House, bringing the bill, and
| told me that the Senate, be thought, would
soon adjourn, and that i must have the bill
| engrossed al once, ready Tor the Speaker;
| that the clerks were behind and could not do
| it. This is about he substance of my
| friends remarks as / understood them. He
| Informed me aiterwsrd that he also said that
must have it ready for him when his name
was called. OF this latter l have no doubt (;
| but tine noise and confusion ia the House a.
The time was very great and failed to hear
| all that my friend aid cay. did not under
stand Mr.. Williamson 10 requeet a return of
the bill to him in the Senate. On the con-
trary, was morally certain (from what he
.id) that the bill had passed on its third and
| last reading, and so stated to the House Gem
miitee on Enrolled Bills to, whom carried
| It al ouce. From that committee, where it
1 ba ALL /
lArly TO the Speakers ana the governor.
| Alter the final aoj )urnment, Senator Will
| hanson, & preventative Porter and myself
repaired 10 their rooms on Spruce street,
where L took occasion to thank my friend
| Senator Williamson for his aid in pu ting
several measures of mine through the Senate
and mentioned the bucket-shop bill particu.
larly. He then informed ME that the bill
lad net psssed the Senate as had supposed
and that | had misunderstood him when b,
brought the bill over to the House. w,
we're mutually surprised and sorrowful, more
because of the mistake l had m ade in hav
ing the bill signs d, under the circumstances
h IN at its failure TO pass. We then an,
tbere resolved TO 60 immediately and Sc,
the clerks of the two houses aud have tn
error corrected b.fore leaving Nashville fol
our homes. We repaired 20 the Maxwell
House, where saw Mr.. Wade, clerk of tn
House, and related all the circumstances /
him, and told him that wanted the bill ex
cludsd from the acis and not published
Senator Williamson went in search of MI
Long, clerk of the Senate. l failed to Sc
Mr. Long that day, and so remained owe
until The following day in order to explain
The matter to him. The next day saw Nj
Long, and told him all about il. He SAT-
he had seen Senator Williamson, and tina
he had advised him fully of the mistake
and had requested that the bill should no
be published. Thus it will appear that tn
mistake of signing he bill by the Speaker
ETC., was he result of a misunderstsndip o
my part of what Senator Williamson II
tended by requesting me to have the bill
, engrossed, under the circumstances state
above. He wanted TO have the bill read
for the Speakers signatures so soon as
, should pass. l understood he wanted it Ell
crossed because il had already passed.