The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-05
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

House met at the appointed hour,
Speaker Gibson and quorum pres
ent.
Prayer by the chaplain.
Mr.. Chenoweth, rising to question
of privilege, read and denounced an
extract from the Texas Siftings, hint
ing at corruption of members in the
matter of the penitentiary lease, and
accordingly fired off a resolution of
inquiry and investigation to be made
through a committee of five, author
lied to send for persons and papers.
compel attendance, administer oaths,
etc.
The resolution, after some discus
sion, was finally adopted. Ayes 81,
noes 5, the latter being Messrs. Bar
rett, Davis of Lamar, Mcdaniel,
Moore of Eastland and Tucker of
Anderson.
Mr.. Barrett vote no because l
believe it to be condeScension on
the part of the legislature to turn
aside. from its high duties to notice
foul SANDER from so diSreputable a
sheet as the Texas Siftings
Mr.. McDaliel-I vote no because it
is the duty of editors to speak of pub
lie men as they see them, and it is for
the people to judge of facts; and time
is too precious for this body to be in
vestigating by committees everything
that has been said by the press about
this body.
Mr.. Moore of Eastland-I vote no
because l believe the charges against
the minority are untrue, and that the
investigation is useless. The charac-
ter of the members aSperSed is suf-
ficient answer to the charges made.
Mr.. Tucker vote against the
raising of committee to investigate
charges made by the newspaper
known as the Texas Siftings against
the minority for voting for ratifying
the penitentiary leases, for the reason
that believe the gentlemen compos-
ing the minority are actuated by hon
est purposes in their desires to ratify
the leases, that they are true and hon.
est representatives of their views and
of their constituents; and l further
believe that the gentlemen to whom
these leases were made by the peni-
Tertiary board, Messrs. Cunningham
& Ellis, are abovesuspicion and fraud
in the premises, and none of them
need vindication by investigation.
Mr.. Davis, of Lamar, said he want
ed the resolution laid on the table.
The matter was discussed by other
members, who voted either way, after
which the speaker appointed on the
committee Messrs. Foster of Lime
stone, Sharp, Parsons, Steel and Nc
Alpine.
THE PENITENTIARY BILL.
The question then required on the
motion of Mr.. Nash, pending from
adjournment, to lay on the table his
own motion to reconsider the vote
by which the house adopted the min
ority report of the committee against
the senate concurrent resolution No.
2, to ratify the leases of the peniten-
tiaries. The motion to table the mo-
ton to reconsider was adopted.
Mr.. Swan explained how his vote
the evening previous got recorded in
the minority when he voted with the
majority instead, simply for the pur-
pose of accomplishing recOnsidera-
ton if ne thought proper.
The question was discussed pro and
con very much in the line of the ex-
haustive arguments on the merits of
the subject as discussed in the senate,
and given pretty fully at the time in
our senate reports.
The discussion was participated in
by MessIs. Lakewood, Brown, Labatt,
Hill, Chambers of Collin, Swan and
Durant.
Mr.. Hill said:
Mr. Speaker, am pleased to know that the