The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-12

Report adopted.
Mr.. Upton reported for conference
committee, asking powers of free
conference for the committee of con-
ference on the general appropriation
bill. Granted
Mr.. Fisher reported bills engrossed.
Mr.. White asked to take up house
bill 290, relative to railroads.
House refused to postpone.
a message from the senate an
nounced the passage of resolution
to adjourn finally April IL.
The deficiency appropriation bill
was amended by Mr.. Browning, with
item allowing Henry Fleming, eX-
sheriff of Wheeler county, S216 in
stead of $3.50; and, as thus amended,
was ordered engroSSed.
Senate amendments to several bills
were concurred in, providing for pub
lie weighers, creating land districts in
northwest Texas, making changes in
the election laws, allowing coast cities
to issue bonds for harbor improve
ments, restoring jurisdiction to GER
tain county courts and fixing fees of
county treaSurerS.
Hon. b. +. Barey, of the seven
teenth legislature, and B. Is. Haidu-
SEX were invited to seats in the bar of
the house.
THE UNIVERSITY BILL.
The house considered the regular
order, substitute senate bill No. 1S9,
to provide for the permanent endow-
ment, in land or its proceeds, of the
university of Texas and its branches,
including the branch for the instruc-
ton of colored youths, by donation
of one million acres of land, or the
proceeds thereof.
Mr.. Hill of Polk, offered the follow
ing substitutes:
| A Bill to be entitled, IAN act to pro-
vide for the permanent endowment,
in land or its proceeds, the Univer-
Sity of Texas and its branches, in
Guiding the branch for the instruc-
ton of cOlored youths; and also to
provide for an equal endowment
for the benefit of the permanent
common free school fund of the
state"
| Sec. l. Be it enacted by the legisla-
ture of the state of Texas, That after
the payment of the amounts due from
the state to the common free school
| fund, and to the State University
fund, out of the proceeds of the sales
heretofore mace or hereafter to be
made, of that portion of the public
lands set aside for the payment of the
public debt by the act approved July
| IA, 1879, and the act amendatory there
| of, approved March 81, 1881, and the
payment directed to be made to the
common school and university fundS,s
r l-T act act approved February %, 1883,
the remainder of said lands not to eX-
coed two millions of acres. contained
in the counties and territory specially
mentioned in said acts or the proceeds
| thereof set aside 10y said acts for the
payment of the public debt, heretofore
or hereafter to be received by the
state, shall one-half thereof constitute
a permanent endowment fund for the
university of Texas and its branches,
including the branch for the instruc-
ton of cOlored youths, and one-half
thereof shall constitute permanent
endowment fund for the common free
schools of this state.
Sec 2. The importance of the sub
| ject embraced i'll this act, and the linn
tied time allowed for the cOnsidera-
ton of the great accumulation of
bills now pending, creates an lmpera-
tive public emergency for the lmme-
date passage of this act, and the pub
lie necessity for the suspension OF the
rule requiring bills to be read on
three several days, and that this act
take effect and be in force from and
after its passage, and it is so enacted.
| Mr.. WurZbach in the chair.
The question was ably discussed
pro and con, the discussion being par
ticipated in by Messrs. Hill, McKin-
ney, Brown, Mcdaniel, MOursund,
Durant, Patton, Jones, Robertson,
Browning. Foster of Grayson, Rogers,
Frank and CravenS.
Mr.. Camp moved the previous
| question, and Mr.. Hill closed the dis
cussion, eliciting applause by his elo-
quent remarks in support of his sub
| Stitute.
The remarks of Messrs. Mckinney,
Foster, Cravens and Armistead eli
cited similar marks of appreciation.
Messrs. Browning and Mcdaniel
only spoke against the bill, which
passed to third reading by vote of
70 ayes to noes, the latter being
Messrs. Barrett, Browning, Finch,
Mcdaniel, Newton, Adams, Pendle
ton and Steel.
On motion of Mr.. Moursund, the
rules were further suspended to put
the bill on its final passage, when Mr..
Moore of EaStland offered the follow
ing;
Amend section by striking out the
words land one-half thereof shall
constitute a permanent free school
fund.-" and insert in lieu thereof the
words ''and one-half thereof shall con-
stitute part of the available school
fund, and the proceeds arising from
the sale thereof shall be appropriated
to the counties in such manner as
may be provided by law for the pur-
pose of maintaining the schools.
Messrs. Moore and Browning spoke
at length in support of, the amend
ment, when Mr.. Camp again moved
the previous question, and the amend
ment was lost.
| Mr.. Taylor offered the following:
Amend, by inserting just before the
emergency clause: The sum of five
thousand dollars, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, is hereby apprO-
priated to be paid one-half out gener
al revenue and the other half out of
the university fund, for the purpose of
surveying and designating the lands
herein appropriated.
The amendment was ruled out of
order, unless the house reconsidered
its action so as to go into committee
of the whole, which would be neceS-
sary to consider an appropriation.
Motion to reconsider was made by
Mr.. Harrison and withdrawn, when
Mr.. Foster, of Limestone, renewed it.
The house refused to reconsider and
the bill finally passed, by a vote OF II
ayes to SHOES; the latter being Messrs.
Barrett, Browning, Finch, Mcdaniel,
Parsons, Odom, Pendleton and Steel.
Senate bill 326-the asylums bill
was finally passed. The features of
the bill were published when the bill
was introduced.
Mr.. Stagner had entered on the
journal a motion to reconsider the
vote by which senate amendment to
the weighers' bill was concurred in.
A resolution by Mr.. Nash was
adopted, providing for additional
assistance in the engroSsing and en-
rollment of bills.
THE PENITENTIARY QUESTION.
Mr.. Foster, of Limestone, asked for
suspension of the rules to take up
house bill $40, providing for a more
efficient management of the Texas
penitentiaries. We have already
given the features of the bill.
The bill was taken up and Mr..
Foster offered the following
substitute for section 3: mo
lease of the penitentiaries, or either
of them, shall hereafter be