Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-23
SOurnal au0 OOilrier.
Friday, Feb. 28. 1883.
The General Assembly.

~ The General Assembly. Business Moving Along More Rapidly F. T. Barnum Before the Temperance C0rnmittee-AIso Revs Thompson and Montgomery The Hearing on the Transportation of GunpOvvder Post- pOned-Other Matters of Irterest.
 HARTFORD, Feb. 22, 1883. Special correspondence of the JOURNAL AND COURIER
 There was considerable business transacted in both branches of the General Assembly to-day. Both bodies commenced their labors promptly at 1O:30, and rattled it of in a way that was delightful to behold. There was considerable merriment over the bill providing for $25 fine for anybody who shal- kill an American eagle. On the end of the bill had been included the osprey or fish hawk, and amendments without number were offered to the bill. One member claimed that the fish hawk was 8 necessary adjunct to the eagle, as when he caught fish the eagle went for it and always got it, so that the hawk kept the eagle alive. He hoped the bill would pass as amended. Mir. Law, of New Haven, offered an amendment pro- viding that if the eagle was caught stealing the fish from the hawk that said eagle be brought before the court and fined $5 and costs This caused much merriment. Finally the bill passed with the fish hawk clause stricken of.
 The Committee on Temperance met in the House at 2 p. m. and heard an address from Hon. F. T. Barnum, who gave at some length his views on the present license law. He argued that licenses should only be granted in suitable places, and there should only be one license to every five hundred persons, which would make about fourteen licensed \ in the city of Bridgeport. He said that | everything depends on legislation, if it was not bad Legislation If we did not make the I government what it ought to be we should \ suffer in the end. He said the present law | did not quite suit the rumseller and 1t did not quite suit the teetotalers, which was pretty good evidence to him that the law was ! about right. He hoped it would not be med dled with in any way.
 The bill properly under consideration WAS the appointment of commission as suggest ed by convention of Methodists from all parts who met in Hartford some time since. At that convention they appointed com- | VI Hartford, Rev. Hugh Montgomery of Nor wich, and MT. Bell of Norwalk, a member of t the present Assembly. Rev. MT. Thompson was the first speaker. He said that he represented the memorialists | who ask for this commission What they | desired was that commission of three pel sons be appointed to travel through the State | and glean all the facts possible bearing upon the question of liquor selling and intemper- ance. He would not ask that all of these commissioners should be temperance men, but among them should be one who is inter- ested in some way in the liquor traffic. He said they advocated commission simply to get at the facts which would be a basis for intelligent legislation. He thought the con- mission should be paid their expenses and nothing more. He thought the number of the commission should be three and all of them intelligent, conservative and honest in their views. Rev. Hugh Montgomery fol lowed in earnest speech in favor of the ap- pointment of commission and did not differ materially in his views from Rev. MT. Thompson.
 There was large number in the hall, who listened attentively to what was said by the advocates of the bill.
 The Committee on Agriculture heard par. ties interested in division fences and barbed \ wire fences.
 The hearing on the transportation of gun ' powder and other explosives on railroads which was to have been heard before tho Committee on Railroads, was continued unti March 6, as Quartermaster General McManui | was not ready to be heard on the subject to day.
 \ The Committee on Education had hear ing this afternoon on a bill to increase thu membership on all boards of education iron four to eight members. Prof. Camp, of New Britain, and Hon. George M. Landers, of tn, same place, advocated the change.
 The Judiciary committee heard speeche on bill that proposes to take the taxing O. costs from the judges of courts and leaving it for the jury to decide.
 E Following is the business transacted in tn, Senate and House to day.
 The Senate.
 The Senate was called to order at 1O:30 \ Lieutenant Governor Sumner in the chair Prayer was offered by Chaplain Parker. ! Reports of committees were received at follows:
 Incorporations-Favor on bill incorpo \ rating the Lee Arms company of Bridgeport \ favorable on resolution incorporating thu ! Litchfield Water company favorable or | resolution incorporating the Spencer Maga \ zine Shot Gun company of Windsor, capita $200, 900, incorporators c. M. Spencer, H \ Sidney Hayden, George G. Sill, Joseph w Frazier. Morris w. Seymour, Thomas w ' Loomis and Frank Belles, jr. :; favorable or resolution granting the American Brass and Clock company, of Bristol, charter to dc business in foreign countries. All tabled fol calendar and printing.
 | Military yAffairs-Favorable on resolution directing the quartermaster general to issue arms to the New Britain Rifle company calendar and printing.
 | Education-Favorable on bill concerning the collection and compilation by the State board of education, of studies, other than "common branches" taught in the public I schools calendar and printing. | Business from the House was received and placed upon the calendar.
 ! Concurrent action was taken in passing thes resolution appointing Representative | Edwin G. Sumner, of Mansfield, 8 commis sioner of Holland county.
 Senator Scofield was appointed Senate | member of the committee of conference on disagreeing action of the two houses on the resolution ordering the printing of 400 copies of the bill providing for court oi common pleas in Litctfield county. The l resolution was passed by the House, but re- jected by the Senate.
 Business on the calendar was disposed ot as follows:
 Concurred with the House in passing the bill authorizing fire insurance companies to insure against loss by wind-storms, tornadoes and cyclones.
 The bill taking from constables the power of summoning jurors and placing it in the hands of sheriffs and deputy sheriffs was discussed at some length.
 Senators Cooke and Yale opposed the measure and Senator Scofiel favored it's pas sage The bill was rejected by a vote of to l6.
 At 11:15 o'clock the Senate adjourned until Friday morning at 10:30.
 ' The House.
 The House was called to order at 1O:3O, | Speaker Pine in the chair. Prayer was offered by Chaplain Page.
 Petitions were received and referred as \ follows:
 | OfF A. Pratt, Amos Whitney and 2s2 others of Hartford for change in factorizing ' Ioxrc. of R f1iddan a al 0f Manafald :.