The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22
On motion of Mr.. Gibbs the senate

house bill No. "a, providing pensions
for the survivors of the Texas revO.
luton, the surviving signers of the
declaration of independence, and the
widows remaining unmarried of such
soldiers and signers. Passed.
MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE
Announced the passage of house bill
No. 513, authorizing the secretary of
state to sell copies of the general and
special laws.
Substitute for house bill No. 81,
amending article 1852 of the revised
statutes, relating to clerks in the
comptroller's department.
Substitute for house bill No. 274,
amendatory of articles 1697-93, re-
vlsed statutes, in reference to the
election law.
House bill No. 5lO, designating the
boundaries of Rockwall county.
Mr.. Pfeuffer moved to adjourn till
3 o'clock p. m.
Mr.. Cooper: Amendment to 10
o'clock a. m. Thursday. Carried.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
House met at $50 a. m, Speaker
Gibson and quorum present.
Prayer by the chaplain, Rev. DR..
Poindexter.
House bill 175, requiring justices,
ETC., to make quarterly reports, was
finally passed.
House bill creating the county of
John Upton out of portions of
Nueces and Live Oak counties, was
discussed.
Mr.. Rogers spoke against the bill.
Mr.. Fisher also opposed the bill.
Mr.. Merriwether spoke in its favor.
Mr.. Stout and Mr.. Browning spoke
against it.
Mr.. Swan followed in favor of the
bill.
Mr.. Camp thought the matter was
vious question.
The bill was finally passed; ayes SO,
noes %.
House bill defining the bounds of
Gillespie county was finally passed.
House bill No. 1853, to authorize E.
5. Crosby to make and use boom
over the Brazos river in McLennan
county, was finally passed.
The speaker assigned Messrs. Fly
and Lambert as clerks retained under
last resolution of the house, to duty
on the enrolling and engrossing COM
mitteeS.
The bill to endow the state univer-
sity with one million acres of land or
its proceeds was made the special Or
der for 10 a. m. Thursday.
House bill No. SO, amending the
act creating the Office of public
weigher was amended by Mr.. Labatt
to allow five competent weighers in
every city which receives annually
over one hundred thousand bales of
cotton on sale or for shipment. 1t
provides for two or more in all cities,
towns or railroad stations receiving
from 5000 to 10000 bales. Weighers
to be appointed for two years subject
| to removal for misconduct or incom-
| potency.
The house refused to engross the
bill. Ayes 81, noes 43.
Senate bill No. 135, to create the
law districts of Mitchell and Howard
passed to third reading.
House bill No. 119, regulating trains
in passing crossings, was finally
passed.
House bill No. SOB, was finally pass
ed. 1t authorizes the secretary of
state to sell copies of the laws of the
state.
House bill, No. 1876, restoring crimi.
nal jurisdiction to Titus county, was
finally passed.
House bill No. AZ, to amend by
adding article 4610 (a.) to chapter 4
title SO, revised statutes, was amended
by inserting two instead of three
years. and adding TO the exemption
provided, the counties of Hunt and
Grimes, as amended by Mr.. Tilson,
and Bell and Falls, as amended by Mr.
Ethridge, and inserting, as proposed
| by Mr.. Cramer, Robertson county in
the list of exemptions. 1t amends
the stock law so as to allow its repeal
by two-thirds vote of the counties
AS amended the bill finally passed
Mr.. Robertson of Williamson, had
spread on the journal a motion to re.
consider the vote by which the house
refused to engross the weighers' bill
Substitute for house bill Nos. % and
463, restoring civil and criminal juris.
diction to Burnet and Comancht
counties, was amended by inserting
COmal, Ell Paso, Pecos, Presidio ald
| Tom Green counties, and as thus
amended, was finally passed.
Mr.. Acker had spread on the jour.
nal motion to reconsider the vote
on substitute for house bills % and
463, above noticed.
The house took up Mr.. Caven's
substitute for house bill 274, to amend
articles 1867 and 1893, revised statutes
The bill was finally passed, as follows
A bill to be entitled an act to amend
articles 1867 and 1893 of the revised
statutes.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of Texas
That article 1867 of the revised stat.
utes be so amended as to read as fol
lows:
Article 1867. at the first regular OF
called session of the commissioners
court in each county in each year, Oh
as soon thereafter as practicable, said
court shall select and appoint some
suitable and competent person in each
election precinct to serve as presiding
officer of elections in said precinct
and said appointment shall be noted
upon the minutes of the court; pro-
vided that the commissioners court
of any county may have the power
when they deem advisable, to appoint
two presiding officers for each election
precinct, one of whom shall be the
presiding officer at the ballot box
used for the deposit of ballots cast fol-
president and vice president of the
United States and members of con.
gress of the United States, and the
other presiding officer at the ballot
box used for the deposit of ballots cast
for state, district and county officers.
Article 1893. In all elections by the
people the vote shall be by ballot
which ballot may either be written or
printed, or written in part, or printed
in part, which ballots shall be de-
posted in the ballot box as herein
after provided; provided, however
that whenever the commissi oners
court of any county shall have made
an order appointing two presiding
officers in each election precinct, as
provided in article 1867, then one OF
said presiding officers shall be desig-
mated as the presiding officer to re-
ceive and count and return, as pro-
vided by law, the ballots for electors
for president and vice president OF
the United States and members OF
congress of the United States, and the
other officer to receive, count and re
turn the ballots cast for state, district
and county officers; each to be pro.
vided with metallic or wooden box
to be used for said purpose; and all
laws in force pertaining to the hold
ing of elections and making returns
| thereof shall apply alike to the man.