Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-28
SENATOR soMAGEgviilE.
Synopsis Of His Speech on Z Rsso-
lution to Extend the Session.
Ne Tells Sons Plain UMnaishej'
Truths Which Show up Hand
somely the 0bstructionistss

u
islature. A plain business proposition has
been presented to this Senate. A very
large amount Of important business Is now
pending on the calendars of each House Of
the Legislature which cannot BY any possi-
bihty be transacted without . short
extension Of the present session. A
great deal of time and labor has been be-
slowed upon many Of the bills now pending;
they have been fully and maturely discussed
and considered and oil that is now needed
is few days Of additional time to enact
them into laws. II this tine is denied much
| of the labor Of the present session will be
wholly and irretrievably lost. This is the
condition Of affairs and this the proposition
that presents itself to this Senate.
Several Senators from the Republican
side Of this chamber have participated in
this debate, and yet not single word has
| been said by one Of them, either upon the
merits or dement's Of the resolution under
consideration. The whole course Of the
| debate so far as Senators on the Republican
side are concerned, has been Accommodation
| of the Democratic majority. Sir, came
| into this chamber in the beginning Of the
session with the belief that mere partisan
discussion had very little place in . State
Legislature, and my opinion has been con-
frmed rather than weakened by my exPer.
ience here. In the beginning Of the Sec
sion q resolution was adopted coming from
the Republican side OF the chamber, tor .
division Of the Senate into two sides, one TO
be occupied BY the Democrats and the other
BY the Republicans. Nothing Of this kind
had ever been done so far as know in the
previous history Of the State-certsinly not
| in the recent history Of the State. thought
| then and am sure now that this meant the
beginning of a struggle for political and
parliamentary mastery in this body upon
the part Of the minority. Certain Senators
upon the other side Of the chamber. seem to
have imagined themselves orators, and seem.
| ed 10 ha ye'thought that no one on this side OF
the chamber would be able to cope with
them; consequently their attitude toward the
Democratic majority has been both aggres-
sive and offensive. So far, have taken
but little part in these political discussions,
and dislike TO do 50 now, but the time has
come when the assaults Of the minority
must be met. II has been charged that the
present legislature has wasted valuable
time, and sqandered the public money, with
out accomplishing anything for the benefit
of the people. Now, Mr. President, ! want 10
say that this charge is wholly
without foundation. / assert here without
fear of contradiction, aud appeal 70 the
records of this Legislature and 10 every
member Of il in support oI the truth Of what
I say, that no former Legislature In this
State has ever worked harder, or acsom.
plshed more in the same length Of time,
than the one now in session. We are
charged, too, with having INDUCED in part.
san legislation. ! challenge any Senator
here to name single act or resolution
emanating from this side Of the chambsf
that was partisan in its character or was
calculated TO draw party lines, The only
measure Of partisan character that has
been introduced here, came from my col
league, the Senator from Ohio county Mr..
Scott. re fer to the bill TO compel the
| Democratic Governor Of this State 10 ap'
point Republicans on the Board Of Regents
Of the Asylum. These charges, Mr.. Pres.
ident, have not only been made
here but have been repeated
in some Of the Republican papers Of the
State, and see that my friend the Senstor
from Richie, Mr.. Morris, has seen it 10
|
day,a speech alleged TO have been delivered
in this chamber, in which am referred 70
a. one OF the Senators who has obstructed
legislation and wasted time by the intro
duction Of long bills. So far a. this speech
refers to me personally il was no, 90 tar -
| can now recall ever delivered in this cham.
Der, and want TO say to the Senator from
| Richie and other Senators here that the
only bill Of any length which ] have intro
dused ut this session, ,is the bill proposingan
amendment 10 the charter oi the town Of
Wellsburg, and that bill has never been read
in this Senate, and the Senate has not con.
sumed ten minutes during the entire
session in considering II This will bs
shown BY the records Of the Ssnats.
| and is a fact well known 10 every Senator
bae. The Senator from Upshur Ar. Arm.
| old) and the Senator from Barbour Mr.
| Coburn) have charged that Republican Sen.
stors have been disseminated against IN
this body. ard in proof Of that allege that
resolution offered by the Senator from Bar
bour TO expunge from the Journal Of the
Senate q protest entered BY the senator
from Logan (Mr. Floyd, and resolutions
offered by the Senator from Braxton hr
Morrisson), enquiring into the eligibility OF
the Senator from Logan to . seat In the
Senate. were referred TO the Committee os
the Judiciary, and that com mittee never 70.
ported them back TO the Senate. In tho
first place, Mr.. President, the resolutions 81.
luded TO- both went 10 the COMMITTEES and
consideration of them before that commit
tee was postponed on account OF the absence
of the Senator from I,ogau and that vas dons
on motion Of the Senator from Barbour
himself. Since the return Of the Senator
from Logan 10 bis place here, no one he's
ever appeared before the COMMITTEES askiag
that any action be taken upon the resolu'
tons. In addition 10 that under the ruiss
q this Senate every Senator has night 70
enter his protest upon the Journal against
what be eonceives TO be improper legisis-
ton. The Senstor from Logan ssv &c 70
avail himself of bis privileges under the
rule and the Judiciary COMMITTEES and thie
Senate have too much business on hsn1
of general importance to the people Of the
entire State, TO waste valuable time ID ex
punging from the Journal the protest Of .
Senator which the rules give him night V
enter.
The Senator from Tyler (Mr. Smithl has
also said. that the Comnittss %
Education. of which / have he honor
10 be chairman, has failed 10 coasid9
certain resolutions Offered b han and -.
ferred 10 that COMMITTEES. The records of
this Senate will shov that The Coanittse
on Education has reported on evssy bill o.
resolution which has bean rsfsfrsl 10 h.
Tbs reports have been made 70 Tie 6eaats
and the Senator from Tyler has nsvss fsissi
bis voice against . single one d thsa.
Nov. Mr.. President want 70 say n ces-
clusop in the brief time allotted 70 ne, thel
II there has been any vasts of tine 10 IL
Se.s.e, or any obstruction Of lssielsios, u
has come IRON tie Repabhcas ide of the
chamber. and NOT from The Dessocfssic -.
II has cone from Senston Who ssea "a have
Il -. r.. a.. $1,000 "a ts~sslaSfn~