Morning journal and courier., 1889-03-28
OUR LEGISLATURE.

Pike and H. c. Howe's Final Appeals
 -Many other Important Matters Be-
 fore the Legislature Yesterday.
 HARTFORD, Conn.,, March 27. IspeciaI Correspondence of the JOURNAL AND CoUR- . IER.1
 Never since the "Dark Day." a century and eight years ago, when Abraham Daven- port arose in the Connecticut legislature and gave voice to these historic words: "Let God do his work, we will attend to ours," has 80 impressive a scene ever been enacted in the legislative halls of our State as occurred in the Senate to-day. This august body of leoislators resolved itself into tribunal for the disposition of a human life. Two hours and half of debate, powerful from the fact that life was the result of the oratory, en- sued before the moment came when the vote was taken. There might have been fan cied resemblance at least between the words of Davenport, who spoke in darkness on that May day in 17s0 when the house wanted to adjourn for fear that the world was at an end, and the ringing cry of Senator John M. Hall in the Senate chamber to-day, as he, protesting against referring the favorable re- port of the judiciary committee on Murderer SWifts communication to the board of pardons, exclaimed: "To refer this matter to another tribunal created by our ourselves is cow ardly shirking of our duty. Let us do our duty like men as between our maker and ourselves"
 The Senate chamber was packed with peo. pie who impatiently awaited the time when the report of the judiciary recommending communication of Swift's sentence should come up for action. Senator Hall called it up at precisely noon. The report was then read again. Chairman Hall of the judiciary committee said that he was prepared to answer any inquiries which might be made and give any facts of evidence brought out in the committee hearing. The board of par. dons has no jurisdiction in such cases and the legislature is the only place to try the case.
 Senator Catliu offered an amendment to the resolution committing the sentence, which refers it instead to the board of par dons, grants Swift a reprieve until June 21, and hereafter gives the board of pardons power to commute death sentences. The senator said he was nos bloodthirsty nor vim dictive, but he did not believe the senate was the proper place to interfere with the workings of the courts. Senator Gardner offered an amendment of similar nature, ex- cept that it allowed @ communication upon a majority vote of the board of pardons, in stead of unanimous vote, as at present.
 Senator Hall rose to object to both these amendments and made an impassioned ap- peal which carried several votes with it from the opposition and likely saved Swift's life, he said: s'This Senate stultifes itself when it delegates to an inferior tribunal duty we are competent to do. We are the high est tribunal in the State and have retained this petition here fer months. To shrink from the duty of meeting and answering this petition is cowardly surrender of our rights. It's saying to newepaper-holding the Courant in his hand-I'l obey your be- hest in matter of life and death. An eve- ming paper whose editor is member of the board of pardons, has given the programme that has been outlined. The Courant of this morning, too, urges sending the case to the board of pardons. Why should it go to the board of pardons! Can you send it there? Can the legislature delegate it power in particular easel When this paper says that the board of pardons was appointed for such cases it states an untruth. The legislature (of 1883) of that year even re- fused to give the board exclusive control over these releases, but retained the power itself. Two members of the board them selves-the two men who got the bill passed said within week that they had not power over death sentences The legislature should yield to no newspaper clamor. The editor of one of those newspapers is mem- Der of the board-a pure, uncorruptible man but unfortunately his paper hae taken sides in this case. Another member is the chief justice of the Supreme court, who has al- ready sat upon the case in the appeal from the court below. The chief justice unques- tionably, then, has bias in the case. Again I learn that one or two other members of the board have expressed their opinions, one in favor and one against communication.
 Let us do our duty like men. I do mine as God gives me light to see it. If you think Swift should go to prison for life say so. If you think he should go to the scaffold then say SO"
 defend his position and say why be could not vote for the amendment. He did not propose to shirk any responsibility. It has been his record and his long settled coHvic- tion that no human tribunal had any right to take from 8 man that which God alone gave him-his life. In conclusion he urged that the matter should not be sent to the HHoosgd of pardons, and said that he would
 Senator Eeport of the committee.
 every senator should sRREidlgeport argued that and not shift 1t elsewhere. One nhes-o nhaes ooty. the board, high in authority, had said to him that he did not feel competent to act fairly upon the case. Senator Read said that he had originally favored sending the matter tc the board of pardons, but had changed his views.
 Senator Morse pleaded in behalf of Swift'G mother and sister, and urged that the rspor of the committee be sustained. We are hert to decide this question. Let us decide il like men.
 Senator Keeney, of Somers, said that h. must vote against the Catlin amendment, a he understood two members of the board o pardons had expressed opinions.
 Senator States said that he believed him self capable of performing this duty and h. should do it according to his conscience. H' might be @ coward in some cases, but he wal not in this and was not afraid to vote on thii matter. He opposed the amendment. Senator CoA6n was very anxious to have the matter referred to the board of pardons as he did not want to vote on it himself, no knowing as much about the facts as he want ed to.
 At 2:3O the vote was taken on the amend ments, both of which were defeated. "The vote now occurs on the original res olution," said Gen. Merwin.
 Miss Swift, the murdered mans sister, whose faithful work in his behalf will prob ably save his life, had sat through the entire debate. She flushed, and her breath came more quickly, as President Aerwin said GAS many as will favor the resolution rise.'
 Fourteen senators arose, three more than a majority. Eight senators opposed the communication. The vote was as follows:
 Yes-Senators Cleveland, Morse, Graham States, Aver, Mead, Read Crofut, Fuller, HAIL, NOW4cs, DhItIAA1, SOLAu, Aeeu6y-14
 No-Senaters Robbins, Hodge, Twitchell Gardner, Parish, Catlin, Clark, Sprague-5.
 Absent-Senators Corbin and McNeill.
 The rules were suspended, and the resolu. ton immediately transmitted to the House where it will be acted upon tomorrow.
 SHE'LL FISH COMMISSION.
 The long hearing on the bill to abolish the shell fish commission ended to-day. The committee said that they should sit no longs, than to-day on this matter. Judge Pike just resigned as member of the commission. first spoke in favor of its retention. He said 'sThere are some men who. if they cannot rule, will ruin. If it was not for one or two disgruntled individuals you never would have heard of this attack. We have treated everybody with kindness and cour. tesy. Now, gentlemen, said Judge Pike, with great emotion, two years ago the charge was made that the commissioners had charged for work they never had done. This charge of MT. Rowe WAS published in the New York as we'll as