Journal of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois

petent as a juror who may state, in open court, that he has an opinion based upon rumor, or even representations of the facts made to him by those who may be supposed to know something of them, provided that any bias or opinion he may have will not prevent him from rendering a verdict according to the evidence given in the case. It is my opinion, under these changes of the law there will be much less delay, far less expense, and, therefore, more certainty and surety in the administration of criminal law in our State.

I trust I shall not be going beyond the proper bounds of executive propriety to remark, that the judicial department of our government, by the general intelligence, the education and standing, the sterling integ rity and general fitness of those honorable persons whose duty it is to administer this department of the State government, merit, and I believe I may say, receive the confidence of our people. I cannot contemplate without shuddering the possibility of a coming time when the respect due to the tribunals of justice might be forfeited, and this firm stay of our country jostled and weakened. When we contemplate the vast interests at stake, the deep concern of our people, and the deservedly high rank our courts have taken in the country, we may congratulate ourselves and accept it as a harbinger of permanent good to those to come after us, that no stain rests upon the judicial arm of our service; no suspicion of improper influence has thus far invaded its high precincts, and no cause for suspicion rests upon it in its broad field of usefulness throughout our State. If I may take so much liberty-seeing it plods along in the rear, overlooking the actions of men, the changing aspects of things, and the deliberations of legislative assemblies, a sort of last resort, to which we all look for justice and right when they are believed to have failed everywhere else, slow to wrath but firm as a rock-may not the judicial arm of the service be called the reserve corps, and being so, must it not keep in hailing distance of and respond to the advancing columns?

I take it, gentlemen, your observations lead you to the conclusion to which all reflecting minds at last come: that all changes of constitutions, modifications of laws, as well as all reforms sought by legal enactments amount to but little, and effect substantially no real improvement in the administration of public affairs, nor the regulation of public conduct, unless built upon and sustained by a healthy and corresponding public sentiment. Good laws materially assist in promoting the general prosperity, when based upon, upheld and sustained by a proper public morality. I believe experience will show that legislation in advance of public necessity, thrust forward before its day, upon mere expectation, or to meet empirical notions of morality and reform, will not, in the end, prove wise or useful. Marching side by side with the experience of the age, as we shall comprehend it, and the necessities of the times as we shall understand them, we shall come nearer the standard of prudent legislation, and most likely fulfill the reasonable expectations of our constituents, promote the general prosperity of the State, and deserve the favor of the ruler of the universe.

R. J. OGLESBY.

The temporary President of the Senate then announced that the object of the joint session having been accomplished, the Senate would withdraw, and the Senate thereupon withdrew.

On motion of Mr. Shaw, it was

Ordered, That five thousand copies of the Governor's inaugural ad dress be printed for the use of the House.

On motion of Mr. Bradwell,

At 3:30 o'clock P. M. the House adjourned.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1873.

Prayer by Rev. Mr. Barrows.

The journal of yesterday was read.

The Speaker announced the following standing committees of the House:

1. Judiciary-Bushnell, Hay, Shaw, Bradwell, Johnson, Leitze, Grey, Rountree, Golden, Sawyer, Dunham, Hite of St. Clair, Armstrong of Grundy, Moore of Adams, Orendorff, Quinn, Walker.

2. Corporations-Starr, Moffit, Swan, Pollock, Washburne, Dement, Moore of Marshall, Ferrier, Henry, Casey, Smith, Middlecoff, Hite of Madison, Marsh, Ballow.

3. Railroads-Hildrup, Sheridan, Connolly, Shaw, Hay, Anderson, Cassidy, Westfall, Ray, Wicker, Casey, Harrington, Morrison, Dunham, Lemma, Armstrong of Grundy, Booth.

Inland Commerce and Warehouses-Johnston, Dalton, Hopkins, Hart, Pinnell, Thomas, Rice, Alexander of Crawford, Cronkrite, Warner, Ballow, McGee, Dewey, Lane of DeWitt, McDonald.

5. Judicial Department-Shaw, Bradwell, Starr, Connolly, Truitt, Efner, Inscore, Branson, Jones, Bushnell, Johnston, Golden, Hildrup, Swan, Sawyer, Oberly, McPherren, Loomis, Shumway, Condon, Armstrong of Grundy, Easley, Marsh, Moose, Walker.

6. Finance-Carpenter, Gordon, Granger, Wymore, Harvey, Freeland, Herting, Snow, Race, Rogers, Bryant, Bishop of Edgar, Halpin, Virden, Forth.

Mines and Mining-Ray, Stewart of McLean, Mitchell, Webster, Raney, Pyatt, Wymore, Armstrong of LaSalle, Virden, Jessup, Dresser, Neville, Alexander of Montgomery.

8. Fees and Salaries-Swan, Westfall, Oleson, Hollenback, Pollock, Plowman, Jones, Efner, Blakely, Collins, Condon, Cronkrite, Darnell. 9. Appropriations-Thomas, Hay, Scanlan, Gordon, Mann, Truitt, Penfield, Inscore, Hopkins, James, Sherman, Lewis, Darnell, Morrison, McDonald.

10. Penitentiary-Barkley, Cross, Stewart of McLean, Rankin, Dalton, Lane of Hancock, Wood, Wymore, Graham, Bishop of McHenry, Easley, Quinn, Bishop of Edgar, Jessup, Webber.

11. Municipal-Rountree, Starr, Scanlan, Leitze, Warner, Mulvane, Soule, Anderson, Savage, Cronkrite, Scott, Nulton, Condon, Lewis, James.

12. Education-Snow, Mitchell, Bradwell, Graham, Johnston, Rice, Herting, Taggart, Truitt, Rogers, McAdams, Moose, Hoiles, McPherran, Streator.

13. State Institutions-Branson, Gordon, Stewart of McLean, Mann, Davis, Scanlan, Rice, Mitchell, Ferrier, Hite of Madison, Bishop of Edgar, Lemma, Walker, Meacham, Morrison.

14. Public Charities-Cross, Race, Wymore, Senne, Oleson, Rankin, Oakwood, Massie, Jackson, Blakely, Dresser, Lewis, Lane of DeWitt. 15. Public Buildings and Grounds-Plowman, Pinnell, Rountree, Golden, Thomas, Bushnell, Mann, Penfield, Branson, Orendorff, Oberly, Peltzer, Shumway, Middlecoff, Loomis.

16. Revenue-Hay, Graham, Bullard, Hawes, Dalton, Carpenter, Moffit, Chambers, Freeland, Armstrong of LaSalle, Weinheimer, Thornton, Sylvester, Stroud, Smith.

17. Banks and Banking-Efner, Pinell, Herting, Grant, Wicker, Granger, Bocock, Sawyer, Hoiles, Bryant, Shumway, Moore of Adams, Webber.

18. County and Township Organization-Hawes, Hart, Mulvane, Stewart of Winnebago, Gridley, Bullard, Harvey, Grant, Penfield, Easley, Peltzer, Alexander of Crawford, Middlecoff, Meacham, Rogers. 19. Agriculture and Horticulture-Moffit, Senne, Sheridan, Taggart, Freeman, Chambers, Ramey, Cross, Cassidy, Herrington, McAdams, Stroud, Streetor, Booth, Forth.

20. Manufactures-Dement, Savage, Bocock, Wayman, Webster, Freeland, Jaquess, Davis, McLaughlan, Dresser, Wick, Lomax, Weinheimer.

21. Canal and River Improvements-Wicker, Savage, Jaquess, Snow, Washburne, Lane of Hancock, Massie, Henry, Webster, Sherman, Jessup, Armstrong of LaSalle, Hite of Madison, Dolan, Peltzer.

Elections-Ferrier, Grey, Stewart of Winnebago, Pollock, Henry, Cullerton, Ray, Nulton, Halpin, Bishop of McHenry, Lane of De Witt. 23. Equalization of Taxes-Dalton, Chambers, McGee, Bullard, Hart, Race, Bishop of McHenry, Pyatt, Wick, Weinheimer, McLaughlan.

24. Insurance-Mann, Race, Scanlan, Jones, Westfall, Taggart, Washburne, Pollock, Darnell, James, Jackson, Collins, Hite of St. Clair. 25. Federal Relations Anderson, Hildrup, Branson, Rountree, Hawes, Casey, Hite of St. Clair, Dunham, Scott.

26.

Claims-Golden, Gridley, Barkley, Freeman, Harvey, Alexander of Montgomery, Jackson, Lomax, Kann.

27. Militia-Sheridan, Dement, Warner, Freeland, Westfall, Davis, Grant, Sherman, Marsh, McDonald, Flanders.

Civil Service and Retrenchment-Hart, Mulvane, Bocock, Oakwood, Oleson, Anderson, Massie, Cullerton, Blakely, Alexander of Montgomery, Forth, Flanders, Lane of DeWitt.

29. Geological Survey-Stewart of McLean, Gridley, Rankin, Jaquess, Senne, McAdams, Moose, Halpin, Loomis.

30. Printing-Bradwell, Barkley, Bocock, Granger, Grant, Leitze, Pyatt, Oberly, Thornton, Órendorff, Smith.

31. Roads and Highways-Wood, Ramey, Mulvane, Cassidy, Oakwood, Stewart of Winnebago, Moore of Adams, Dolan, Booth, Newton, Dewey.

32. Executive Department-Lane of Hancock, Hollenback, Freeman, Webster, Cullerton, Dewey, Sylvester, Hoiles, Thornton.

33. Drainage-Cassidy, Senne, Ramey, Massie, Plowman, Harrington, Ballow, Dolan, Stroud.

34. Contingent Expenses-Jones, Hollenback, Hopkins, Grey, Flanders, Kann, Meacham.

35. Rules-The Speaker, Carpenter, Hildrup, Thomas, Wood, Casey, Lemma.

36. Miscellaneous Subjects-Inscore, Wayman, Soule, McGee, Newton, Kann, Bryant.

37. State and Public Library-Connolly, Sylvester, Graham, Soule, McPherren, Lomax, Nulton.

38. Enrolled and Engrossed Bills-Moore of Marshall, Herting, Swan, Quinn, Collins.

39. Mileage-Savage, Moore of Marshall, Oleson, Scott, Neville. Mr. Shumway presented a petition asking that the time for collection of taxes be extended at least sixty days; which was referred to the committee on revenue.

The financial report of the Governor was taken up and referred to the committee on executive department.

The introduction of bills being in order,

Mr. Armstrong of Grundy introduced House bill, No. 11, for "An act to amend an act entitled 'an act to provide for the election and qualification of justices of the peace and constables, and to provide for the jurisdiction and practice of justices of the peace in civil cases, etc.,' approved April 1, 1872."

Which was read first time, and referred to the committee on judiciary.

Mr. Armstrong of Grundy introduced House bill, No. 12, for "An act to amend an act entitled 'an act to provide against the evils resulting from the sale of intoxicating liquors in the State of Illinois,' approved January 13, 1872."