Promissory Notes, Bonds, Due Bills, etc. Reporter of Supreme Court. Seat of Government. Slander and Libel. State Contracts. State Library. Surveys and Surveyors. Telegraph Companies. Toll Bridges. Toll Roads. Township Insurance Companies. Township Organization. Universities and Colleges. Vacation of Streets, Alleys and Public Grounds. Weights and Measures. Amendment to the Revenue Law. Amendment to the Law concerning Bail in Civil Cases. By the terms of the resolutions, only the bills for the revision of the Statutes which had been prepared by the Revision Commissioners and not acted upon by either House of the General Assembly, and such part of the revision as had not been prepared, were referred to this Committee. Revision bills on the following subjects are now pending before the General Assembly, to-wit: Account-Senate bill 258, on second reading by sections in Senate. Coroners-Senate bill 293, on third reading in Senate. Counties-Senate bill 281, passed Senate, and referred by House to this committee, and substitute reported herewith. Divorce-Senate bill 383, on second reading by sections in Senate. Dogs-Senate bill 408, referred to judiciary committee of Senate. Estrays-Senate bill 359, on second reading by sections in Senate. Forcible Entry and Detainer-Senate bill 360, on third reading in Senate. Idiots, Lunatics and Spendthrifts-Senate bill 348, on second reading by sections in Senate. Interest-Senate bill 295, on second reading in House. Liens of Mechanics and others-Senate bill 403, second reading by sections in Senate. Marriages-Senate bill 397, second reading by sections in Senate. Mortgages of Real and Personal Property-Senate bill 315, referred to revision committee of Senate. Partition-Senate bill 317, third reading in Senate. Secretary of State Senate bill 279, passed in Senate and House, and pending in House on question of receding from its amendment. Sheriffs-Senate bill 292, on third reading in Senate. Township Organization-Senate bill 198, referred to this committee by the House and reported with amendments as above. Venue in Civil and Criminal Cases-Senate bill 280, on second reading in House. The following revision bills reported to this General Assembly have become law: Arbitration and Awards. Auditor of State. Landlord and Tenant. Reform School. State Treasurer. The committee have not prepared bills upon the subject of dissolution of insurance companies, as Senate bill No. 45, which has passed both houses, and is now pending upon an amendment in the House, in which the Senate refused to concur, covers that subject; nor upon the "police regulations in relation to railroads," as House bill No. 203, which has passed the House and is now pending in the Senate, and Senate bill No. 147, sufficiently cover that subject. The committee have not, except in two instances, reported bills amending revision acts heretofore passed. They have not felt warranted in reporting such bills under the terms of the resolutions under which they were appointed, if, indeed, they had had sufficient time to prepare the same; they would, however, recommend that the necessary bills be prepared to rectify the errors that have occurred in the passage of former acts, and remove the inconsistencies that exist between the several acts now in force. They would call especial attention to the act in regard to "roads and bridges" in counties not under township organization, approved April 18, 1873. This act, section 23, provides for the impanneling of a jury of six men by the county court to assess damages upon the laying out of new roads. Section 53 provides that on the election of county commissioners, under article 10, section 6, of the constitution, the duties provided to be discharged by the county courts shall devolve upon and be discharged by the board of commissioners. The effect of this provision will be to require the county board, which is in no sense a court, to assume the duties of a court in impanneling a jury. A jury, as is required by section 13, article 2, of the constitution, implies a court of competent jurisdiction to impannel the same, and must consist of twelve men, except in cases before a justice of the peace. Some objections have been suggested to the eminent domain act. One of most importance is, that it does not provide for the ascertainment of damages in favor of persons whose property is damaged in cases where the corporation exercising the right does not petition for the condemnation of property; that the only remedy in such a case is an action upon the case as for a nuisance, in which the recovery can only be for the damages which may have accrued up to the time of bring. ing the suit, and a judgment in one suit does not preclude other suits for damages resulting thereafter as long as the improvement may remain. The resolutions under which your committee was appointed would seem to require the bills to be printed, and that portion of them not required to be bound to be distributed to the members of the General Assembly as fast as the bills were prepared. The committee have found this impracticable, without precluding them from making such changes and corrections as the further progress of their work suggested, and greatly increasing the expense of printing and binding. The large amount of work required to be done rendered it necessary for the committee to continue its sessions, beyond the time limited by the resolutions, until the 10th of December, at which time the printing and binding of the bills had not been completed. Your committee would recommend the compilation and publication of all the general laws which will be in force on the 1st day of July next. They are of opinion that it will be necessary to provide for this by an act to be passed at this session. They would, therefore, recommend that such an act be passed at as early a day as practicable, so that such compilation may be ready for distribution on or before the first day of July next. All of which is respectfully submitted. C. W. UPTON, C. B. STEELE, of the Senate. MILTON HAY, CHARLES DUNHAM, JOHN M. ROUNTREE, of the House. H. B. HURD, Commissioner of Revision. On motion of Mr. Palmer, The Senate at 1:20 o'clock P. M., adjourned. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1874-9:30 O'clock A. M. Senate met, pursuant to adjournment. The journal of yesterday was read and approved. Mr. Voris (by unanimous consent) introduced Senate bill, No. 437, for "An act to prevent extortion and unjust discrimination in the rates charged for the transportation of freight on railroads in this State, and to punish the same, and prescribe a mode of procedure and rules of evidence in relation thereto." Which was ordered to a first reading, and, On motion of Mr. Voris, Ordered printed. On motion of Mr. Cummings, The bill was referred to the committee on railroads. On motion of Mr. Cummings, Leave of absence was granted Mr. Short. Mr. Nicholson (by unanimous consent) introduced Senate bill, No. 438, for "An act to repeal an act entitled 'an act to provide for the elec tion of additional supervisors in the county therein named.'" Which was ordered to a first reading. On motion of Mr. Nicholson, The rules were suspended, the bill was read at large a first time, and ordered to a second reading, and, On motion of Mr. Nicholson, Referred to committee on counties and township organization. Mr. Kehoe (by unanimous consent) introduced Senate bill, No. 439, for "An act to repeal section twenty-five (25) of an act entitled 'an act in regarn to elections, and to provide for filling vacancies in elective offices,' approved April 3, 1872." Which was ordered to a first reading, and, On motion of Mr. Kehoe, Referred to the committee on elections. Mr. Kehoe (by unanimous consent) introduced Senate bill, No. 440, for "An act to repeal an act entitled an act to fund and provide for paying the railroad debts of counties, townships, cities and towns,' in force April 16, 1869.” Which was ordered to a first reading, and referred to the committee on revenue. On motion of Mr. Shepard, The rules were suspended and the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That the committee on expenses of the General Assembly be and hereby are instructed to ascertain what standing committees of the Senate will require clerks, and to report as soon as practicable to the Senate. The President announced the pending order of business as being Senate bills on third reading. On motion of Mr. Sheldon, The pending order was passed. Senate bill, No. 398, for "An act to establish an inebriate asylum and to provide for the suppo: t of the same," Was taken up and read at large a second time, and, On motion of Mr. Sheldon, Referred to the committee on state charitable and educational institutions. Senate bill, No. 217, for "An act in regard to the fees of justices of the peace, constables, jurors and witnesses in criminal cases," Was taken up and read at large a second time, and, On motion of Mr. Cummings, The bill was ordered laid on the table. Senate bill, No. 238, for "An act to provide for the payment of mili tary companies while on duty at Chicago in the month of October, 1871," Was taken up and read at large a second time, and ordered on file to be considered by sections, and printed. Senate bill, No. 427, for "An act to repeal section one of an act entitled an act to appropriate moneys in aid of the State Board of Agriculture, and county agricultural boards,"" Was taken up and read at large a second time, and, On motion of Mr. Hampton, The bill was recommitted to the committee on agriculture and drainage. On motion of Mr. Hampton, The rules were suspended and the following resolution and amendments were taken up for consideration. Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That without regard to polities or party ties, we do most emphatically place our seal of condemnation upon our Representatives in Congress from this State who by their own votes increased their own pay to seven thousand five huudred dollars per annum, and a bonus of five thousand dollars for services already rendered. Amended by striking out all after the word "Resolved," and insert: By the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring herein, That without regard to politics or party ties we do most emphatically place the seal of our condemnation upon our Senators and Representatives in Congress from this State who by their votes increased their own pay to seven thousand five hundred dollars per annum and a bonus of five thousand dollars for services already rendered, and we further condemn the President of the United States for signing the bill by which they were enabled to realize the increased pay and his own salary increased twenty-five thousand dollars per annum. Mr. Nicholson offered the following amendment to the amendment, which was adopted: Amend the amendment by striking out all after the words "by the" in the first line and insert the following: "House of Representatives, the Senate concurring herein, That we emphatically condemn the law passed by the 42d Congress increasing the pay of members of Congress and other officers of the government, and instruct our Senators and respectfully request our Representatives in Congress to use their best endeavors to secure the unconditional repeal of said law; and we hereby declare our conviction that the Constitution of the United States should be so amended as to prevent any future Congress from increasing the pay of its own members, and we hereby express our earnest request that immediate measures be instituted by Congress to secure this end." On motion of Mr. Whiting, The previous question was ordered. The question being "Shall the amendment as amended be adopted ?" and the yeas and nays being demanded, it was decided in the affirmative by the following vote. Those voting in the affirmative are, Messrs, Archer, Baldwin, Casey, Castle, Crews, Cummings, Cunningham, Cusey, Dow, Ferrell, Green, Gundlach, Hampton, Henry, Hinchcliffe, Hundley, Jacobs, Kehoe, Kelly, Murphy, Nicholson, Palmer, Reynolds, Sanford, Sheldon, Shepard, Starne, Steele, Strong, Voris, Ware, Warren, Whiting, Wilcox, Yager, Youngblood, Mr. President-37. The question being "Shall the resolution as amended be adopted ?" and the yeas and nays being demanded, it was decided in the affirmative by the following vote. Those voting in the affirmative are, Messrs. Archer, Baldwin, Burke, Casey, Castle, Crews, Cnmmings, Cunningham, Cusey, Dow, Fer rell, Green, Gundlach, Hampton, Henry, Hinchcliffe, Hundley, Jacobs, Kehoe, Kelly, Murphy, Nicholson, Palmer, Reynolds, Sanford, Sheldon, Shepard, Starne, Steele, Strong, Voris, Ware, Warren, Whiting, Wilcox, Yager, Youngblood, Mr. President-38. Mr Upton (by unanimous consent), from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 441, for "An act to revise the law in relation to county clerks." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 442, for "An act to revise the law in relation to clerks of courts." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 443, for "An act to revise the law in relation to the supreme court." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No 444, for "An act to revise the law in relation to circuit courts and the superior court of Cook county." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 445, for "An act to revise the law in relation to the criminal court of Cook county." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, form the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 446, for "An act to fix the terms of the courts of Cook county." Which was ordered to a first reading. Mr. Upton, from the joint committee on revision, introduced Senate bill, No. 447, for "An act to revise the law in relation to county courts." Which was ordered to a first reading. |