SENATE CHAMBER, 1878.} DES MOINES, Iowa, January 25, 1878. Senate met pursuant to adjournment, and was called to order by the President.. Journal of yesterday read and approved. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. The following message was received from the House: MR. PRESIDENT-I am directed to inform your honorable body that the House of Representatives has passed the following bill, in which the concurrence of the Senate is asked: House File No. 4, a bill for an act to amend chapter 9 of the Code, in relation to fugitives from justice. Senate File No. 33, also passed without amendment. Also that the House has concurred in the Senate resolution relative to instructing the Secretary of State to ascertain the number of days District and Circuit Courts of the State are in session. W. V. LUCAS, Chief Clerk. Senator Hartshorn asked to be excused from to morrow morning till February 4th, which request was granted. PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. By Senator Rumple: Two petitions asking a law regulating the practice of medicine. Referred to Judiciary Committee. By Senator Russell: A petition on the same subject. Referred to same committee. By Senator Webb: Petitions on same subject. Same reference. By Senator Johnson: Petition on same subject. Referred to committee on same subject. Petition on same subject. By Senator Haines: tenance of an eclectic University. Petition on the same subject, and referred to Asking a law for the establishment and mainchair in the medical department of the State Referred to the Committee on Judiciary. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS. By Senator Meyer: Senate File No. 64, a bill for an act requiring proprietors of houses of entertainment to provide means of escape in cases of fire. Read first and second time, and referred to committee on Municipal Corporations. By Senator Webb: Senate File No. 65, a bill for an act to establish Superior Courts, defining the jurisdiction and providing for the election and compensation of the judge thereof. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on Judiciary, and ordered printed. By Senator Russell: Senate File No. 66, a bill for an act to repeal section 902 of the Code, and enact a substitute therefor. Read first and second time, ordered printed, and referred to Committee on Judiciary. By Senator Bestow: Senate File No. 67, a bill for an act to repeal section 487 of the Code of 1873, in relation to labor on streets and highways in municipal corporations. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on Municipal Corporations. By Senator Bestow: Senate File No. 68, a bill for an act to amend section 591, title 5, chapter 1, of the Code, relating to the terms of office of township trustees. Read first and second time, referred to Committee on Judiciary, and ordered printed. By Senator Webb: Senate File No. 69, a bill for an act to amend chapter 123, acts of the Sixteenth General Assembly, in relation to taxes in aid of railroads. Read first and second time, ordered printed, and referred to Committee on Railroads. By Senator Johnson: Senate File No. 70, a bill for an act to amend section 1766 of the Code of 1873, relating to certificates for teachers of special branches. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on Schools. By Senator Hanna: Senate File No. 71, a bill for an act to legalize the charter and ordinances of the town of Wilton, Muscatine county, Iowa. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on Municipal Corporations. By Senator Meyer: Senate File No. 72, a bill for an act relating to the election of township trustees. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on County and Township organizations. By Senator McCormack: Senate File No. 73, a bill for an act to amend chapter 26 of the Public Acts of the Sixteenth General Assembly in relation to the support of the poor. Read first and second time, referred to Committee on Military, and ordered printed. By Senator Harned: Senate File No. 74, a bill for an act to amend section 2223 of the Code, regulating divorces and alimony. Read first and second time, and referred to Committee on Judiciary. By Senator Woolson: Senate File No. 75, a bill for an act to provide for a board of State Charities, and to define the duties of the same. Read first and second time, ordered printed, and, on motion of Senator Woolson, was referred to a special committee composed of the chairman of each committee on charitable and reformatory institutions. By Senator Harmon: Senate File No. 76, a bill for an act establish ing a State cabinet at Iowa City, and defining the work and purposes thereof. Read first and second time, and referred to State University Committee. RESOLUTIONS. Senator Stoneman offered the following: Resolved, That each Senator be requested and is hereby instructed to present in writing to the Senate, on or before February 1st, 1878, suggestions whereby State and county expenses may be curtailed in order that the burdens of taxation may be lessened, and that said communications, when so seconded, be referred to the Committee on Retrenchment. On the adoption of the resolution the yeas and nays were demanded and The yeas were: Senators Arnold, Blackman, Carr, Dashiel, Dows, Dwelle, Ford, Gallup, Gilmore, Haines, Ham, Hanna, Harmon, Harned, Hartshorn, Hebard, Hemenway, Kimball, Kinne, Larrabee, Lawrence, Lewellen, McCoid, Madson, Maginnis, Merrell, Meyer, Miller, Nichols of Guthrie, Patterson, Rumple, Russell, Shelley, Stoneman, Teale, Webb, Wilson, Wonn, Woolson, and Wright-40. The nays were: Senators Bestow, Bronson, Chase, Foster, Graham, Johnson, McCormack, and Young-8. Absent or not voting: Senators Clark and Nichols of Benton. So the resolution was agreed to. Senator Foster offered the following concurrent resolution, relative to questions of national finance: WHEREAS, The legislature of a state is intrusted with the duty of enacting laws for the government of such state, and the members thereof are chosen with reference to their fitness for that duty only; and, WHEREAS, Certain national financial questions are now agitating the public mind, which are within the special province of the Congress of the United States to determine; and, WHEREAS, Such questions can only be intelligently determined by those who have made a careful study of the financial questions, affecting not only this country but the civilized world; and, WHEREAS, The decision of such questions ought not to be in the interest of any particular section or class, but in the interest of the nation as a whole; and, WHEREAS, The discussions by legislatures of questions of national finance cannot result in giving intelligent information to Senators and Representatives in Congress upon such difficult propositions, but may result in great injury in requiring them to act against their better judg ment, in accordance to instructions given; therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring: First. That discussion by this body upon the practicability of the remonetization of silver, and other questions of national finance are foreign to any matters contemplated at the time of the election of the members of this body, and upon which they are not authorized to represent their constituents, and not in relation to any matter imposed upon the legislature by law. Second. That time occupied by this body in the discussion of such questions rightfully belongs to the State, and should be devoted to faithful service in the performance of the duties required by law. Third. That dictation to our able Senators and Representatives in Congress, many of whom have devoted years of research to said questions, is unnecessary and presumptuous on the part of this body, and may work great injustice to the people of this country. Fourth. That as legislators we recognize the right to carefully consider and intelligently determine all questions legally submitted to us, as we shall deem for the interest of the state, unawed by any imperaative demands from our constituents; and we recognize the same rights in our Representatives in Congress that we assume to ourselves. Senator Foster moved to make the resolutions a special order for next Tuesday at 10:30 o'clock, a. M. The motion did not prevail. On motion of Senator Dashiell the resolution was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations. By Senator Arnold: Joint Resolution No. 4, relative to the appointment of commissioners from Iowa to the Paris Exposition. Read first and second time, and on motion of Senator Arnold the eleventh rule was suspended, and the joint resolution read a third time. On the question, shall the joint resolution pass? the yeas and nays were as follows: The yeas were— Senators Arnold, Bestow, Blackman, Bronson, Carr, Chase, Dashiell, Dows, Dwelle, Ford, Foster, Gallup, Gilmore, Graham, Haines, Ham, Hanna, Harmon, Harned, Hartshorn, Hebard, Hemenway, Johnson, Kimball, Kinne, Larrabee, Lawrence, Lewellen, McCoid, McCormack, Madson, Maginnis, Merrell, Meyer, Miller, Nichols of Guthrie, Patterson, Rumple, Russell, Shelley, Stoneman, Teale, Webb, Wilson, Wonn, Woolson, Wright, and Young-48. The nays were none. Absent or not voting: Senators Clark, and Nichols of Benton. So the joint resolution passed, and the title was agreed to. Senator Shelley offered the following: Resolved by the Senate, That the Secretary or his assistants furnish to the public printer such Senate files, in their numerical order of presentation, and that the public printer so print them. The resolution was lost. Senator Russell offered the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, by the Senate, That a special committee of nine be appointed to whom shall be referred all bills relating to jury fees and court expenses. Senator Blackman submitted the following resolutions in honor of the memory of the late Senator Arad Hitchcock. WHEREAS, The late Hon. Arad Hitchcock, of Mitchell county, honored by an election to the Senate from the Forty-third District, com prising the counties of Butler, Floyd and Mitchell, to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth General Assemblies, a position which he filled in the former with satisfaction to his constituents, with credit and ability to himself, and won the esteem and confidence of the entire Senate; and, WHEREAS, He departed this life the last day of the session, and at the hour of final adjournment, giving no opportunity for a formal announcement to the last Senate; therefore, Resolved, That we sincerely regret the sad dispensation of Providence that has prevented the deceased Senator Hitchcock from continuing in his seat to which he was elected, and that we do cordially acknowledge our appreciation of his many noble characteristics and great moral worth; that we extend our most sincere condolence and heartfelt sympathy to the widow and family in their bereavement; and, Resolved, That the preamble and resolutions be spread upon the journal; that the Secretary of the Senate be and is hereby directed to forward a copy to the family of the deceased; and, as a further mark of respect to the late Senator Hitchcock, that we do now adjourn until 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. Senator Blackman, in moving the adoption of the resolutions, paid an eloquent tribute to the memory of the deceased Senator. Senator Stoneman seconded the resolutions, and dwelt on the manly character and generous heart of the late Senator. Senator Hebard also seconded the resolutions, and briefly referred to the acquaintance formed with the deceased during the session of the Sixteenth General Assembly. The resolutions were unanimously adopted by a rising vote, and the Senate stood adjourned. SENATE CHAMBER, DES MOINES, Iowa, January 26, 1878.} Senate met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Kooker. Journal of yesterday read and approved. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE. The following message was received from the House: MR. PRESIDENT-I am directed to inform your honorable body that the House has passed the following bills, in which the concurrence of the Senate is asked: House File No. 23, a bill for an act to extend the provisions of chapter 23, Laws of the Eighth General Assembly, &c. House File No. 82, a bill for an act to legalize the incorporation and official acts of the town council of Colfax, Iowa. House File No. 84, a bill for an act to legalize the official acts of |