I have thus briefly called to your attention those interests of the State which demand, in my opinion, your immediate action. I have done thus in the hope that a few days only of your time will be required, deferring to make any other recommendation until you assemble at the regular session, which will be on the 6th day of January, 1859. In conclusion, I hope that harmony may prevail in your councils, and that wisdom and patriotism may guide your actions.
ASHBEL P. WILLARD.
The Governor having concluded the Message, the Senators retired to their chamber.
Mr. BOYD submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Governor's Message and accompanying documents be referred to the Committee of the Whole House and made the special order for Wednesday at two o'clock P. M.
WABASH AND ERIE CANAL.
Mr. EDWARDS submitted the following, asking for the yeas and nays on the question of its adoption:
Resolved, That it is hereby declared that this House is unalterably opposed to purchasing the Wabash and Erie Canal by the state.
Mr, GIFFORD proposed to amend the amendment by adding these words: "And that it would not be accepted as a gift."
Mr. EDWARDS proposed to amend the amendment by adding these words: "Unless the State is paid for it."
The amendment to the amendment was adopted; and then the amendment, as amended, was adopted - yeas 74, nays 17 - taken on the demand of Mr. MURRAY.
The question now recurred on the adoption of the resolution as amended.
Mr. DOBBINS complained Of the resolution as useless, and the fact as notorious, that every man on this floor was opposed to taking back that canal, and also that there was already a resolution of opposition to such a thing on the statute book.
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, perhaps every man in the State is aware of the fact, that at the last session of the Legislature a proposition was made to take back ihe Wabash and Erie Canal, and there has not been a public meeting since held anywhere in the State, before whom the subject has been brought that has not con demened it. I also condemn it, and I ask gentlemen here to show where they stand upon it, by their votes on the resolution I offered. The gentleman from Franklin proposed that this Canal be not taken back as a gift, and my amendment to that was, unless the State be paid for it. But I voted against the amendment as amended. I wish gentlemen to vote for the simple proposition as I offered it, and not attempt to evade it by amendments and equivocations. If gentlemen would avoid the difficulty they have brought upon themselves, let them do so by reconsideration.
Mr. THOMPSON, of Madison, moved to re consider the vote just taken.
Mr. MURRAY opposed reconsideration. He was utterly opposed to taking that Canal back and willing to go to the record on the proposition as it is. He moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table.
Mr. DOBBINS demanded the yeas and nays, and the same being ordered and taken, resulted yeas 50, nays 49.
So the motion to reconsider was laid on the table, and the question recurred on the resolution as amended.
Mr. SNYDER proposed further to amend by striking out all after the word "Resolved," and inserting these words:
Resolved, That it would be inexpedient and unwise to, take back the Wabash and Erie Canal, upon any terms, or to reassume in any form the debt to satisfy which it was transferred to the bond holders.
After some discussion of a point of order raised against this amendment by Mr. Davis, which was overruled -
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. BLYTHE demanded the yeas and nays on the resolution as thus amended, and the same being ordered and taken, resulted - yeas 96, nays 0, as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Austin, Baird, Black, Blythe, Bowman, Boyd, Boxley, Branham, Brotherton, Carr, Cavins, Clay, pool, Clayton, Colgrove Collier, Comstock, Cotton, David-son, Davis, Dobbins, Dougherty, Durham, Duvoll, Early, Eastham, Edwards, Mrestone, Fordyce, Gifford, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant. Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone% Hamilton of Wayne, Hancock, Harney, Harrison, Hartley, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Keefer Kelly, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain,Major,Mansfield, Massey, Meilett, Merrifield, Miller, Murray, Martin, Nebeker, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson, Newton, Parks, Parrett, Power, Prosser, Ritter, Robinson, Row, Rynearson, Scott, Sherman, Shields, Shockley, Shull, Smith of Miami, Smith of Perry, Snyder, Stanley, Stan-field, Stiles, Stinson, Sullivan, Summers, Tebbs, Thompson of Elkhart, Thompson of Madison, Treadway, Turpie, Usrey, Waterman, Wheeler, Whetzel, Whiteman, Wildman, Wood, and Mr. Speaker - 98.
NAYS - 0.
So the resolution was adopted.
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.
Mr. TURPIE submitted the following:
Resolved, That 3,000 copies of the Governor's Message be printed in English, and 1,000 copies in German, for the use of this House.
Mr, AUSTIN opposed, and suggested 1,000 copies in English, and 500 in German. Every man in the State who would read the message at all would have read in the newspapers long before it could be published and distributed in this way. Whether he succeeded or not he was for making every effort to retrench unnecessary expenditures.
page: 18[View Page 18]Mr. TURPIE. I am as much in favor of economy as the gentleman from Wayne (Mr. Austin.) I do not know why precedent should be disregarded at this time. Five thousand and three thousand in German are the usual numbers ordered for the message. As to the argument that it will be read in the newspapers, I have to say, that there is but one newspaper in my counties. If five thousand is the number for the regular session, three thousand it seems to me can not be extravagant for a special session. It seems to me that the Chief Executive, who has taken the responsibility to call us together at this time, ought to have a full opportunity to spread before the people the reasons that have led him to take this step. I can make a proper disposition of my share - forty copies - and if the gentleman from Wayne has any to spare, I shall be much obliged to him for them.
On a division of the House, the question was decided in favor of 3000 and 1000 copies.
Mr. RITTER demanded the yeas and nays on the resolution, and the same being ordered and taken, resulted - yeas 59, nays 40 - as follows:
YEAS. - Black, Blythe, Bowman, Boyd, Brotherton, Carr, Claypool, Clayton, Clements, Colgrove, Davis, Dobbins, Dougherty, Durham, Early, Eastham, Firestone, Hancock, Harney, Hartley, Jones. Jordan, Keefer, Kempf, Knowltop, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain, Major, Massey, Mellett, Merrifield, Miller, Newton, Parrett, Power, Row, Scott, Shields, Shockley, Shull, Smith of Perry, Snyder, Stanley, Stanfield, Stiles, Stinson, Sullivan, Summers, Teffy, Thompson of Madison, Turpie, Usrey, Wheeler, Whiteman, Wildman, Wood, and Speaker - 58.
NAYS. - Austin, Baird, Boxley, Branham, Cavins, Collier, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Duvoll, Edwards, Fordyce, Gifford, Gregory, Grffin, Hall of Grant, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Harrison, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnston, Kelly, Mansfield, Murray, Martin, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson, Parks, Prosser, Ritter, Robinson, Rynearson, Sherman, Smith of Miami, Thompson of Eckhart, Treadway, Waterman, Whetzel - 41.
So the resolution was adopted.
DECEASE OF GENERAL ROBERT HANNA.
Mr. COTTON submitted the following:
Resolved, That this body has learned with a profound sorrow, the particulars of the sudden decease of General Robert Hanna, one of the oldest and most respectable citizens of the state, a member of the convention which formed the first constitution of Indiana, once a United States Senator from the state of Indiana, and he has held other important trusts, always to her honor and advantage.
Resolved, As a testimony of respect to the memory of the deceased, that this House now adjourn.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the family of the deceased.
The resolutions were adopted.
The House adjourned.
