HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1859.Mr. TURPIE submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved,for the last regular session, be adopted as the Rules of this House until further ordered.>
Mr. AUSTIN submitted a resolution for a committee of three, to prepare and report rules for the government of this House, which was adopted.
Mr. MURRAY submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That newspaper reporters be allowed seats inside the bar, for the purpose of reporting the proceedings of this House.
REPORTER TO THE HOUSE - NEWSPAPERS.
Resolved,That a committee of five be appointed to inquire into the expediency of employing a reporter for this House, whose duty it shall be to make full reports of the proceedings, and cause the same to be published in the form of The Legislative Sentinel; and that said committee make inquiry into the cost of furnishing each member of the House with four copies of the same.
Mr. SCOTT. You are aware, sir, that the cost of furnishing papers as heretofore provided, is a very expensive item. If something of this kind could be devised, which would cost much less, and yet afford us the means of keeping our constituents informed of our proceedings here, would it not be well to adopt a resolution of this kind, to inquire into it ? That is all I wish. I do not know what would be the expense. The committee could ascertain that.
Mr. MURRAY. I am opposed to that resolution. I do not think it could operate well in any way. It is true, if we should employ a reporter to take our proceedings in full and publish them in full, it would be a very nice thing to look at and get bound into a book; but it could subserve no other purpose whatever. Now we take a certain number of papers, who employ their own reporters, and they give to the public all that is necessary of page: 9[View Page 9] our entire proceedings. If we have a reporter report the proceedings in full, there is not a paper in the city that could get the entire report into their columns. Then we should have to hire not only a reporter to report our proceedings, but also to publish them; and if this were done, we could not then afford to purchase a sufficient number of copies of that paper to send to our constituents. They would have to remain here and be bound up simply our accommodation. There is no practicality in the resolution, and it ought to be voted down.
Mr. HAMILTON, of Boone. I had prepared a resolution on the same subject, differing in details from this, and perhaps obviating the objections of the gentleman from Elkhart. At the last session our newspapers cost some twelve or thirteen hundred dollars. This is proposed as a substitute for the old practice. But four copies of one paper are to be taken. Last session we took three copies of five papers. I undertake to say we can have a reporter at one-fourth part of the expense of papers, from whom all the papers can have their reports free of charge. The proposition does not interfere with the right accorded to reporters to sit here, but it obviates the necessity of taking three or four copies of each of the city papers. My friend from Elkhart seems to go upon the presumption that we must take the city papers in addition. I am opposed to that, and in my resolution I have provided that these authorized reports shall be taken in lieu of the newspapers.
Mr. SCOTT. That is the object of my resolution.
Mr. NEBEKER, of Warren. Whatever we do, we should do promptly. Whether we had paid too much for newspapers, he knew not, but thought still that the money was well expended. He objected to all waste of words upon this proposition, as far more expensive than the newspapers.
Mr. MURRAY proposed to amend by striking out and inserting
That the Door-keeper contract with the publishers of the Indiana State Journal, the Indiana State Sentinel, the Indiana American, and the two German papers printed in Indianapolis, for three copies of each of their papers for the use of the members of this House, two copies of each to be enveloped and stamped.
Mr. SCOTT. My resolution was to prevent that. It was that the reporter furnish four copies of the proceedings of the day previous; so that we may not have newspapers lying uselessly about the Capitol. It -was to reduce the expenses of the Legislature in this respect. The member from Elkhart, at the last session, was among the foremost for economy, and it is my object to carry out the gentleman's principle-so that the House shall not expend $2,000 for newspapers this session. I have no other object whatever in view.
Mr. CAVINS proposed to amend the amendment by adding three copies of the Daily Citizen.
The proposition was rejected.
Mr. WATERMAN submitted the following:
"Amend so as to allow each member to designate what papers he will takethe amount not to exceed that of the number in the resolution."
The amendment to the amendment was adopted.
Mr. MURRAY now moved to lay the resolution and amendments on the table - demanding the yeas and nays, which being ordered and taken, resulted - yeas 30, nays 62 - as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Boyd, Cavins, Clayton, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Davis, Dougherty, Devol, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Harney, Harrison, Hartley, Hunter, Johnston, Knowlton, Murray, Martin, Ritter, Robinson, Row, Rynerson, Shields, Shockley, Stanfield, Thompson of Elkhart, Whetzel, and Mr. Speaker-30.
NAYS Messrs. Austin, Baird, Black, Blythe, Bowman, Boxley, Brotherton, Carr, Clark, Claypool, Clements, Colgrove, Collier, Dobbins, Durham, Early, Eastham, Edwards, Firestone, Gifford, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant, Hancock, Jeffries, Jones, Jordan, Kelley, Kempf, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain, Mansfield, Massey, Mellett, Merrifield, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson, Newton, Parks, Parrett, Power, Prosser, Scott, Sherman, Shall, Smith of Miami, Snyder, Stanley, Stiles, Sullivan, Summers, Tebbs, Thompson of Madison, Treadway, Turpie, Usrey, Waterman, Wheeler, Whiteman and Wood - 62
So the House refused to lay on the table, and the question recurred on the adoption of the amendment as amended.
Mr. HUNTER. I hope the original resolution will prevail. At the commencement of the last session I offered a similar resolution to employ a reporter. This is merely to inquire into the expense. It is not binding on the House or the committee. Gentlemen think the proposition expensive. What is the fact? Instead of one, we now employ five or six reporters, and take their papers beside. Gentlemen may say we do not pay the reporters; but we add enough to the cost of the papers to pay them, and so we do substantially pay the reporters. Gentlemen may say we need these papers for the purpose of informing our constituents of our proceedings here. But I say there was not a paper went out from this city during the last session, from the reading of which alone a person could gain a full knowledge of the proceedings of this House. They are political papers, and, as a matter of course, they give a coloring to their reports. I do not say the Journal is more fair than the Sentinel. I think one about as fair as the other. Take the Journal, for example. One gentleman has his speech reported in full, and another has a mere description - a little paragraph. There is neither a full nor a fair report. And if we take up the Sentinelthere is the same partiality and want of fullness. So when gentlemen say we want these papers to inform our constituents of our proceedings, it is not the fact. I go then for employing reporters, as a matter of economy, and to secure fairness and completeness in, the reports, &c.
page: 10[View Page 10]Mr. DEVOL submitted the following by way of substitute:
Resolved, That in the opinion of this House, it is inexpedient for the House to subscribe for any newspaper to be paid for out of the funds of the State, or to pay anything for reporting the proceedings of this House.
On the motion of Mr. KEEFER, this proposition was laid on the table, by yeas 67, nays 27; and the question again recurred on the adoption of Mr. Murray's amendment, as amended.
Mr. FIRESTONE demanded the previous question.
Mr. RITTER. I desire, in this connection, to enquire what has become of the Legislative Sentinel?
The SPEAKER. The Chair is informed that it is printed and ready to be laid on the desks of members.
Mr. RITTER. In binding?
The SPEAKER. The Chair is not informed as to that.
Mr. RITTER. At the proper time we will attend to that Legislative Sentinel.
Mr. HARNEY. (By leave.) It looks to me that this proposition is wholly impracticable and absurd. It is expected that the proceedings of the House are to be published in full; that will involve the publication of the debates and a double publication of the journals, and that would be an improvident waste of the public money. It is infinitely better to have our proceedings reported by men outside of the influence of this Hall, than to make them creatures of the Legislature. It is to me a plan got up to enable gentlemen to obtain reports of their speeches at the public expense, or in some way more congenial to their feelings than they would be likely to get at the hand of outsiders. The scheme is new, untried and1 impracticable, and would make us ridiculous-in the eyes of our constituents and the world.
The previous question being now seconded, the yeas and nays on the main question re-resulted - yeas 33, nays 58 - as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Clark, Clements, Dobbins, Early, Firestone, Gifford, Hancock, Harney, Jones, Jordan, Keefer, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, McLain, Massey, Merrifield, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson Shields, Shull, Smith of Perry, Snyder, Stanley, Stiles, Sullivan, Summers, Turpie, Waterman, Wheeler, Wildman, Wood. Mr. Speaker - 33.
NAYS-Messrs. Austin, Baird, Black, Blythe, Bowman, Boyd, Boxley, Brotherton, Carr, Cavins, Claypool, Clayton, Colgrove, Collier, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Davis, Dougherty, Durham, Devol, Edwards, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Harrison, Hartley, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnston, Kelly, Lewis, Mansfield, Mellett, Miller, Murray, Martin, Nebeker of Vermillion, Newton, Parks, Prosser, Ritter, Robinson, Row, Scott, Sherman, Shockley, Smith of Miami,Stanfield, Tebbs, Thompson of Elkhart, Thompson of Madison, Treadway, Usrey, Whetzel. Whiteman - 58
So the amendments were lost, and the question recurred on the adoption of the original resolution.
Mr. MURRAY moved to lay the resolution an the table, demanding the yeas and nays, which resulted - yeas 67, nays 28 - as follows:
YEAS.Messrs. Blythe, Bowman, Boyd, Brotherton, Carr, Cavins, Clark, Claypool, Clayton, Clements, Colgrove. Collier, Davis, Dobbins, Doueherty, Devol, Early, Firestone, Gifford, Griffin, Hancock, Harney. Harrison, Hartley, Jones, Jordan, Keefer, Kelly, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain, Major, Mansfield. Massey, Merrifield, Miller, Murray, Martin, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson, Parrett, Prosser, Ritter, Row, Rynearson, Shields, Shockley, Shull, Smith of Miami, Smith of Perry, Snyder, Stanley, Stanfield, Stiles, Sullivan, Summers, Thompson of Elkhart, Thompson of Madison, Turpie, Waterman, Wheeler, Whetzel, Wildman, and Wood - 67.
NAYS. Messrs. Austin. Black, Boxley, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Durham, Edwards, Gregory, Hall of Grant, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnston, Mellet,Newton, Parks, Power, Robinson, Scott, Sherman, Tebbs, Treadway, Usrey, and Mr. Speaker. - 28
So the House refused to lay on the table, and the question again recurred.
Mr. NEBEKER, of Vermillion, proposed the following by way of substitute:
Resolved, That the Door-keeper be instructed to subscribe for three copies of the daily State Sentinel, three copies of the daily State Journal, three copies of the weekly American, and three copies of the two German papers published in the city of Indianapolis, for the use of members of the House of Representatives.
Mr. SCOTT proposed to add: "and all the rest of the papers of the State;" which was rejected.
Mr. RYNEARSON, proposed to add: "Provided their publishers shall afford the same at their ordinary club rates."
Mr. NEBEKER accepted the latter.
Mr. HAMILTON, of Boone, proposed to add: "The weekly Expositor and Boone County Pioneer;" which was rejected.
Mr. KNOWLTON proposed to substitute the amendment and the resolution by the following:
Resolved, That the Door-keeper contract for three copies each of the daily State Sentinel and the daily State Journaltwo copies to be enveloped and stampedand place the same on the desks of the members of this House.
Mr. MURRAY moved ineffectually to lay this amendment on the table, and then it was adopted, and the question recurred on the adoption of the resolution as amended by Mr. Knowlton.
Mr. NEBEKER, of Warren, demanded the previous question, and under its operation, the vote on the main question stood - yeas 54, nays 35, as follows:
YEAS Messrs. Bowman, Boyd, Brotherton, Clark, Clayton. Clements, Colgrove, Collier, Cotton, Davidson, Dobbins, Early, Edwards, Firestone, Gifford, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Wayne, Hancock, Harney, Hartley, Jeffries, Johnston, Jones, Jordan, Keefer, Kelly, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, Lewis, Merrifield. Martin, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Nelson, Parrett, Power, Prosser, Shull, Stanley, Stanfield, Sullivan, Summers, Thompson, of Elkhart, Thompson of Madison, Turpie, Waterman, Wheeler, Whiteman, and Wood - 54.
NAYS-Messrs. Austin, Baird, Black, Boxley. Carr, Comstock, Davis, Dougherty, Durham, Devol, Hamilton of Boone, Harrison. Hunter, McLain, Mansfield, Mellett. Miller, Murray. Newton, Parks, Ritter, Robinson, Row, Rynearson, Scott, Sherman, Shields, Shockley, Smith of Miami, Stiles, Tebbs, Treadway, Whetzel, and Mr. Speaker- 35.
So the resolution was adopted.
page: 11[View Page 11]REV. MR. CUNNINGHAM.
Mr. MURRAY submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, 'That a committee of three be appointed to wait on the Rev. Mr. Cuanmgham, of this city, and request him to open the present session of the General Assembly with prayer, in joint convention of the two Houses, immediately preceding the delivery of the message of his Excellency, the Governor.
CONVENTION TO HEAR THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.
Mr. DOBBINS submitted the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Senate be invited to attend in the Hall of the House of Representatives this day at two o'clock P. M., to receive the biennial communication of His Excellency the Governor, and that seats be prepared therefor by the Door.keeper on the right of the Speaker's Chair, and that the Senate be forthwith informed of the adoption of this resolution
POSTAGE STAMPS.
Mr. PROSSER submitted the following:
Resolved,That the Door-keeper be authorized to purchase three dollars worth of postage stamps for each member of this Housetwo dollars of the same to be in one cent stamps.
Mr. KNOWLTON demanded the previous question, and pending the force thereof -
Mr. COLGROVE (by leave) said he would vote against the resolution because there was not money enough in it. He would vote for five dollars' worth to each member.
Mr. PROSSER would accept, with the consent of the House. ("No consent.")
he vote on the mam question was - yeas 47, nays 42.
So the resolution Was adopted.
PAGES.
Mr. GIFFORD submitted, the following, which was adopted by consent.
Resolved,That the Door-keeper be authorized to appoint two boys to act as Pages to this House, during the present session.
NEWSPAPERS FOR CLERKS OF THE HOUSE.
Mr. DURHAM submitted the following:
Resolved, That the Clerks of this House be each allowed a copy of the Daily Sentinel and Daily Journal.
Mr. KEEFER proposed to include the Doorkeepers and Pages.
Which was rejected.
Mr. THOMPSON, of Madison, made an ineffectual motion to lay the resolution on the table, and then it was rejected.
STATIONARY FOR THE HOUSE.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I offer the following resolution for a Committee on Stationery. I would just state that at the last Session a similar committee was appointed, and under the rules reported by them and adopted here, the stationery account did not exceed $150, against $2,000. I believe, at the last regular session.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to act as a Standing Committee on Stationery, and that said committee be instructed to make the same rules and regulations with regard to the purchase and distribution thereof, as at the last session.
Mr. DAVIS. I would like to know whether there is any way of getting better paper? The paper I have got is not worth much
Mr. CLEMENTS moved ineffectually to lay the resolution on the table.
Mr. DOUGHERTY. I believe that contemplates a return to the rule of the last session, by which we obtained our paper. I am certainly in favor of economical and just restrictions to prevent waste of stationery, and would vote for such a measure. But it seems to be rather degrading to require members to go to the Doorkeeper to beg a little paper, and then to require the amount obtained to be entered in a book. It seems to me rather degrading to make the Door-keeper the guardian of the stationery, and the member as the ward. It is making our servant our guardian; and then it throws no restriction around the Door-keepers.
Mr. HUNTER. Yes, they account to the committee.
Mr. DOUGHERTY. For my part. I do without stationery to some extent, rather than go to the Door-keepers and ask for it, and then have it charged against me.
Mr. NEBEKER, of Warren, did not beg. His stationery was charged, and he supposed the items were examined. He asked for and obtained and used what he got. He knew of no better way than to call for what a man wants.
Mr. HUNTER replied to Mr. Dougherty. Two years ago thousands of dollars were charged to the State for stationery for the Legislature; and the object was to restrict waste and save money. There was nothing objectionable in the proposition.
The resolution was adopted.
The SPEAKER appointed the Committee on Rules, under Mr. Austin's resolution, namely: Messrs. Austin, Edwards, and Scott, and
The Committee on Prayer, under Mr. Murray's resolution, namely: Messrs. Murray, Blythe, and Gregory.
Mr. KNOWLTON asked and obtained leave of absence until Monday.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
On motion by Mr. BLYTHE, the Committee on Prayer had leave to vary their report from the instructions in the resolution, so as to substitute the name of the Rev. Mr. Tyndall for that of Rev. Mr. Cunninghamthe latter gentleman having been called out of the city; and reported that Mr. Tyndall had consented to pray before the General Assembly at two o'clock this day.
CLERK OF THE STATIONARY ROOM.
Mr. TURPIE submitted the following, which was adopted by consent:
Resolved, That the Stationery Clerk render to the Secretary of State an account of his disbursements of the
page: 12[View Page 12]same during the late special session, and that he account to the said Secretary for the remainder in his hands at the close of the session; and that he take the same action and render the same account at the close of the present regular session.
OPENING BY JOINT CONVENTION
The members and officers of the Senate now appeared and took seats in accordance with the order adopted this morning in joint convention with the House of Representatives.
The convention was called to order by the PRESIDENT pro tempore of the Senate.
Prayers having been offered by the Rev. Mr. Tyndall, of the 2nd Presbytsrian Church of this city.
The PRESIDENT, pro tem., of the Senate anuonnced the order of delivery of the
GOVERNOR'S BIENNIAL MESSAGE.
His Excellency the GOVERNOR, standing on the right of the forum, then read to tin convention his biennial message,
The PRESIDENT, pro tem., of the Senate, The business of the Convention of the two Houses, being concluded, Senators will now repair to their Chamber.
The Senate retired, and the SPEAKER laid before the House, the Governor's Biennial Message.
On motion by Mr. DOBBINS, the consideration of the message was postponed and made the special order for Monday next, at two o'clock.
Mr. BOYD submitted the following:
Resolved,That there be printed for the use of the House of Representatives five thousand copies of the Governor's Biennial Message, one thousand of which shall be under the direction of the Governor and for his use.
Mr. DOUGHERTY proposed to add: "One thousand of the five, to be printed in the German language."
Mr. BOYD accepted; and so the resoultion was adopted.
The House then, at three o"clock, adjourned
