IN SENATE.
SATURDAY, April 27, 1861.Mr. NEWCOMB introduced a bill [8] providing for the appointment of deputies by certain public officers of this State who have or may hereafter enter the military service of the United States or of this State, and authorizing such deputies to perform all the duties of their principals; which wad read the first time.
On motion by Mr. NEWCOMB the rules were suspended, the bill read the second time and referred to the judiciary committee.
Mr. STUDABAKER introduced a bill [9] to in possession of any more information upon this provide for the purchase of arms and implements of war for the use of the militia and volunteer military companies of the State of Indiana; which I was read the first time.
On motion of Mr. STUDABAKER the rules were suspended and the bill read the second time.
Mr. CLAYPOOL moved to amend by insert ing "15,000M instead of "5,000" stand of arms, and to further amend by providing for the purchase of arms and accoutrements sufficient to equip four regiments of cavalry, and to further amend by providing, for the purchase of guns and accoutrements sufficient to put into the field two battalions of flying artillery. It is the experience of military men that regiments of volunteers ought to be accompanied by flying artillery, and we have within our borders several well organized corps of artillery men.
On motion by Mr. MELLETT the bill and amendments were referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. NEWCOMB offered the following joint resolution [S. No. 2]:
A joint resolution relative to the passage of laws inter fering with the collection of debts, in the Courts of this State.
WHEREAS apprehensions are entertained by some of the citizens of this State that this General Assembly will enact laws to suspend or delay the collection of debts in the Courts of this State; therefore, to quiet all agitation on that subject,
Be it Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
Sec. 1. That no law ought to be passed to interfere, with the collection of existing debts, under the laws in force at the date of the contracting of such debts, because under the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and of the State of Indiana this General Assembly has no constitutional power to enact such a law:
And because such enactment would be a public declaration of bankruptcy on the part, of the people of Indiana, which would not be true in fact and would prostrate the credit of the State and of the citizens at a period when the public safety requires the preservation of the public credit and of the credit of the citizens of the State.
2. And be it further resolved, That it is inexpedient to enact any law postponing the collection of debts hereafter contracted, because parties contracting can make their own terms as to times of payment.
3. This General Assembly does not intend by these resolutions to express an opinion against granting any relief it can under the Constitution to those who have entered into the military service of the State or of the United States.
On motion by Mr. WAGNER it was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
NEW PROPOSITIONS.
The following bills were introduced and severally passed the first reading:
By Mr. FERGUSON: [S. 10] To authorize incorporated cities and towns to execute bonds for the safety and delivery, upon the demand of the page: 23[View Page 23] government of the State of Indiana, of any and all arms distributed to such cities and towns for the use of the military organizations in such cities and towns, and providing when the same may take effect.
By Mr. MARCH: [11] To amend the 18th section of an act entitled an act to fix the times Of holding the Common Pleas Courts in the several counties of this State, the duration of the terms, and making all process from the present Common Pleas Courts returnable to such terms, and declaring when this act shall take effect, and repealing all laws inconsistent therewith.
By Mr. STONE: [12] To legalize the acts of the Auditor of State in depositing certain bonds of the State in the Branch at Indianapolis of the Bank of the State of Indiana, as security for $25,000 borrowed by the Governor, Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer of State, and to assume and provide for the payment of the said sum of money by the State.
By Mr. WAGNER: [13] Making appropriations to meet the expenses of the present session of the Legislature.
By Mr. STONE: [14] To authorize the Governor to borrow money belonging to the military fund, and to authorize the Auditor of State to secure the payment thereof by depositing bonds, of the State with the Board of Commissioners of the sinking fund.
On motion of Mr. FERGUSON, the rules were suspended - yeas 39, nays 0and the Senate bills numbered 10, 12, 13 and 14, introduced this morning, were severally read the second time by title only, and referred to appropriate committees.
On motion of Mr. BEESON - yeas 22, nays 16Mr. March's bill was laid on the table.
RATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Mr. HAMILTON offered the following:
Resolved, by the Senate, That the reply of the Commissary General to the resolution of the Senate of the 26th inst. is unsatisfactory; that he be requested to answer more specifically, and particularly what he pays per day for each ration furnished at Camp Morton, in what does the ration consist and who is the contractor.
Mr. HAMILTON said that he had some considerable experience in this kind of contracts. A party ought to be bound to certify to, the correctness of his accounts. In the commencement of our troubles he wanted a strict accountability.
Mr. CLAYPOOL. We ought to know from the Commissary General what amount of bacon, flour, &c., has been purchased, and what donations have been received by him, and furnished to the soldiers. I have seen, when passing along the streets, barrels and baskets of provisions from various portions of the State en route for Camp Morton, and we ought to know what these donations amount to.
Mr. BLAIR moved to amend the resolution by adding these words:
And the price paid or charged the State for the provisions purchased or furnished, and the quantity of the same, and the persons from whom purchased, and what articles of food have been donated and by whom, for the troops in, Camp Morton and other places in or near this city.
Mr. STEELE. I think a resolution of this kind ought to be adopted. There has been great complaints of a reckless extravagance as to expense; and as one of the tax payers of Indiana, I want to get along upon as economical a scale as possible; therefore I think it necessary to look into these things with the strictest scrutiny. It is said that a single government contractor in the troubles with Utah made a clear profit of more than the whole cost of maintaining the army.
Mr. JOHNSON. We ought to know the amount distributed to each soldier per day. I move to amend by requiring to be reported the amount of each ration.
On motion by Mr. WAGNER, the resolution and amendments were referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Steele, Studabaker and Claypool.
THE LATE HON. RICHARD ROBBINS.
On motion by Mr. LINE -
The PRESIDENT appointed Messrs. Line, Beeson and Berry a committee "to prepare and present to the Senate by next Monday, 3 o'clock P. M., suitable resolutions relative to the death of the Hon. Richard Robbins, a member of this body, from the county of Decatur."
On motion by Mr. DeHART, it was -
The defence bill [H. R. 12] was read first and second time under a suspension of the rules, and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Resolved, That the officers of the companies in Camp Morton, who may visit the capital, be invited to take seats within the bar of the Senate.
The joint resolution from the House of Representatives, authorizing the Auditor of State to issue warrants upon the State Treasury for the mileage and per diem of members and officers of the General Assembly was taken up and concurred in.
Mr. CONNER offered the following:
Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns; it shall adjourn; to meet on Monday next, at 2 o'clock P. M.
On motion by Mr. WAGNER, it was laid on the table - yeas 22, nays 17.
Then came the recess till 2 o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The joint resolution [H. R. No. 2] authorizing the sending of arms to certain counties was taken up and read.
Mr. WOLFE. In view of the uncertainty in which we are involved we must act, and act without counting the cost. Whatever we do we must do it as cheaply and as economically as we can, but I would just as willingly vote for twenty thousand as for one thousand whenever the necessity is presented to me. * * * There should be arms enough left in each county in the State to arm at least one independent company, so that when called upon they can march at almost a moment's warning. This I take to be the prime object of the meeting of this Legislature, to put the State in a position that she may protect herself against any incursionists that may come against her. This may cost one or five millions, but whatever it costs I desire to expend it economically. If it is demanded, appropriate ten millions, but if it is not demanded do not appropriate one dollar. This resolution ought certainly to pass and the only objection I have to it page: 24[View Page 24] is that if only says thousand, instead of thousand.
Mr. MURRAY proposed to amend by adding: "provided said arms shall not be delivered to any but regular organized military companies under the laws'of this State."
Mr. LINE proposed a further Amendment including other counties on certain conditions.
Mr. COBB. This resolution is an evidence of the avidity with which we jump at things here. The resolution is general in its terms for distributing arms, but without any rules by which they are to be brought back. Now it ought to be guarded in some way so as to secure these arms in the future. The resolution should not pass as it is. I move that the resolution and pending amendments be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The motion was agreed to.
The bill [H. R. 3.]. authorizing the authorities of counties, cities and towns to levy taxes, to borrow money for defense, &c., was passed to the second reading.
The joint resolution (H. R. 1,) printed in the House proceedings of yesterday was taken up and read.
Mr. WOLFE. I think it is important that this Legislature should pass, in connection with the resolutions already read, a resolution declaring what is the intention and the object of the State of Indiana in regard to the question, which is the controlling subject, of controversy. I refer to the slavery question, I shall offer an amendment that, while what is in the resolutions is true, yet it is the deliberate sentiment of the people of Indiana that it is contrary to the policy of the government and to the people of the North to make any aggressive warfare upon the institution of slavery. I have not prepared my amendment, but will do so.
On motion, the resolution was passed over informally.
On motion by Mr. WOLFE, it was
Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Government of the United States be and is hereby requested to furnish the State of Indiana with twenty thousand stand of first class arms immediately; and that the Governor is hereby directed to communicate this request to the proper authorities at Washington by telegraph without delay, and when the answer is received to communicate the same to the Legislature.
And then the Senate adjourned till Monday morning 9 o'clock.
