AFTERNOON SESSION.
The SPEAKER announced the consideration of Mr. McLean's joint resolution [H. R. No. 8.] for amendment to the Constitution.
Mr. WOLFE took the floor against the proposed amendment. He deprecated the ordinary college course of instruction, as lacking in what is practical. It was negligent of the physical constitution. We should teach our children to be practical first to work. If he would find common honesty he would look to the rural districts, where practical, physical education was most respected. Then he objected to the amendment as opening the way to increase the burdens of taxation. He insisted, also, that the time when our present Constitution was adopted was more favorable to a wise determination of all these public questions than the present; Our system of education was a mistake; and the tendencies were too great toward extravagance.
Mr. BIRD replied to Mr. Wolfe's objections. There was nothing now more earnestly demanded by the people than the passage of this amendment resolution. There was an example of what might be expected for this amendment in the school system which has been maintained in the city of Evansville, receiving its authority from their city charter, which is older than the State Constitution. He referred also to the good working and acceptability of the legislation upon the principle of this amendment, which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. He argued the question generally.
Mr. McLEAN said it was thought the provisions of the joint resolution were not full enough in some of its particulars; therefore be would move that it be referred again to the Committee on Education, with instructions to amend so as to provide, that the Secretary of State shall give notice and prescribe the form of the popular vote thereon.
Mr. HUGHES said, amendments to the Constitution should be made with care, hence the careful provisions with reference to them. It was our duties here to da something more than merely to give our assent to any proposed amendment to the Constitution - we should recommend it. The State of Indiana has a very large common school fund, as compared with that of other States. It was ample to give a good rudimental English education to all the people. He could not think the power to tax the people should be considered on city corporations, which were supposed to be well enough able to take care of themselves. But this proposition includes towns also, where a few persons page: 212[View Page 212] will control the city elections. It proposes to give this power to them. The town corporations occupy too little space in the mind of the people to be intrusted with this taxing power. He did not think the people have asked for this amendment - did not think it was a popular movement. The war has left in debt as a nation, and as individuals: and we would do well to heed the warning voice of the Secretary of the Treasury, when he tells us that a money crisis will hardly be escaped. He did not think the power of taxation now should be intrusted to any but the representatives of the people.
[Here, on motion of Mr. VAWTER, Dr. Elijah Newland, Representative elect from the county of Floyd, came forward, presented his credentials, received the oath of a Representative at the hands of the Speaker, and took his seat.]
Mr. WOLFE moved to lay the joint resolution on the table.
The yeas and nays being demanded, ordered and taken on this motion, resulted yeas 31, nays 41 - as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Black, Carter, Chambers, Crowe, Danaldson, Dunn, Edmonson, Honneus, Hudson, Hughes, Hungate, Inman, Kiser, Mason, Matthis, McFadin, Montgomery, Newland, Prather, Ross, Shanks, Shields, Smith of Wabash, Spencer, Thatcher, Thrasher, Van Valkenburgh, Vawter, Williams, White and Wolfe - 31.
NAYS - Messrs. Barritt, Bird, Bischof, Blanch, Campbell, Corey, Crain, Daggy, Erwin, Evans, Ferris, Foulke, Funk, Fuller, Geisendorff, Greer, Griggs, Hamilton, Higgins, Hopkins, Hostetter, Long of Kosciusko, Martin, McCarthy, McClasky, McLean, McMurray, Miller, Moore, Morrison, Newcomb, North, Peelle, Rosser, Sabin, Schammahorn, Shook, Shuey, Skidmore, Smith of Lagrange, Stackhouse, Stafford, Thomas, Wason, Wilson, Wolfer, Woods, Wright and Mr. Speaker - 49.
So the resolution does not lie on the table.
The joint resolution was then referred, with the instructions moved by Mr. McLean.
THE CALENDAR.
Mr. Hamilton's 16th Circuit Prosecuting Attorney salary [$1,000] bill [H. R. 17] coming up on the third and last reading it was; read and passed over informally, on account of a mistake in the enrollment.
Mr. Gordon's voluntary associations and amendment bill [H. R. 97] coming upit was passed over, till the author shall be present.
GENERAL CITY CHARTER.
Mr. Stewards General City Charter Amendment bill [H. R. 177] reducing the number of inhabitants that may make a city from 2,000 to 1,500, coming up - it was passed the final reading - yeas 60, nays 22.
The Special Committee's bill [H. R. 244] for redistricting the State for Judicial purposes, coming up on the third and last reading-
Mr. GREEN moved to postpone the further consideration of the bill till Tuesday 2 o'clock.
On motion of Mr. MILLER, the motion to postpone was laid on the table.
Mr. WOLFE called attention to the fact that, on yesterday, the bill was amended so as to transfer the county of Sullivan from the 20th to the 6th Circuit.
Mr. HUGHES could see no reason forthus taking Sullivan out of its natural geographical connection with Vigo, and puting it into the Monroe Circuit, unless it were to make the latter a Democratic Circuit. That, however, he cared nothing about. He never took his politics into court.
Mr. GREER desired again to test the sense of the House on this question, and would move to transfer Sullivan county back to the 20th Circuit.
Mr. WOLFE claimed the action of the House - that it stand as it is.
Mr. GREER moved to reconsider the vote by which Sullivan county was transferred to the Sixth District.
Mr. WHITE moved to reconsider the vote ordering the bill to be engrossed.
Mr. ROSS said, every motion we take in a backward direction would be fraught with delay and confusion all over the State.
Mr. NEWCOMB thought it better to do our business well. He wanted to reverse the action of the House yesterday, and come back to the committee's bill, as it was originally reported.
Mr. WHITE objected to the bill, as containing too many circuits. He took other objections.
Mr CAMPBELL said it was important that the bill should pass. It was not a partizan measure. It rather makes a more equal distribution of the counties than increases the number of the circuits.
Mr. MILLER hoped the House would not reconsider the vote. They needed additional courts in his circuit. He had withheld his bill for this object, waiting for this bill, So anxious was he to get this bill, (so generally satisfactory) that he was willing to take it with Sullivan county in the 6th Circuit.
Mr. PRATHER preferred that his county [Jennings] should remain in the 1st Circuit, rather than to be set off with counties west of White river. He hoped the vote would be reconsidered to admit of an amendment taking his county back into its former judicial connections.
Mr. WHITE withdrew his motion to reconsider, and the question recurred on the passage of the bill.
Mr. PEELLE urged speedy action to save Hancock county from being left out in the cold.
page: 213[View Page 213]Mr. STAFFORD showed the remedy for that.
Mr. WILSON submitted the consideration, that twenty circuits and twenty Judges were too many; and the passage of the bill was urged with a zeal that made him hesitate.
Mr. WOODS moved to recommit the bill,with instructions to place Sullivan back into to the 20th Circuit.
Mr. MILLER moved ineffectually to lay Mr. Woods' motion on the table - yeas 39, nays 43.
Mr. Woods' motion was agreed to.
Mr. PRATHER proposed to instruct the committee further to amend by transferring Jennings county from the 17th to the 1st Circuit.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr. WHITE moved further to instruct the Committee to amend by striking Hancock out of the 17th Circuit, and adding it tn the Marion Circuit.
Mr. NEWCOMB said the Circuit in which Hancock was situated had but four counties - a small Circuit.
Mr. White's amendment was rejected.
CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.
On the motion of Mr. HUGHES, the House returned to Mr. Hamilton's Attorney Salary bill [H. R. 77] for the 16th Judicial Circuit, the question being on Mr. Newcomb's motion for unanimous consent to insert these words: "in the discretion of the proper Board of County Commissioners."
Mr. HUGHES proposed to substitute these words for those proposed by Mr. Newcomb: "Provided the County Commissioners of the proper county shall, by a general order entered of record, assent to the same, and said order shall be irrevocable by the same or any subsequent Board of Commissioners."
After debate by Mr. NEWCOMB and Mr. HUGHES -
Mr. NEWCOMB withdrew his amendment, and objected to the amendment by Mr. Hughes; the rules of the House requiring unanimous consent to amend a bill on the final reading.
The bill was then passed the House of Representatives - yeas 62, nays 16 - with an amendment of title, viz: "An Act to increase the salary of prosecuting attorneys in the criminal courts, and providing for payment of the same out of the county treasuries."
OLD SOLDIERS.
Mr. McFadin's old soldiers pension joint resolution [H. R. No. 11,] coming up oh the final reading, it was passed the House of Representatives - yeas 72, nays 0.
STATE LIBRARIAN.
Mr MORRISON moved that the vote yesterday by which the amendment of the House to the Senate bill No. 5, increasing the salary of the State Librarian to $1,500, was laid on the table, be reconsidered.
Mr. PEELLE rehearsed the effect of the motion, which was to increase the salary of the Librarian. He said if the services of the Librarian were not worth $1,500, they were not worth anything.
Mr. McFADIN opposed the motion with considerations of tendencies to extravagances in this direction Other good men would take the office at $1,200, or even $800, a year, as heretofore. He intimated collusions between the Librarian and booksellers in regard to the price of pens. There was something rotten in this Denmark.
Mr. PEELLE said if there was anything in the intimations of colluions between the Librarian and Merrill & Co., it had never been charged openly, and the entire blame, if there is any connected with the orders on the book stores, was against the House of Representatives, and not against the Librarian
.Mr. VAWTER explained the discrepancy between the price of gold pens to the trade and to others. He bought a pen at Merrill's for $8 50; other gentlemen had paid $10.
After further debate by Mr. GREEN, Mr. KISER, and others -
Mr. HARTMAN demanded the previous question, and under its force -
The House refused to reconsider the vote of yesterday - affirmative 27, negative not reported.
THE CALENDAR-FIRE LIMITS.
Mr. Shuey's fire limits bill [H. R. 96] coming upon the third reading -
Mr. SHUEY explained its objects and provisions. It requires a petition by two thirds residing within the business portion of the town, etc.
The bill failed for want of a constitutional majority - yeas 40, nays 24.
The House then adjourned.
