AFTERNOON SESSION.
The pending bill S. 147 was read the third time, and informally passed over.On motion by Mr. OYLER (as there was no quorum present), the Senate proceeded with the orders of the day.
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE.
Mr. PARRISH, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred a concurrent resolution looking to the winding up of the business in the Adjutant General's Office, reported that the committee have examined the pending business, and for reasons more fully set forth in the joint committee's report, they are of opinion that the office should be continued as at present organized; and they recommend that the concurrent resolution lie on the table.
Mr. MILLIGAN hoped that the Senate would not concur in the report. The Adjutant General's office has cost us a good deal. The appropriation for last year was between seventeen thousand and eighteen thousand dollars, besides postage, stationery, &c., and the year before, this office cost the State near thirty thousand dollars. Previous to the war, it cost but $25 a year.
page: 368[View Page 368]We do not propose to adopt the suggestion of this officer, to go on and issue a couple more volumes of his Report, which had already cost the State so much. One year's time is certainly sufficient to close up the business of that office, and he earnestly hoped the concurrent resolution would be adopted.
Mr. CULLEN hoped the Senate would concur. The Adjutant General says that there is as much business to be done now as heretofore; and as the reports we have ordered are not yet printed, it would be doing injustice to shut up the -office so soon. It ought to be wound up carefully, and in the proper manner.
Mr. PARRISH feared we are all too apt to forget the conflict of the last few years in which Indiana sent some 200,000 men to the field, and that the history of every one of those men becomes as much a matter of record as a judgment in the proceedings of a court of record. The business of that office should be closed up and made complete or else we lose all the labor and money already expended. If any Senator will go into the office and examine the correspondence by widows and heirs to ascertain their rights and get record evidence of soldiers' services, he will find an argument in favor of the continuance of this office. It is proposed that the Adjutant General shall not only perform the duties now assigned him by law, but in addition shall perform the duties of Paymaster and Quartermaster of the State; and that he shall finish up his report of deceased soldiers making a list of at least 17,000 names. The services of this officer have been invaluable to the State. Then there are honest and just claims for money expended by the State to the amount of over $2,000,000, over $1,000,000 of which has been suspended by red tape at the War Department, and that must be settled, and no man can do it so well as the Adjutant General, who is familiar with it. In 1868 it will be advisable to cut down the force in that office 'to one or two clerks if possible, but this resolution goes too far. One clerk could hardly file the papers that come in through the mail, and will continue to come tor three or four years yet.
Mr. CRAVENS did not want to do anything hastily, but this concurrent resolution ought not to be so summarialy disposed of. We have a report here sent by the Governor from the senior Major General of the Indiana militia in which he informs us that the military force of the State consists of a Lieutenant General, two or three Major Generals, a Quartermaster General and some other General, but no privates; and as far as the present and prospective business of the office of the - Adjutant General is concerned under that state of facts there can not be much use for it hereafter. The experience of the State as to the cost of that officer's reports ought to admonish us to be cautious. That office has cost a considerable amount of money, the Adjutant General has a good salary, to which he made no objection;but the office should be reduced to a peace footing as soon as possible, and the time allowed by the resolution is perhaps abundantly sufficient. He hoped some action would be had by both Houses this session looking to an early reduction of ttiis office to a peace footing.
Mr. ROBINSON, as a member of the committee, was not aware that the resolution was before the Committee on Military Affairs, and of course did not know how many members of the committee concurred in the report. As long as the Adjutant General's office is maintained upon a war footing there will be no less business before that office than now, but as soon as it is reduced to a peace footing, and the people having an interest in these matters come to know that there are no longer clerks employed to give information free of charge, it will be obtained elsewhere. He was distinctly opposed to appropriating several thousand dollars for the purpose of running that office. The State has already expended enough money in that particular branch. He saw no necessity now that the war is over, for keeping up an office that costs the State so much.
Mr. BARKER, being also a member of the committee, did not know such a resolution was in existence - did not know that a meeting was called; and could not concur in the report.
Mr. PARRISH, in justice to himself, would say that this report was not laid before; the committee in a formal meeting, but he had spoken to Senators in reference to the resolution, and had authority from them to make his report. He had not treated his fellow members with discourtesy, for he had called their attention to it on the floor of the Senate.
Mr. CULLEN, as the joint committee report ordered to be Printed will give Senators an understanding of this subject, moved to lay this subject on the table till that report comes in.
The motion was agreed to.
NEW PROPOSITIONS.
Mr. CARSON introduced a bill [S. 236] for an act fixing the times of holding courts in the 10th Judicial Circuit, changing the length of terms, and prescribing that in other respects existing regulations shall apply thereto. It was referred to the Committee on the Organization of Courts.
Mr. CARSON introduced a bill [S.237] for an act creating the 19th, 20th, and 21st Judicial Circuits [Fort Wayne, Lafayette and Richmond Criminal Courts] and to provide for the election page: 369[View Page 369] of Judges and Prosecuting Attorneys thereof and providing compensation therefor, declaring their jurisdiction and providing for transfer of actions thereto. It was referred to the Committee on the Organization of Courts.
Mr. OYLER introduced a bill [S. 238] to repeal an act to provide for the sale of certain lands belonging to the counties of Jasper and Newton, &c., approved December 12, 1865; and for relieving John P. Dunn, formerly Auditor of State. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. BONHAM introduced a bill [S. 239] for an act to amend the title of an act making general appropriations for the year 1866, repealing certain sections of the act therein named and declaring an emergency. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. TAGGART introduced a bill [S. 249] for an act fixing the time of holding the Circuit Court in the first Judicial Circuit, and repealing all laws in conflict therewith. It was referred to Committee on Organization of Courts.
Mr. WOLCOTT presented the remonstrance of several hundred citizens of Warren county against the proposition to change the boundary line between Warren and Fountain counties.
Mr. ROBINSON presented a petition on the subject of temperance which, without reading, was referred to the Committee on Temperance.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Mr CRAVENS, from the Committee on Corporations, returned the bill [H. R. 145] for incorporation of towns, &c., recommending its passage.
Mr. HANNA, from the same committee, returned the bill [S. 229]title not read recommending its passage,
Mr. PARRISH, from the Committee on Military Affairs, returned Mr. Reynolds' bill [S. 233] appropriating $6.132 28 to the Antietam, and $4-622 83 to the Gettysburg cemeteries, recommending its passage.
Mr. PARRISH hoped the Legislature would not adjourn without making approbations for the State's dead, and moved that, the bill be read the second time now.
The motion was agreed to and the bill was ordered to the engrossment.
Mr. OYLER, from the Committee on Organization of Courts, returned his bill [S. 82] for districting the State in accordance with bills 80 and 81, recommending that it lie on the table. The report was concurred in.
Mr. LEWIS, from the Committee on County and Township Business, returned Mr. Johnson's bill [S. 204] increasing County Treasurers fees recommending that it lie on the table. The report was concurred in.
Mr. CASON from the Judiciary Committee returned the bill [H. R. 240] to provide for the inspection of coal and petroleum oils, recommending its passage with an amendment.
Mr. WOLCOTT from the select Committee thereon, returned the papers [over 1,000 remonstrators and 623 petitioners] concerning the boundary line between Warren and Fountain counties, recommending their reference to a new Committee, the present Committee being composed of Senators,particularly interested.
On motion by Mr. STEIN it was -
Resolved, That the State Librarian be instructed to purchase one copy of Wilson's Digest of Parliamentary Law for the use of the President of the Senate, one copy for each Senator and one copy for each of the elective officers of the Senate.
Mr. CHURCH offered a resolution, which was adopted, directing the Librarian to furnish each Senator and elective officer with nine dollars worth of postage stamps and stationery in addition to the amounts heretofore furnished.
WORK FOR COMMITTEES.
The following described House bills were read the first time and referred to approrpriate committees:
The State normal school appropriation bill [H. R. 15]; the juy fee bill [ H. R. 21]; the infant labor bill [ H. R. 81]; [H. R. 81]; the amendment of pleadings bill [H. R. 133] ; the mechanics' lien bill [H. R. 191]; the marriage license bill [H. R. 193]; the writs of execution bill [H. R. 207] ; the hydraulic companies' land bill [H. R. 211]; the clerks book index bill [H. R. 219]; the freight transportation bill [H. R. 223]; the tenant ten days' notice bill [H. R. 225] ; the widows' and orphan's asylum bill [H. R. 262]; the tax payment bills [H. R. 275, 276,277, 343] ; the State offices building bill [H. R. 286]; the military officers' indemnity bill [H. R. 316]; and joint resolutions [H. R. 10] for the relief of David T. Stevenson, and [H. R. 16] vacating a highway on the east side the Deaf and Dumb Asylum.
The Kosciusko Circuit Court bill [H. R. 337] was passed to the second reading.
Pending the reading of the bills -
Mr. CRAVENS offered the following:
Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be authorized to insert the usual section in the specific appropriation bill, as follows :
SEC. - That A. E. & W. H. Drapier be allowed for the number of copies of the BREVIER LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, furnished every session since 1857, the same price paid per page for the last several volumes.
It was adopted by consent.
When the series of bills [H. R. 275, 276, 277 and 343] putting off the time for payment of taxes from the third Monday in March till the third Monday in April were read -
Mr. SHERROD moved to refer them to a select committee of three, with instructions to fix the 10th of May as the time.
Mr. CRAVENS suggested that this change was suggested by members from the Southern part of the State, where considerable attention is paid to the tobacco trade, and that article is not generally ready for market till the time indicated in the bills.
Mr. HANNA presented a letter, which he desired should accompany the bills by way of memorial.
Mr. JOHNSON had received numerous letters upon this subject setting forth that this legislation is necessary to enable the people in his section to pay their taxes, as tobacco is the principal staple. If this change is made, it will certainly greatly facilitate the payment of taxes in that part of the State. He was anxious to see these bills pass, because he knew the change was absolutely required by his constituency.
On motion by Mr. WOLCOTT, the instructions were amended by instructing the committee to inquire into the effect the proposed change would have upon the ability of the State to pay its interest.
page: 370[View Page 370]The motion to refer, as amended, was agreed to; and the PRESIDENT made the committee to consist of Messrs. Sherrod, Johnson and Wolcott.
On motion by Mr. OYLER, it was -
Resolved, That when the Senate adjourn it adjourn to meet on Monday next at 2 o'clock.
A message from the House of Representatives asking the Senate to concur in a clerical amendment to the Cemetery bill, [H. R. 99,] which passed both Houses in an imperfect form and was returned to the House by the Governor for correction, was taken up and the amendment concurred in.
The Senate then adjourned till Monday, 2 P. M.
