AFTERNOON SESSION.
A call of the House determined a quorum (85 members) present.
THE FUNERAL OF NORMAN EDDY.
Mr. Kimball called attention to the fact that the item of $445 submitted by him during the last session had been omitted from the Specific bill; and he asked and obtained leave to submit a resolution that the said sum be and it is hereby appropriated for payment of the funeral expenses of Colonel Norman Eddy, late Secretary of State, and that the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to put the same in propriation bill for this year.
Mr. Wilson, of Ripley - It seems to me that this is a liberality which is not warranted. If the funeral expenses of Colonel Eddy be allowed, then the funeral expenses of any other citizen might be allowed here. We have been cutting down the compensation of many who have been in the public service, and we are legislating here for economy generally. Why then adopt this?
Mr. Kimball. This resolution was adopted unanimously at the last session, and he was sorry any gentleman should now rise and object to it. In answer to the gentleman, and for the reason of this, he said: "Col. Eddy was a man who belonged to the State of Indiana, and the nation; who had sacrificed every thing in the service of his country; who had been chosen Secretary of State by a large majority of his fellow citizens; whose perquisites had been cut off by the last Legislature; who died in poverty; and a man who was worthy of all the honors that the people of Indiana could heap upon him. I hope, therefore, that there will not be a single voice raised here against this resolution."
Mr. Wilson was not aware that this resolution was ever before the House till now. Granting all the gentleman says of Col. Eddy, he insisted that we are legislating, and should not go a step beyond propriety. We have a great many good men, and some of them may die; and if we pay this claim, we establish a precedent. At the last session we made an appropriation of a large amount to the Secretary of State for extra services, which as he was informed, all went to the family of Col. Eddy. It is not proper that we should grant special favors; and this is special legislation.
Mr. Mellett. One point seems to have been overlooked by the gentleman from Ripley. He makes no distinction between Col. Eddy and any other man. It must be recollected that Col. Eddy was an officer of the State, and he died from home, and his remains were taken thither for sepulture. This is a debt which the State owes to him and his family. The resolution was unanimously adopted.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.
Mr. Satterwhite submitted a concurrent resolution for a joint special committee of three on the part of the House of Representatives to act with a like committee on the part of the Senate to make proper arrangements and fix the time when the persons designated by the American Woman's Suffrage Association shall address the people of this city, so that they may have a respectful hearing.
Mr. Baker moved to lay it on the table.
Mr. Butterworth. I hope that will not be done.
The motion was rejected. Yeas, 28; nays, 61; and the question recarried on the adoption of the resolution.
Mr. Satterwhite was informed by the agent of the American Woman Suffrage Association that there is to be presented before that body meeting in this city sometime next week, some two or three distinguished speakers from New York and Boston -
Mr. S. was interrupted and the resolution was passed over informally by the announcement of a message from the Senate informing the House of Representatives of the adoption in that body of the concurrent resolution of the House for a joint convention in this hall this afternoon at half-past two o'clock.
On motion of Mr. Kimball, that gentleman with Mr. Cauthorn were appointed a special committee to notify the Senate of the readiness of the House to receive that body in
JOINT CONVENTION - LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS.
The Senators and the officers of that body having been received and seated in the hall, the President of the Senate announced the order of elections to be as named in the concurrent resolution, under which the convention was called and first the order of nominations of President of the Board of Commissioners for the Benevolent Institutions of the State. The nominations were made throughout these proceedings by Mr. Kimball and Mr. Senator Hall for their respective sides of the House.
For President of the Board of Commissioners for the Benevolent Institutions -
- Dr. P. H. Jamison, of Marion county, 74 votes.
- Dr. James S. Athon, of Marion county, 60 votes.
For Trustee of the Blind Asylum -
- John Beard, of Montgomery county, 74 votes.
- Archibald Johnson, of Montgomery county, 60 votes.
For Trustee of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum -
- Dr. J. L. Brown, of Wayne county, 74 votes.
- Dr. B. F. Span 11, of Madison county, 59 votes.
For Trustee of the Insane Asylum -
- Dr. George F. Chittenden, of Madison county, 75 votes.
- Dr. H. S. Parmenter, of Martin county, 58 votes.
For Canal Trustee -
- The Hon. James S. Hinton, of Marion county, 72 votes.
- Cyrus J. Nixon, of Floyd county, 58 votes.
Pending these nominations for canal trustee, Mr. Senator Williams raised the point that, according to the conditions of the Funded Debt bills of 1846-7, it was requisite that the election of this officer should be by ballot of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and he sent up the particular section of the Butler bill to which he referred, and it was read by the Clerk.
Mr. Senator Brown took the same position,and enforced it in a speech, closing with a motion for an order of the Convention that this election be taken viva voce.
The President of the Senate declined to entertain the motion.
Mr. Wilson, of Ripley, believed the presiding officer had decided correctly on the point of order, that the motion and resolution are out of order.
The President of the Senate. The Chair is of the opinion, after consultation with the Speaker of the House, that the motion of the Senator from Jackson [Mr. Brown] was not in order; and I now so decide. I am further of the opinion that it is proper - indeed, that it becomes our duty under Section XIII of the Constitution of the State - to proceed to the election of this officer viva voce. Nominations are now in order.
Mr. Senator Williams. Does the Chair decide that this convention has not the power to determine whether the vote shall be by viva voce or by ballot?
The President of the Senate. The Chair is of opinion that the mode is prescribed by the Constitution.
Mr. Williams then moved that the vote be by ballot.
The President of the Senate. That motion was held to be out of order a short time ago. The motion is clearly out of order now, for the reason that a similar motion was made and decided out of order, and no other business has intervened since.
Mr. Williams. Then I appeal from the decision of the chair made on the motion of the Senator from Jackson, (Mr. Brown.)
page: 28[View Page 28]The President of the Senate. It is too late.
Mr. Kimball. I am requested by one of the gentlemen named here for this Canal Trustee - presuming the gentleman who nominated him will vote for him - to prevent any misunderstanding. I will read the following letter:
HALL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Jan. 11,1872.
To the Hon. A. W. Hall, Secretary of the Democratic Caucus:]
I submitted my name in good faith to the Republican caucus last night as a candidate for Canal Trustee. The Republicans there determined to select another than myself for the position, and I can not honorably accept your nomination. I am a Republican and can not go back on the usages of my party. I shall not consent to be a candidate for Canal Trustee before the General Assembly.
Yours very truly, CYRUS T. NIXON
Mr. Senator Hall, when his name was called, said: In explanation of my vote I simply wish to state that I vote for a Republican instead of a Democrat because I conceive that I owe it to the State at large to vote for a man to occupy a position in which he may be called upon to decide upon a question involving some $18,000,000"a most discreet person" he should be, so the statute of 1846 declares. I think there is a large difference between such a person and a person who may have been accustomed to handle only sixpences and dimes, and probably never thought of the number of dollars representing the sum named, by cents even. We surely may be commended if, by our votes, we try to keep our State from the enormous debt which the Southern States are groaning under, and which have been increased by electing men to office who, on account of their previous condition, were unable to deal with questions that were brought before them. For these and other reasons, I vote for Mr. Nixon.
Mr. Representative Kimball, when his name was called in explanation of his vote, said: I should cast my vote without a remark, but as the gentleman from Clark (Senator Hall) has deemed it proper to explain his vote, I claim the same right. And while it would afford me great pleasure, as I have done heretofore, in opposition to gentlemen on the other side of this House, to cast my vote for the Hon. Cyrus P. Nixon for Canal Trustee or any other office in the gift of the General Assembly, he having submitted his name to a caucus of members of the Republican party in this Assembly, and they, to use his own words, deeming it proper in their judgment to choose another than himself for this position, I am compelled to cast my vote for Mr. Hinton. And in further reply to the gentleman, I will say that as far as the computation of dollars and cents are concerned, Mr. Hinton is the equal of Mr. Nixon or the gentleman, or any other man in this House or in the State. As far as qualifications are concerned for the position, in the way of sense.
Whether the gentleman means dollars or sense, he is the equal of any man who now composes that Board of Trustees. Mr. Hinton is a gentleman of education, a scholar and a Republican, and he proved himself true to his country, true to the rights of humanity, and true to Republicanism, and I will not sit in my seat and hear any reflection upon the ability, sense or qualifications of a gentleman that I know to be a person of moral worth and standing equal to any man in this Assembly, and the peer of his fellow-citizens of the State of Indiana. For State Librarian -
- Mrs. Sarah A. Oran, of Marion county, 76 votes.
- James DeSanno, of Dearborn county, 50 votes.
For the three Directors of the State Prison South -
- B. F. Hill, of Rush county, 74 votes; H. T, Sage, of Clark county, 52 votes.
- A. L. Munson, of Lawrance county, 73 votes; R. D. Brown, of Dearborn county, 46 votes.
- S. T. Platt, of Perry county, 72 votes.
No other nomination was made for this Directorship, Mr. Cuthorn submitted the statement that there is no vacancy, that Mr. Kirk, the incumbent, has not resigned, and there has been no proceedings for his impeachment or removal in any way. So it was announced that there were 53 of the Convention present and not voting.
For the three Directors of the State Prison North -
- R. T. St. John, of Green county, 76 votes; Dr. Wm. A. Connolly, of Allen county, 26 votes. 32 present and not voting.
- A. W. Smith, of Wabash county, 70 votes; James Smiley, of Putnam county, 27 votes. 22 present and not voting.
- A. D. Capron, of Marshall county, 70 votes; W. B. Lochridge, of Miami county, 28 votes. 20 present and not voting.
For Trustee of Soldiers' Home -
- Dr. Wm. Hannaman, of Marion county, 72 votes.
- Colonel Fred Slater, of Dearborn county, 26 votes - 25 present and not voting.
The President of the Senate declared successively that the candidates receiving the majorities in the foregoing balloting were duly elected to the offices indicated.
The Presiding officer proroughed the Convention
And then the House adjourned.
