GOVERNOR GRAY'S APPOINTMENTS.
Mr. BUNDY, from a majority of the Committee on Executive Appoin tments, submitted a report asking further time for the consideration of the sundry appointments of Trustees of the Benevolent Institutions,submitted for the confirmation of the Senate by Governor Gray.
Mr. BROWN, from a minority of the same Committe, submitted a report recommending that the said appointments abe taken up by the Senate and considered at once.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR declared the question to be on concurrence in the minority report.
Mr. BROWN insisted that the disposition of these Executive appointments ought not to be procrastinated for any great length of time. He called attention to the act of 1879 upon this subject, and read therefrom, beginning at the first section. It will be observed that the Board of Trustees of the Benevolent Institutions is not continuous, but that the term of office of its members expires on the 1st day of February next. In this act it is not provided, as it is in the act establishing the Institution for Feeble Minded Children, or the act concerning the Reformatory for Women, and some of the other institutions of the State, that the Trustees are to be continued in office until their successors are appointed and confirmed. The office in this case ends with the expiration of four years. If the Senate does not take action on these appointments before the 1st February, vacancies in these offices will occur. Under the act just read, the Governor can not recall these appointments. They are here for the disposition of the Senate, the question is, is the Senate discharging its duty faithfully in sitting idly by and permitting the vacancies to occur? Isn't this postponement asked for the purpose of having vacancies occur on the 1st of February, in order that the Governor may fill them? [Several Senators on the left: "No, sir ;" "No, sir."] These appointments have been sent in here,and it is very doubtful whether the Governor, after the 1st of February, can even then fill such vacancies until the Senate passes upon these appointments.
Mr. CHAPMAN directed attention to Section 3, Article 15 , of the State Constitution.
Mr. BROWN--Perhaps that clause applies to constitutional offices only. If so, it is not applicable to the subject matter in hand. But it is not the spirit of the law that vacancies should be allowed to occur if avoidable. We should not wait for these terms of office to expire, and then provide for the filling of the vacancies at their expiration.
The minority report was rejected on a tie of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor giving the casting vote--yeas, 21; nays, 22.
Pending the roll call--
Mr. POINDEXTER, when his name was called in explanation of his vote, said: "I would be willing to give the Committee some further time, but not enough for these appointments to die on our hands."
The result was announced as above, so the Senate refused to to concur in the minority report.
Mr. BROWN moved to amend the majority report by appropriately inserting the words:"which time shall not be later than the 28th day of this month."
Mr. BELL hoped this amendment would be concurred in, and that if there are any objections to the appointments they will be made apparent during the time named in, the amendment. If this Committee want to make any examination into the qualifications of these appointees, let them go at it at once.
Mr. LANGDON--Some indications have been page: 79[View Page 79] thrown out that this delay is asked for political purposes. Speaking for himself and for a number of gentlemen on that side of the House, and, in accord with the position taken by himself two years ago, on the same subject, he was in favor of confirming every nomination made by the Governor, if the appointee be a proper and fit person, irrespective of politics. That is his position, and he thought it was the position of Republicans generally on this floor. [Several Voices- "Republicans generally."] Yes, sir. If Governor Gray has appointed Democrats to these positions, and they are good men, for one he was in favor of confirming the appointments; but it is due to this Committee,and the magnitude of the trusts to be committed to the habits of these Trustees, that it proceed with deliberation and with caution upon the investigation, as to their qualifications. He opposed limiting the Committee to three days for its investigation, because he could see nothing in the point made about the 1st day of February. The committed should have a reasonable time to make such inquiries as it may deem proper.
Mr. SPANN made an ineffectual motion--yeas, 9; nays, 35--to lay the amendment on the table.
Mr. CHAPMAN was not in favor of keeping this matter open for an indefinite length of time, waiting for an indefinite result. Believing it in the province of the Senate to call for a report from a Committee at any time, if there is any undue delay, he should vote for concurrence in the report.
The amendment was agreed to--yeas, 22; nays 18--and the report, as amended, was concurred in by yeas, 23; nays, 19.
The joint resolution [H. R. 2] requesting Indiana congressmen to favor a law granting pensions to surviving soldiers of the Mexican War, was read the first time and passed to the second reading.
On Motion by Mr. MENZIES, the Senate accepted an invitation from the Irish-American Land League to attend a lecture by James Redpath.
