Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-10-31
WEDNESDAY,, ocsober l6.
biennial Sessions.


Biennial Sessions.
The CHAIR announced the business in order to be
resolution submitted by Mr. Edmonston the 18th
inst to-wt:
ResoirSd That the committee on the Legislative De-
parnent be instructed to insert provision in the amend
ed Constitution adopting biennial instead of annual
sions of the Legislature.
Mr.. READ Of Clark moved to amend the resolution
by striking the word 'biennial" and inserting the
word .striennial"
The question being upon the adoption of the amend
mcnt,
The yeas and nays were demanded, and being TAKEN
YEAs-Messrs Alexander Allen, Balingall Blythe
Bowers Bryant, Butler, Chenowith, Clark of Ham-
ton Coats, Cookery, Dick Edmonston Garyin, Gordon,
Harbot, floiday. Holman. Kelso, K;lgore, Lockhart
Logan, March, Mathis. McCelland, Mclean Miller of
Gibson Morrison of Washington Murray Nave, Pep
per of Crawford, Prathcr Read Of Clark Schoonover
Shcrrcd, Sims, Smiley, Smith of Scott Taguc, Trim
bey, Wheeler. Wolfe Yocum, and Mr. Presdent-43.
! NAvs.-Messrs Anthony, Badger, Barbour, Beach,
Beard, Berry Biddle, Borden, Bourne Bracken, Carr
Carter, Chandler, Chapman, Clark of Tppecanoe Cole,
Collax, Crawford, Davis Of Madison, Davis of Yermion
Davis of Parke, Dobson, Dunn of Jefferson Farrow Fo
ley, Foster, Frisbie Gootee Graham Of Miami Graham
of Warrick, Gregg, Haddon Hamilton Hardin Haw-
kns, Helmer, Hendricks, Hitt Hogn. Hovey, Howe,
Huff johnson, Jones. Kent. Kendall of Wabash, Kendall
of Warren, Kindley Mcguire. Mather, May, Mcfarland
Miller of Fulton, Milroy, Mooney, Moore, Morgan,
Morrison of Marion, Mowrer Nosinger, Owen, Pepper
of Ohio, Petit, Read of Monroe, Ristine, Ritchey
Robinson, Shoup, Shook Smith of Ripley Spann
Steele Stevenson, Tannehill, Terry, Thomas, Thorn
ton Todd, Vanbenthusen, Wallace, Watts, Wiley,
\ Work, Wunderch and Zenor-S3.
So the amendment adopted.
The question then recurring upon the adoption of the
original resolution,
! Mr. DUNN of Jefferson said. he thought this a very
important resolution. He expected himself vote for
it. STILL he thought ought to be duly and deliberately
considered To send to a committee so important a
resolution and OF an mrertve character, now when so
many members absent, he thought would he rather
aI acpffeO ho To
the resolution by inserting in the proper place the words,
inquire into the cxpedicnoy Of"
Mr.. KELSO said it seemed to him that this matter
had been sufficiently discussed before the people, and
far he knew, this change biennial sessions of the
Legislature made leading proposition throughout
the State. He thought it might well he ascertained
to-day any other time, whether majority in
favor of 1t or not and let the vote of the Convention
upon the resolution he taken of the body upon
this subject All he asked leave record his vote
in favor of the resolution
The question being taken upon the amendment Of the
gentleman from Jefferson, it not agreed to.
/ Mr.. GRAHAM of Warrick proposed amend the
resolution by adding proviso TO the effect that the Gov
shall have power the Legislature any
time, IN case OF an emergency.
This amendment agreed to.
! Mr.. CLARK Of Tippecanoc proposed to amend the
resolution by striking the word biennial" and in
sertino in lieu thereof the word q annua'
Mr.. OWEN suggested to the gentleman from Tippe-
that direct upon the resolution by yeas and
nays would have precisely the same effect.
|
gestion of Mr. Owen and said, he knew this question
had been mootsd before all the Teope but it depended
upon other questions. He thought the reason why the
people demanded biennial sessions of the Legislature
hc frequency of change in local legislation. Now,
1t had been already proposed here and he thought the
people Of the State large had determined, that the
Legislature ehould he restrained from the enactment of
local laws and that their deliberations should he cOnin
ed to the enactment OF laws of general nterestaws
in which change would not he made, unless it were
called for by some pressing emergency II was pro-
verb in free governments that " where annual elections
end tyranny begins" The Legislature the strength
of all the departments Of the Government. The law
making power :ways exercised the most direct author
y the Governments and, if the agents IN this de-
partment, instead of being frequently called to account
were removed year further from the supervision oil
the people hey would be much more likely to abuse
their power. Whereas, the more frequently they
could he brougb. under the supervision Of the people,
| the more anxious they would be to do the will OF the
people. He sPprehended that the objections to annual
sessions the OF economy would he entirely re-
moved, il The Legislature restrained from the pas
sage Of local laws The business of gslaton would
then be confined to It's proper spheres the sessions would
not be so long, and consequently not attended with such
vast expense for printing &c. And besides, if annual
sessions continued, tie Legislative body would act
every year sort OF committee OF inquest upon the
State officers and there necessity for some such
supervision this, which other body could furnish
there could he substitute for the Legislature in this
matter Moreover in the event of the establishment of
biennial sessions, there would frequently arise ne
cessy for call Of the Legislature, in special
sion; anu tneSc special sessions Woud I've Ounu 10
much the regular sessions He admitted that,
far he understood the wishes of his constituents they
wonld be in favor of biennial riennal sessions,
if the Legislature restrained from the passage
OF local laws and confined to their proper sphere OF duty
But IT, in this respect the Legislature restrained
by the CONSTITUTIONS he believed that only his constit-
but the people of the State at large, would be in
favor of annual sessions.
He aecquesced in the suggestion of the gentleman
from Posey, (Mr owcn) and Withdrew his motion to
amend.
Mr.. WATTS proposed to amend the resolution by adj
ding the following:
r.And the House of Representatives shall consist of
sxtysix members and the Senate ofthirty three
bers"
The amendment was rejected
| MIR. PRATHER proposed to amend by inserting a
clause to the effect, that the sessions Of the Legislature
shall be limited to a not exceeding sixty days.
This amendment was also rejected
Mr.. MILLER of Fulton moved TO amend by inserting
the following:
s.Prorided However, that the Legislature may. by
vote Of the people, without Convention for that pur
poe alter to annual risnaial sessions, having first
4 provided for taking such vote"
Which was decided in the negative.
The question recurring the adoption Of the original
resolution,
Mr.. READ of Clark said being called up
the resolution proposing biennial sessions OF the Leg
isature, he desired say word Upon this ques-
to, above all others, he felt himfelf
He was satisfied that this proposition expressed the
unanimous wish OF his constituents and from his own
experience in the Legislature he felt the most abiding
conviction OF the cxpedency of this change He found,
also that in nearly all the States where new Constitu-
tons had been adopted they had engraed this provision
Such was the result of the experience of
the States of this Unions and this Convention should take
adys,age OF the lessons derived from their experience
He veDtured TO affirm, that, il the matter referred
TO the people OF the State nnetenths OF them would be
in favor OF biennial trcnnia sessions. Let gentlemen
moments and look hack upon the of last
winter During the session of the last Legislature alone
some seven hund Ell acts were passed, mostly OF local
IL.