Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-11-07


The Legislative Department.
The PRESIDENT now announced the first business in
order be the consideration oil the resolutions lying
under the rule; and the Secretary read the following
resolution, which was offered yesterday by Mr.. STE
VENSON:
ResoIred That the committee the Legislative De-
aprtment he directed report tn: following amend
ment the Constitution viz: No bill shall be passed
less by the OF all the members elected each
branch of the General Assembly and the question upon
the final passage shall be taken Immediately upon the
last reading, and the yeas and nays entered upon the
journal.
Mr. KELSO said, he was perfectly content with the
latter clause of the resolution; and he should be willing
for the whole of il if the would consent to
amend II so to make II matter OF inquiry But he
maintained that it would be bad policy make it
stutional point, that law should be passed by the
Legislature unless majority of all the members elected
should vote for it. II might frequently be necessary
pass important law when such majority could not
be obtained 1t not extravagant to suppose that,
from sickness other causes, eight or ten members
might necessarily be absent from their places and the
advantages of important legislation might be lost the
State Thrtyour years practice upon the existing
Ority principle had been followed by evil result what
ever, and he in favor of continuing it. He would
to amend the resolution, to make 1t propo-
sillOn of inquiry
Mr.. STEVENSON said, he opposed to all reso-
lutions OF inquiry, because they expressed of
the Convention; but he regarded all imperative resou-
tions which they might pass, of some importance.
He willing that the Convention should now settle the
question involved in this resolution II should be their
wish that it should require majority of all the members
oi the Legislature to pass law, and II that wish
expressed 10y the adoption of the resolution something
would have been done-the sense of the body would
have been asccrtaned upon point He trusted that
the gentleman from Switzerland would vet be willing
waive his amendment, and allow the vote he taken d.
rectly upon the adoption of the original resolution One
of the greatest evils which had oppressed the State
much legislation and for the purpose OF checking
this thing he had offered the proposition contained
the resolution. How it now2 Why, he had
bill after bill passing in the Legisatuere by votes of
ten twelve men, the close of session, when many
Of the members had gone home-and some of them man.
esty injurious and against the will of the people. The
adoption Of this proposition required by the principle
of universal suffrage II it was the unrestricted suffrage
of the majority OF the citizens which elected their rep
Tesentatves surely it should he by the voice of the
Ory Of the representatives that the law should he pass
ed. The advantages of universal suffrage could not be
fully enjoyed without requiring the representatives to
their places until the Legislature should adjourn
There other way Illustrate the mischievOus
and sinister schemes Of designing The experience
of other States had proved that this a wholesome
constitutional provision. What harm had il ever pro
duced in the Legislation of the State of New York; This
principle had been incorporated in nearly all the lately
amended constitutions of the Union and he hoped see
il prevail here With reference to the objection that
good bills might be rejected under its operation, he
piled tLat would be much better to lose good bill now
and then, than cram into the laws the OF ill di-
gesjed and injurious bills which every year passed
in this Hall by only handful of men.
Mr.. PEPPER OF Ohio said, he sorry his col
league (Mr Keso) had proposed make this resolu.
inquiry. he ready 10 m ect the question
now he should be any period Of the session. He
could think that the people Of Indiana sending here
one hundred men egslae for them, would be content
with the understanding that trty-our Of that number
could pass law; for IL only majority of quorum
were necessary to pass law, trtyour was that ma
ioritv He submitted the Convention whether it had
been generally understood by the people, that law
of any Importance could be enacted and made oblgao-
nv upon them in their House Of Representatives ol
hundred members by a bare majority of quorum
Nevertheless well known that under this prac-
tice many laws had been passed which were not agree
able the wishes Of the people, and which had been
pealed in consequences He did think there could be
any hardship in requiring, that 6ty-one members out
of the hundred shall record their in the affirmative
a1aw. Il struck him that this question might as well be
decided now as at any other period Hehoped that the
motion change the imperative character OF the reso
luton III il insisted upon. would not prevail He
thought they would expedite business by deciding all
these questions they might up. IL gentlemen
wished discuss the question, he was willing to give
them time He would not seek, by any parliamentary
strategem prevent the free discussion oil every prop
osition
Mr. CLARK Of Tippecanoe said, he should vote
against the proposition make this resolution oil IN
qury because thought it better settle these
tons as they went along and he should also vote aSans
the resolution There feature in the resoiutioi
TO which he radically opposed. IL involved prln
oipo which would enable facous minority in the Leg
saure TO defeat the will Of the majority and there wer
emergencies which would arise in every government
when il would be absolutely necessary that something
sbond he donewhen il would be fatal to stand still
Now il seemed to him that, under the principle involves
in this resolution very small minority OF the Legisa
ture by seeding or keeping out oil the way at any tune
nfo1 completely defeat the will Of the majority where