Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-01-30
DEBATES IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL CON-
VENTION
REPORTED Bv HARVEY FowLER, ESQ.


some Importance; and which, we are 10 adopt II at
all, should be passed now.
SEVERAL VOICES. Read read!
Mr.. OWEN. 1t is as follows
THAT Committee of one from each Congressional
District appointed by the chair prepare address
the electors of the State embodyng brief statement
Of the changes proposed in the amended Constitution,
and such other matters in connection Herewith, as may
aid in securing its adoption"
move suspension OF the rules, for the purpose OF
introducing this resolution.
The question being on suspending the rules it de-
cded in the affirmative. So the rules were suspended
And the question being on the passage of the resolution
Mr.. OWEN said: Mr.. President. We have been
in session here for three months and half, and shall
have remain in session three weeks longer to
complete our work, making an entire session OF some
four months Its expense including reporting and pub
fishing debates and Journal may reach from eighty TO
hundred thousand dollars.
1t is Of the greatest Importance to the State to say
nothing of reputations that the new Constu-
tlon the result Of all this labor and expense, should not
be rejected by the people, And il is duty take
proper and reasonable towards securing its adop
ton What are those means? One of the most efficient
is prepare and place before the people, in condensed
FORM statement, showing distinctly what the principal
changes are which proposed IN the new Constitution
as compared with the provisions OF the old The chan
ges are numerous. Even who have made them
would be somewhat puzzled TO sit down and enumerate
them. Many persons especially farmers living in
mote and secluded spots may not have the cid Const
tuition by them, when they receive copy Of that amend
ed by And even if they have, it will be work of
its hundred and fifty sections.
do not propose SIR TO introduce into this address
anything like special pleading, in defence of our work
Let it stand its own merits. Let those who would
examine arguments for against any provson look for
these in debates Now and then, might not be out
of place very briefly give the for change;
and to state the effects to result from it.
Ii has been customary talk of the changes the peo
pie expected in this Constitutions and some of
this body and specially charged with the duty have
undertaken to say, what rere the specific amendments
demanded Sir there was, in strctness, but nstruc
ton, given without dissenting voice, imposed equally
upon ALL when took the oath discharge du-
" as delegates. 1t was, make good Constitution :;
such the people might feel satisfied to live
der for half century to come All other instructions
TO great extent, imaginary the result OF personal
and OF local predictions: coming to shape
from the North in a different one from the South in one
form from the East, in another from the West When
shall have framed Constitution perfect in all its
parts as our combined judgment and experience enable
frame iI thea and till them shall have per-
formed our whole duty here.
know that many things have been touched by us.
which may not have occurred, in advance the people
generally necessary amendments. That is natural
and could not indeed, well be otherwise. Did you
undertake the thorough repair of old house which
had stood some thirty forty years. untouched by the
wOrkmans hand! Ifyou ever did, as have you doubt
less acquired experience in the progress Of the
work. Perhaps you had carpenter, in the first place.
examine the building and report you what repairs
were essential and at what probable expense? He
portion OF the flooring TO be renewed, OF out
weather beaten roof which must be replaced by new
He would suggest, it may be, that the whole
pense could not exceed a couple of hundred delars
But then he would add that until the floors taken
up and the osts and frame work of the building expo
sed it impossible TO determine, with any certainty
what was necessary to be done. You bid him commence
the work and before few weeks are over il becomes
apparent YOU that make the job thorough and per-
manent first additional repair and then another must
be undertaken You perceive clearly that unless You
do the thing eectuay what money you do spend is but
much thrown away While YOU about it. You re-
done. You regard this economy costing less
the end than continual patching ard daily expedents
You did not indeed, expect such task, when you first
undertook it. You had idea that your bill would run
up as you discover that will to some five or six
hundred dollars But not the less do you see and know
that you could wisely do but of two things either
to refrain from the repair altogether make it what
it should be, effectua and enduring at once.
So it is with the task-an intellectually important one
which sent here to perform. Let men outside
say what they please, it bounden duty, after
once commencing our work, to do it thoroughly. i
know that auslon has been made, in another place.
the that has been consumed in our labors and to
the iact that present Constitution completed
by its original trainers in three weeks. Sir, much
honor the memory of these men, truly as believe that
the Constitution they gave was, for its day,
ceent one, the best that, till that time had been
framed; vet cannot shut my eyes the fact that if
they had remained sitting in Convention for three years
instead oil three weeks and mad been pad throughout
these three years. each of them, dollars day
and during that entire session, they had in addition
their three weeks labor, done but act, namely to
add % he Constitution have been living under six
liIes six lines, which find place in the Constitution
amended by US, providing that the Legislature shall
not have power to contract public debt engage
the State stakeholder in any corporation nor to loan
its credit any individual association If say du-
ring session thus protracted and expensive they had
made but that single amendment the expense incurred
by their abors would have been the best money ever ex
pended by the State, paid by the people. CEnthus
astic applause. The omission of these six lines has
cost us six millions oil dollars. We are paving. in con-
sequence of the omission of these six lines every year
live three hundred thousand dollars; eight hundred
dollars day for ever; sum more than sufficient to
mantain in perpetual session. year after year. from the
first Of January the thirty first of December such
Convention this with its hundred and fifty delegates
and all its expenses of rent officers Journal and debates
Renewed applause.] And this is paid yearly,
citizens, to be again dsbursed among us
but those foreign bondholders who figured so largely
in the recent bank discussion; annual drain our
capitals tribute imposed by our own mprovidence, and
sent out OF the State, never to return.
Thus, though il be our unquestionable duty to close
our business here with all convenient DESPATCH is
the less true that the value of abors cannot be
ured by time nor estimated in dollars.
Some things have been said that had better have been
left unsad about the pay of the members Of the Con-
vention. If had been member of the General As
sembly last winter should not have voted as per diem
for the Delegates. higher than that which we
are entitled For State, deeply IN debt as Indiana u.s.
must husband her resources. But yet if were al
ways paid according to the Importance Of the work they
perform, our members of Congress would receive three
dollars day, and eight. (Applause.)
Ispeak OF that which know; having been a member
of Congress for four years. four evenu and exciting
years. was in the House when the great questions
Of Oregon, Texas, Tariff and the Mexican War were
debated and decided And yet, put all these questions
momenous they were, together estimate their eff
ects, present and FUTURE upon the People of Indiana
and they do not remotely compare in Importance
with the effects to be produced upon people by thu
amended Constitution, the popular should decid
cndnr. tior