The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-01-25
REPORT OF MIR. PRATT


report on The additional appropriation
necessary to defray the expenses ofthe Con-
! rcnti0R.
| Mr.. SPEAKER: The select committee to
whom was referred IL resolution OF the House,
directing them to inquire into the expcdiency
oil making an appropriation for the payment
al the expenses vi The Convention nnw ia SEES
son, Tor the purpose Of revising and amend
| ing the Constitution of the State, and report
the probable am punt necess, Try TO enable
SAID Convention TO comulete. the object for
which IL was assembled, h We had the subject
under col,sid ration, ami direct me to report:
That the Convention was called into exs-
tence by the qualified voters of this State,
with the view TO correct certain Acknowledge
ed defects Ill the existing Constitution. and 10
deliberate on the propriety Of other reforms
suggested about which diversity oil opinion
prevailed.
Among the amendments about which there
was little. il any difference of opinion, the
following are believed to be the principa:
LIST. The election by the people fall judy
es and Of those chief officers Of State, now
elected by the Legislature.
| I'd. Biennial session of the General Assem-
bly,.
81. The appropriation Of all fines and for
FIXTURES TO The support of common schools.
4th. Limitation OF the Legislative power in
the creation Of il public debt.
| 5'h. Suitable restrictions against the pas
sage OF laws OF local character.
9th. A reconstruction of our judiciary es-
Enlistment, and some provisions Tor the SIM
pliying OF our laws, and the mode Of proceed
ure in our courts.
| Other amendments were advocated in some
quarters such as Il modification Of our Grand
Jury system; to prevent The immigration 10
the State OF Tree Blacks; and to open TO COM
petition the business OF banking. But it is
believed the fore going embraced the princi-
pal, If not all The subjects, in reference to
which, amendments. revision aud reioam in
the existing Constitution were demanded.
In the Canvass of lS49, Immediately pre-
ceding the time when the people were called
upon to vote whether or not "a Convention
should BE- called, the reforms desired Were
Extensively discussed from the candidates for
Governor down, and the committee feel
very confident assurance that none other be-
You'd those above specif ID, were submitted
to The people. Ii WAS in reference to these
reforms aud none other, that the people voted
Tor the calling Of ii Convention The CON-
mitiec dare not say, that the ConventiJn is
strictly limited to the consideration! of IN. Sc
reforms and none other. YET doubtless, it
should be an argument Of great weight to
that body. that The people had neither felt
nor iancied any evils in the present system
beyond those above indicated, until the Con-
vention IN It's spirit 0f demolition. demon
strated lis sense Of the rickety structure under
which the people has lived insecurity SD long
|, The act providing for the call OF the Con-
, vention, approved Jan. lS 1850 does not in
direct terms limit the session of that | o iy !;
yet IN the opinion Of the committee, the in
ference is strong. and The arguments abIn
dant, that the Legislature which passed the
act never contemplated a session beyo three
months. The provisions in the act appropri
ating $4,000 Tor the payment Of the expen-
ses oil The Convention. posfponIng the meet
ing Of the General Assembly TO the 5ih Mon
. day in December. aud requiring the Cover
nor to lay before that body ut its present ses-
sion IL certified copy Of the amended Cons,-
, tuition, all establish beyond doubt the pur-
pose OF the Legislature to limit the action OF
the Convention within the period OF three
months.
The committee are Of opinion, that strict
economy OF time would have enabled the
, Convention TO have fully and satisfactorily
fulfilled this trust. and to have made all need
tul amendments TO the Constitution within
that period. While they would not dispar-
age the value Of the labOrs Of that body nor
q Impugn tie motives OF any Of its members,
much less make any ilIsidious references,
they desire to express in distinct terms their
opinion, that much time has been uselessIy
> consumed in the consideration of reforms mel
: thcr called for nor desirable. In the opinion Of
: this committee, the organic law Of the State
should be simple in structure, brief and per-
spicuous. These qualities are important to
secure being read and compreliended by
n tn: people of all classes and conditions, now
e and hereafter. Ii should be rdde mccain
g in the hands oil every citizen, as familiar 10
. him us his Bible. The distribution of the
! powers of government and the precise limita.
n tion>oi eacn department, with specific emu
J. lneration vi those rights, excepted out of the
. pow crs OF government and invIolable under
all circumstances. are susceptible OF being
reduced within very brief compass, scarcely
! as long as the charter of modern railroad
! company. The best evidence OF this truth is
: found ia In At beautiful model, worthy of all
. imitation, the Constitution Of the United
States, and in that excellent Constitution
now in process Of amendment Under this
It latter instrument, we have hourished az
J. State beyond all .oruer precedent From a
population If SIX y thotslnd souls we have
Increased 10 one Of a Million and in IA third
p ri Of a ceatury have risen to the dignity oil
the 6fth State IN this great coniederacy.-
8 That Constitution was framed by our fathers
!, in the period Of firenty one days A Con-
ventlOn OF their SOILS has heen occupied
is near four months with its revision, and yet
d gives TO indication OF an early adjournment.
e The Committee do dot wish to disguise the
: fact that the people are restless and dissatis
q fed with this state Of things. Their murinurs
d are becoming deep and LOUD By the LIST OF