Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-12-30
Veto Message Of the Senate
rial Election Bill
GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE:

GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE:
l return to you the enrolled bill of the
Senate No. %, entitled Gan Act to pre-
scribe the time. place and manner Of elect
ing United States Senator's, and to fix the
penalty upon officers failing to certify to
said election"
1t is to be regretted that there should be
any necessity for Stats Legislation on this
subject
The Constitution Of the United States
confers upon Congress full power to regu-
late the time and manner of choosing SEN
ators. The authors Of that Constitution
anticipated that confusion might arise from
the conflicting rules of the States--that
even some States might decline to be rep
resented IN the Senate.
The result OF the failure of Congress to
exercise the power conferred upon it. has
been that conflicting rules and regulations
have been adopted in reference to the
manner of elections, to such an extent that
it is now apparent that no uniform rule can
be adopted on the subject until Congress
executes the provision Of the Constitution
to which have before alluded.
Bat since Congress has failed to pass
any law on the subject. and inasmuch as
th0re is no rule provided by the Legisla-
turs of the State, I regard it as highly
proper that one should be established.
But in establishing the regulation to
prevail in the future, would it not be wise
to SO make it, that hereafter we may avoid
all difficulty on the subject? You are not
unmindful of the history of this question
in the State. Frequently the election of
United States Senators has been the all abb
sorbing question before the Legislature,
and for this reason great public interests
have been aeglected--domestic legislation,
in which the welfare of the State, and the
happiness Of her people were involved,
have been d;sregardsd. The differences
of opinion between the two Houses of the
General Assembly. as to the propriety of
elections, and the persons to be chosen,
have been so great, that at sometimes no
election has been had, and our State for
years in part been unrepresented in the
United States Senate. | make no inquiry
as to who has done right or wrong in these
various conflicts.
Each individual who has been an actor
in the scenes ID responsible for the part
he has taken to the constituency he repre-
sented, and in free government, like our
own, an intelligent and patriotic people will
give to each his just reward or punishment
as his conduct may deserve
More harmony will prevail in your de-
iberations, less excitement be occasioned
among the constituents you represent,
should law be passed that placed it be-
yond the power of either House of the
General Assembly. by its separate action,
to defeat an election Of United States Sen.
ators.
Section Cd Of the Bill you have passed,
requires that majority of the whole num-
Der Of the members Of the Senate. and
majority of the whole number of members
Of the House. shall be necessary to desig-
nate the Senator. If such majority of
each branch Of the General Assembly
could be procured, it would be a simple
mode of election. But the history of the
State shows that in times past, on several
occasions. no such concurrent majority
could be procured; and for that reason the
State has been without her proper repre-
sentation in the Senate.
It is desirable that at all times, Indiana
should have her full constitutional deepa-
ton in the Senate; and the Legislature
should endeavor to place il there, if it can
be done without doing violence to our con-
stitution. The practice heretofore has been
to require majority of the General Az
sembly to choose the Senator's.
1t has been sonstimes impossible to bring
the Houses together SO that a vote could
ba obtained. If the law provided for the
creation of joint convention, or any other
mode of election whereby majority of
tina General Assembly could elsct thu Sa,
yators, 60 far % the mode and manner Of
70 &c.,