Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-01-23
w EEKLY sen TINEL.
WEDNESDAY .....,.-JANUARY 2a, 1851
Legislative summary.

were announced; the reports of officers, of 1889
were ordered TO be laid on tables of Senators; a
long discussion ensued on taking newspapers for
) members, ending i'm resolution to take three
copies of the Sentinel and Journal if they could
be got at a starving price; number of bills were
read a second time; resolved TO go into the cleo
ton of Senator at two o'clock on Wednesday: in
vitation to Honest Old Abe to visit the Legisla-
ture on his way to the Capitol and tell the Re
publicans what to do; hall privileges granted to
compilers of the Statesmen of the Senate; to in
quire about furnishing stationary by law and
some plan to employ a reporter; MeSsrs. Line
March, Ray, Claypool and Ferguson ap-
pointed committee to inquire into the expectancy
of amending the Constitution; the Senate went
TO hear Governor Lanes inaugural, came back
with Lieutenant Governor MOrtoHp and then adj
journed.
In the House resolutions ON the state of the
Union were offered by Messrs. Pitts, Bundy,
Woodruff and Underwood which were referred to
the Committee of Thirteen The figure of a
golden eagle, presented by Mr.. Vajen, of In
dfanapolis, to be placed above the clock in the
hall, was accepted and ordered to be placed there
The citizens of Indianapolis were requested to
suspend all business and be present on the Occa-
sion of hosting the American flag on the dome
of the State-house. Resolutions of inquiry re
specting the mode of electing teachers in common
schOOls-into the issue of military commissions
on the expediency of reducing clerks fees in the
settlement of decedents estates-and to the
management of the swamp lands, were referred
to Appropriate committees 5000 each of the
Governors message and Governors inaugural
address were ordered to be printed in English and
2,OOO each in German, for the use of the House.
A bill to amend section % of the practice act
was introduced. Mr.. Heffren offered the follow
ing joint resolution, which passed unanimously:
WHEREAS we the Senators and Representatives of the
people Of Indiana in General Assembly convened have
read with pain in the teegraphc messages Of the country
of the intent Of body OF men in the Southern States OF
this Confederacy to compel all vessels navigating the wa
and whereas we believe that we should be unmndfu Of
duty TO constituents unjust to Indiana and the
great Northwest if should not speak out upon the
question of the free and unobsruced navigation Of the
Mississippi upon whose float annually hundreds of
millions dollars worth Of commerce and tens OF thou
sands Of our citizens Therefore,
Be resolred by the General assembly Of TIE State Of
Indiana. That under circumstances we see the
mouth Of the Mississippi any portion thereof IN the
hands Of any foreign power recognize the right Of any
power government on of hinder, delay OBJ
the free navigation of the same, and that if
boats vessels Of any kind character when peaceaby
navigating the waters Of said river are moested dis
turbed hindered in manner by any govern
ments foreign to ours even protesting or declaring
themselves 10 be- by any body Of men pretending 10
act by the authority of State Nation, would be by
considered heinous ofense upon people and the
people of the whole Northwest and that pledge
the people Of the mighty Valley Of the Mississippi to
all endeavors to their long vested rights and
in all fail right to navigate in
peace and quiet said stream pledge our united and u-
divided support such the necessities Of the
may require to protect our commerce and our people
Resolced That copy of this preamble and resolution
be forwarded Senators and Representatives in Con-
es with instructions to present them to both houses o
Congress- and also that one copy be forwarded 10 the
Governors Of each one Of the States of the Union
TUESDAY, January 18th, 1861.
H. 7 ,oct IL, cannon ap,ouncod
the committee to correspond with the President
elect in regard to his visit to Indiana. The sub
ject of newspapers was debated at great length
and the result was the determination of the mem
bers to take six copies daily of any papers they
might choose to order. Resolutions we're adopted
in relation to the employees Of the House; in
reference to the Calumet dam; directing the
Finance Committee to allow no claims against the
Senate presented within ten DAYS of the close OF
the session, unless accrued within that time; APP
pointing committee of three to examine the
books of the retiring State Auditor; raising o
committee to redistrict the State; on the expe
diency of amending the school law; and number
of resolutions ON Federal relations were Offered
and sent to the committee on that subject. The
reports of the benevolent institutions and the
bank and the canal reports were laid before the
Senate. A number of bills were introduced and
passed their first reading-viz: to amend the
mllltla law, 10 amend the act OcnnlnR IniSut
meanors; to amend the election law; to perfect
titles of railroad purchasers; changing the law fol
the assessment of property and levying and col
lecting taxes; to punish embezzlement in railroad
employees; to amend the liquor law; to apportior
Senators and Representatives for the next six
years, and to amend the law in relation to the
salaries of public officers.
HousE-Bills were introduced to repeal and
amend the game law; sundry Union resolutions
were introduced and referred; Mr.. Holcomb intro
duced memorial to Congress, asking for the
adoption of the Crittenden amendment, and dep
recating coercion, Mr.. Heffren said the memorial
was adopted by Democratic caucus; Mr.. Pack
ard offered a resolution in reference to the inau
gural of Governor Lane-regarding it as incen
diary in the present crisis and as not representing
the views of the people of Indiana. A resou
ton to instruct the Judiciary Committee to in
quire whether there was any law on the statute
book recognizing the right Of shareholders t.
pass through the State with his slaves, and to re
port as to the expediency of recognizing sucf
right and also as to the right of temporary so
Ijourn, was introduced Mr. Nebeker, of Warren
resisted the introduction of any such resolu
| tion-even of inquiry. The South, he said, die
not complain of anything on the statute-books o
Indiana, and he did not want anything place.
there of which the North could complain. Th'
usual number Of papers were ordered to be taken
| and the rules of the last House were adoptet
with the exception of that in regard to go :
eminent of joint committees.
WEDNESDAY,, January 16, 1861
SESArE-Petitions were presented praying 70
a law for the protection of fish and also to amen'
the game law. A long debate was had on tn
bill to repeal the new county and county boundar,
act of March, 1857, which resulted in an amend
ment to repeal the act of 1859 also. A joint res
olution was adopted to elect United States Sen
ator by a concurrent vote of both Houses, ant
under il Gov. Lane received 81 votes and JOSEPH
/ A. Wright 81 for that Office. The Senate me
the House in JOINT convention to witness the in
auguration OF Gov. Morton, and the only othe
business done vas to quarrel over the newspape
question-repeal the resolution passed yesterday
and adopt one to take the usual number of pa
pers.
Reconsideration were introduced for a con
vention of the border States, at Louisville, or an
other point in Kentucky, in February; instructor,
the proper committee in reference to the orgaEi
zation of the militia. with view to the defens
of the State Various bills were introduced
among others one repeating az laws licensing
Ohio river falls pilots-to let any man act in tina
capacity without license. A resolution was ais
introduced by Mr.. Raglan, declaring the seat o
Mr. Bright, in the United States Senate, vacant
and that the Legislature proceed to elect a sue
cessor at any early day. Mr.. Speaker Allen de
clared the resolution out of order. The join
resolution to elect United States Senator b
concurrent vote was passed, and under it Governo
Lane received 81 votes and Jos. A. Wright 3
votes, and Immediately after Governor Lane re
signed and the Senate was called in to witness tn
administering of the oath of Office TO o. p. Mon
ton, who became at that instant the constitutions
Governor of Indiana. The address of Governo
Morton was very brief-and brevity is the soul 0
wit.
THURSDAY January, IL.
SENATE.-Hon. John r. Cravens, the Senate
from jefferson, was elected President of tn
Senate. The Committee on Federal Relation
reported preamble and resolutions in regard t
the present crisis which mean nothing. The
express the devotion of the people of Indiana t
the Union, but point to no line of policy for pre-
serving it, A long debate followed their pr,
sentation, which had not concluded when tn
Senate adjourned.
Messrs. Cravens, Conner, Steele and Melet
spoke in favor of the report and Messrs. Tark
ington, Ray, Wolfe and Slack against it.
HoUsE.-The standing committees were an
nounced. Petitions were presented in favor of tn
present game law; in favor of the admission O
persons to the Hospital of the Insane who hav
been rendered insane by reason of epilepSy an