Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-20
The Defense OF the Dem eerstic Mem-
hers of Inc xgou~e..


bers OF the Heuse."
The able and triumpAant yindcatlon Of the
Democratic members Of the House which
appeared in the Sentinel. Of Wednesday. only
re echoes the sentiment Of an overwhelming
mAjsrity Of the people OF Indiana. The action
OF the minority Of the House sas revolutionary.
wicked and without apology The Republican
meubers have no iustifable excuse FOR defeating
the Legislation necessary TO carry on the State
Governments lawfully, and they can make none
which viii satisfy the common sense Of the
people. The simple fact that the Democratic
members of the Legislature were in their sets to
the last hoar Of the session and that thes had
prepared every bill which the public interests and
the public necessities demanded, Is the best
evidence that they had discharged all the duties
resairei of them IN their official capacity to
sustain the Government What is the record of
the Republican membersf They had the power
10 defeat legislation according to the requirements
OF tsse oonslitution, and they took advantage of
IL. For ten Days the closing days of the session.
they bolted. violating thereby their official oaths.
and thus prevented the enactment of laws neces
sary Ia carry on the stase Government to continue
in Operations her charitable nstitutions and to pay
the interest upon the public debt-in word. to
redeem the pigbtcd faith of the State in
not providing Cor The Indebtedness and obligations
due her citizens.
And What is the justification that the Governor
and his apoloSists offer for leaving the State in
this revolutionary conditoDz Tell il not in Gath,
pubsh Il not in the streets of Askalon. mill
tary bill proposed in the House. not passed,
which provided that the militia of the State shall
be organized. officerel, armed, equipped and
trained in such manner as may be provided by
law" II is not denied that the majority Of the
members of the Legislature. representing a ma
iority Of the people OF Indiana, had The right to
enact such Law. hut for the reason that twas not
agreeable To the views and wishes of minority.
that minority determined TO defeat all necessary
legislation upon the mere suspicion that military
biIi obnoxious To Republicans. might be adopted
by the House. Tor be il remembered no action
had been taken upon the measure in the Senate.
The Republican members OF the House did not
wait for lis adoption in that branch of the
Legislature; they did not wait Tor action
upon Il in the Senate: they did not wait to
make use Of the constitutional and par
liamen,ary means which they coua employ to
delay defeat ITS passage. but before any
sion had arisen 10 defeat its enactment by revo.
lutionary action. like scared sheep they vacated
their seats and fled from the city. There can be
valid defense apology for such wicked con-
duct. The Republican minority bad the power
TO defeat the military bill and enact all necessary
legislation: and this fact. which cannot be sue
cessfully controverted. makes their revolutionary
action the damning-leaves i, without any
reasonable apology.
The Journal of yesterday. i'm a labored article
replying to the address OF the Democratic mem
beers of the House to the people, makes the fol-
lowing charge:
Among the most material omissions in the de
Tense l. the total failure TO state. or even allude
u the leading features of the military bill. The
suppression of these features become the declara
ton OF m absolute filsehood in view al the fact
that the defense assumes to state the true charac
ter Of the military bill. aud enters into an argu
ment for its justification.
New what is the fact in tho case? There has
been attempt by me Democratic members to
conceal any OF the features of the military bill.
or suppress them. The bill. just as it was pro-
posed in the House. was published in full in the
Sentinel Thus the true character OF the bill
was known TO the people. But the Republican
minority have not been fair enough tn give the
true character of the military bill by publishing il
complete. aud the suppression and misrepresenta
ton oi its features become the declaration of an
absolute faisehood in view of the fact that they
assume state it, true character and thus enter
into argument to justify their opposition To it
The facts in reference to the military bill show
most conclusively that there is no j-stihcaflon
whatever for the bolt of the minority. aud that
the opposition TO II was only pretext Tor tho
revolutionary action which was undoubtedly in
tended Ia preeipiute upon Indiana civil war and
ali the terrible evils which follow internecins
strife.