Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-05

the State debt. hence the Legislature regarded Il
asnece--afy. under the acts Of 1859 and 1861 to
provide for the payment Of the interes, in the
general appropriation bills. snd to conform 20
provision Of the Constitution. vhich feqnires
that mo money shall be drawn from the treasury
but in pursuance Of appropriations made by
law"
Where rests the responsibility. then. II any
failure should occur TO pay the interest upon the
public debtl' Il is made the duty Of the Legisla
iure to provide for and direct its payment Il
failed to do so owing 70 the revolutionary action
Of the Republican members of the House The
Governor has also duty in the matter.
The Constitution authorizes him to convene
special session of the Legislature whenever
in bis judgment the public interests may de
mand it, Certainly that contingency has arisen
il he regards the honor. the fair fame and the
pgbted faith Of the State worth preserving He
certainly should not ask the Stale officers 10 as
sumo responsibility which the Legislature has
forbidden under severe penalties. when he has il
clearly within his power to provide a remedy
The very condition of affairs has arisen which
even the Republican members Of the last Legis-
lature Anticipated one of the consequences of
their boiling. and they clearly the opinion
that the State officers had right pay the in
terest underline statutes OF 1859 and 1861. and so
expressed themselves.
Ii Governor MoRToS's loose and Authoritarian
construction OF the Constitution and the laws are
to prevsil-if the officers Of the State are TO be
governed by the amendment Of legislative
act" or their judgment as TO what that "intend-
ment" may be-there will be but little duty for
the Legislature to perform. and it will be un
necessary for il to pass any appropriation bills.
for IL is fairly to be presumed that the General
Assembly does not propose to create any debt by
law without intending to paw it.
There can be no question bat that i, is the duy
OF the Governor TO exhaust all constitutional
measures to provide for the payment of the in
terest Of the State debt and he has ample time
to convene the Legislature for that purpose be
fore the July interest becomes due
IL there is any conspiracy to defeat the pay
nent Of that Indebtedness whatever, it can Justly
be charged to Governor MoRrox and his political
friends in the Legislature, who suggested and
justified the bolt at its last session that defeated
the appropriation bills in which provision was
made for the payment of the interest upon the
State debt
There is one point that Governor MoRrov is
careful to conceal. He and his party friends bit
tery condemn the responsibility assumed by
Governor WILLARD in paving the Indebtedness
of the State without appropriations in pursuance
of law. Yet they now attempt to justify their
conduct by quoting the policy of the latter as a
safe precedent There is this difference which
Governor MORTON fails to notice The State
officers under Governor WnLARp's admin.
istration could responsibility with
out any embczzlement act staring them in
the face and its penalties That
act was recommended bv Governor MoRroy.
and it met his approval, TO deter officers from
doing the very acts which he now urges upon
them. Is that fair dealing, is it honest. is it
consistent? If His Excelency has no respect for
official integrity himself he at least, should not
ask the State officers to do that which two years
ago. he pronounced felony, and which should
receive the punishment due that crime He might
require this sacrifice from partisan associates
but certainly he has no right to demand it from
those whom he regards "a political enemies