Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-07

winch an etcctOI shall haFe fco'NeN- ~ ~ NO-'
~ and township, precinct or ward IN which he
offers to vote under this Constitution" See
Acts of 1861. p. l55.
This proposed amendment contained restric-
ton and limitation aud not an extension or en-
largement of the right of suffrage The other
two propositions related to the school law. See
Acts of 1851. p. ls6
These propositions pending before the
last session Of the Legislature. What could
they do? The Constitution expressly declares
that "wAile an amendment or amendments,
which shall have been agreed upon by one Cen
eral Assembly, shall be waiting the action of a
succeeding General Assembly or of the electors,
no additional amendment or amendments shall
be proposed" - tre-s 't-
Let Us now inquire what action was taken by
the last Legislature upon this subject.
On the first day of the session. Mr.. GRIFFITH,
of Lagrange, submitted resolution instructing
the judiciary Committee to report bill amend
ing our election laws so to permit our soldiers
IN the field to vote, which was passed. The
Judiciary Committee composed OF four Dem
ocrats and three Republicans, and it unanimous
" reported that the election laws could not be
changed in the mode asked without change in
the Constitution, and this report was unanimous
ly conquered in by the House. See House Jour
nal, pp IA and l75. r
On the oath of February Mr.. ANDERSON, of
ST. Joseph, introduced bill to amend the cleo
ton law so as to permit soldiers to vote. This
bill was, on its second reading, referred to select
committee; but Mr.. ANDERSON, shortly after
wards, following the example of JEFF. DAVIS,
TooMBs & Co, violated bis oath of Office by va
eating MS seat, with others. thus preventing all
legislation; and the bill was, on the last day of
the session, reported back without action
On the 10th of January Mr. CAsoS, of Boone,
introduced joint resolution ain reference to
amending the Constitution. so as to allow SOL
diers of this State to vote at the annual State
and county elections" On the second reading
Of this joint resolution, Mr. MoReAS, a Republi-
can member from the abolition county of Henry,
raised the constitutional question that this amend
ment could not be proposed while the amend
ments proposed by the Legislature of 1861 were
awaiting the action of that Legislature, and it
was referred to the Judiciary Committee, which,
through Mr.. ANDERSON, Republican. unani-
mously reported chat it would be unconstutioD-
al to propose an amendment to the Constitution
while there is a proposed amendment to the same
pending and undisposed of" and this report was
concurred in by the House See House Journal,
DID. 100. 222, 223, 247, 2s4 and 2S5.
Where now rests the responsibility If the
Republican Legislature of 1861 had proposed an
amendment to the Constitution to permit
the soldiers to vote, the last Legislature could
and would have passed it, and it could have been
submitted to the people at the April election of
1868, and our brave and patriotic soldiers could
have voted last fall and at the elections this fall
The Journal says, "But the late Legislature,
through which alone the steps to secure this right
could be taken, was controlled in both branches
by sopperheads. who refused to allow anything
to be done, just as the same party has done in
Maine, Connecticut. Wisconsin, New Jersey, and
everywhere where the attempt has been made to
recognise the civil rights of the citizen in arms"
The editor of the Journal knows that the above
paragraph contains three deliberate lies. Lie
No. 1. If the Joint Resolution of Mr.. CAsos
had been pissed by the late Legislature, it would
have to be submitted to the Legislature that
meets in January, 1865; and if passed by that
Legislature. then it would have to be submitted
to the people for their approval rejection some
time in the year 1865 So it could not have be
come part Of our Constitution until long after
the elections this fall.
Lie No. g The Journal says that the copper
heads defeated the same proposition in Maine,
Connections and Wisconsin. The editor knows
that the Legislatures of all of these States are
largely and intensely Republican. and that the
copperheads had no power to defeat the measure
and besides he knows that the Republican Legis-
latures of Connecticut and Wisconsin passed
judges held to be unconstitutional
Lie No B. The Journal SAYS that the last Leg
islature was the only time and through il was
the only way in which steps could be taken to
amend the Constitution. The editor knows that
to amend the Constitution in the mode pointed
out therein so permit the soldiers to vote
this fall, it was necessary for the Legislature oil
1861 To have taken the first step. The editor
knows that this was not the only way in which
the Constitution can be amended. There is a
much shorter mode, and that is by calling q
Convention If Governor MORTON and bis Re-
publican friends are so anxious for the soldiers to
vote, he and they can give them that right Let
him call an extra session of the Legislature
Let il call a Convention to amend the Constitu-
ton. Let the Convention amend the Constitu
ton so as to allow soldiers to vote in the field
Ii can all be done in time for the October cleo
ton. VIII Governor MORTON and his friend.
pursue this course? II not. they should have the
decency to quit slanderng and defaming better
men and purer patriots than themselves.
The Journal could rot close its article without
going out of its way to assail and Islander the
Supreme Court. The right of the soldiers tC
vote has not been and cannot be without legisla-
ton, before that Court The judges thereof have
expressed no opinion or taken any action on tht
subject. Then why drag them into the contro
versy. The only reason that can be assigned is
that the editor wanted to vent his hatred anc
msliguity against the able aud upright judges o.
the Supreme Court. who stand in the way of hi.
Republican friends in their attacks upon th,
Constitution and the rights of the citizens o
Indiana.
The Exchange Question.
As this question is exciting considerable in
terest in the community at the present time, W,
| ,annt,lish from the Nav York World rho foilau