Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-12-27
Meeting Of the Indiana Legis-
latufe.

The regular biennial session Of the Gen
erl Assembly of the State of Indiana will
commence next Thursday week. In both
Senate and House the Radicals have good
working majorities. anil whatever is the
character oftheir legislation the party will
be held responsible for it. We think there
is more to- be feared from the prevalence of
timid cOunsels than any other source. for
If there is any sacrifice of the right made
for the sake oipolicy. it will but serve TO
disgust earnest men. We hope, therefore.
to see the Legislature enter heartily into
the good work recently inaugurated by the
Supreme Court. in its decision declaring
unconstitutional the infamous black laws
and the 18th Article of the State Constitu-
tion, by sweeping from our statute books
all Laws making distinctions between citi
zens on account of race or color II should
also submit to the people an Amendment
To the State Constitution providing for col
ored suffrage. Such an amendment may
be rejected to day; 1t may fail of an endorse
ment tomorrow; it is one Of those things
that may be voted down but it cannot be
kept down. Ii Is measure of simple JUS
ticc and must eventually prevail Because
il is right and just is sufficient reason why
the Republican party should aid will adj
yocale it.
The attention of the Legislature will be
early called to the necessity of amending
our present very loose election laws. The
charges ofillegai voting. ballot-box stufing,
etc. that follow every general election, if
true, are disgrace to Us as people. By
all means let Us have laws that will preserve
the ballot box from further pollution.
At the hands of our lawmakers will be
demanded rigid temperance law
Throughout the State earnest men and wo-
men are circulating and signing petitions
asking for the passage of law prohibiting
the accursed traffic in intoxicating liquors.
Tue principle of prohibition we believe to
be correct, and should only be ton happy
10 announce this winter the passage of
law prohibiting whisky selling as the
crimes to which ii is so nearly allied are
prohibited-as murder. arson and robbery
arc prohibited. However, Law requiring
ting liquors to present to the Board of
County Commissioners petition signed by
a majority of the legal voters of the town
ship or ward where the same are to be
sold, is as much as We can reasonably hope
for But temperance law Of some kind
we must and will have, and let him who
votes against il he very certain that he will
never want another Office.
We have suggested before the adoption
of measures b. the State fo- the drainage
Of lands nOyS overfiowed by the kankakee
river and its tributaries. To say nothing
of the influence OF these streams upon the
health Of the surrounding country. any out
Law made to reco- sr the thouAin IS of acres
now submerged, By rendering them more
valuable. and b. opening up to emigration
an extensive and fertile region, would be
speedily returned to the State in the shape
of taxes We are assured that the project
is not only feasible bat that the expendi-
ture would bear no companion with the
grand result in the event of success.
The General Assembly will choose a sue
cessor to Hon. Henry s Lane in te Senate
Of the United States. Backed BIZ an over
whelming influence in and around the
State Capitol, and supported by numerous
and enthusiastic friends in every part OF
State, Governor Morton will certainly be
the winning candidate. Although we have
been credited by the indianapolis Journal
with ian able editorial advocating this
genfIcman's claims, we take occ ision to
say that we have our doubts about his be-
Ing the proper man. We gladly acknowl-
edge his great services both to the party
and the nation, but we think II Is due to
the moral sense. and common dccency of
the people Of the State, if there is any truth
in the charges brought against his private
character during the late campaign, to
throw him overheard. II these charges
are false, as we earnestly hope and trust,
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