The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1869-05-28

u,,tou tells the I(Htlral FHHhuitTIS-
nhn mi the Constitutional Amend
Snr, through the Logislat~f'c. that he
I'M doubt Congress will sanctien the
.rcrdinrs and rtunt the vote Af the
r,,,s for the aincntNacut. Well, VIC
r.no more confidence in tilc honesty
mi integrity of Congress than Morton
'n,ears 80 have. bat we have very scr1-
"pr dnnhts rs to whether the Senator in
~. mat;.s pre- it.ercs the action of Con-
ass IL will be remembered that iln-
'od;otelv after shc disruption Of the
o.n,,or session Of the Legislature. Nor
~, himself introduced Il resolution into
~. Senate declaring. that whenever Il
-,,;ority of ;hc memebers OF 1.cgisla'
,,,re shoul,: raii.'y unconstitutional amend
,nnut. no matter whether quorum was
nrc.cnt and voting or not. the r;itiiica-
~, sLoulJ be decIncd as complete and
,alid a. though quorum was present
.n1 ,iart;ciratcd in t'r act. The resel,i-
,,nn was referred Ia the judiciary Com
,..;tt,e Of ;hc Senate. from which II nsvs
NH, NO favor. and it is understood that
M. maiori,ruf the Senate Were decided.
IL opposed to the startling and unheard
~ rrouosition of the Indiana Senator.
Now. the Radical rump of our Iegis-
r,,nra have done Just what Norton en-
be,vorad in advance To obtain Congress
.,onct sanction for doing. They have
pretended TO ratify the Fifteenth Amend
ineni when less than quorum was pres
,nt in either House. and when ia ono
House al least il was im.,Ossihr I" OBJ
thin a quorum because of the resignation
81 more Than onc-third Of the members
And This is lust wha. Congress. in re-
fI~ine 10 pass Morton's resolution. con
dcmnrd ~ an insufficient ratitication--i IL
fact. Il, no ratification stall.
Nor has Congress the right 10 So,
whether the vote of Indiana shall u
.ball moi be counted. That is for tn
scrrc,ar, of Sta.c 10 do. II is under
stood tia: GOV. Baker will not ccrtif,
thai tho Fifteenth Amendment has beef
ratified by the Indiana Legislature, bi
win nnrraic all the facts in the case, lcav
ing il with Secretary Fish to dccid
whether or not the action taken amount
10 ratification. We can not doubt wh:,
course Gov. Fish will feel himself callc
mon to pursue. lie will examine tn
Constitution OF Indiana to- ascertain VIII
VIVA W nhl cObStltUtc tIfN lL'SbSit'"i'
The state. aud when he asccrtains tina
no number less than twc-thirds arc ca
pablo Of performing any legislative &c
hn will refuse to inclusie Indiana d
among the States that have ratified tn
amendment. This hc will be bound
do from the nature Of the docnmci
which Gov. Baker, ii is said. intends
send to the State Department, md froi
the action of Congress. I'm Niusing
pass the bill introduced by Senator MOI
ton. meeting tho very contingency whic
has here arisen. If Congress intcndc
10 sanction any such revolutionary pre-
ceedinr they would no doubt have passc
Noriol's bill, and SO Secretary Fish wi
conclude.
Norton appears 10 be omnipotcnt
Republican Legislative ca,,ruses in Ind
ana, but il is not certain that Il snap I
lis fingers as cilcctualy silenccs Sen;
toys at Washington. We have not muc
confidence in either branch Of Our \:
iional Legislature. but il II quite prob
Die that that body will not be willing
srt'a precedent which may return
plague the invcntors.-(N. "A. Ledger.