Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-03-18

BY orators tongue anu poet ptn--
Though In uncoffined graves ye lie,
Ye are OF those not born 10 die.
Address OF tho Republicans
Members Of the LeElslature
10 the People Of the State Of
Indiana.
The undersigned. Joint COMMITTEES on
behalf of the Senate and House of Repre>
senatives, submit for the consideration OF
the people the following facts:
On Thursday morning. the 4th day Of
March, 1859, the business Of the Legisla>
ture WAS suddenly arrested by the resig-
nation Of seventeen Senators sn6 thirty>
seyen members OF the House OF Repre-
sentative. The persons thus resigning
their seats were all Democrats, and the
reason assigned by them for resisning wss
TO defeat any action by the Legls'ation On
the Fifteenth Amendment -propoeed BY
Congress to the Constitution OF the United
States. The Constitution Of our State pro-
vidcs that quorum 10 da business shall
Of two thirds of the members Of
each nouse. Ii will thus be seen thai =
sufiicien. number 0f he Democratic
nsmtess Of each House resigned to ds>
slroy . quorum necessary to pass the bills
already completed or to mature others ""
imperfect.
All. or nearly oil, OF the legislation that
was really demanded was in condition u
De perfected and PASSED IN the three days
tha, remained, had this revolution not oc>
Cured. 1t is invsriable the case that the
last three days Ut legislation are more in-
than any proceeding twenty
days of the session. In those three days
all important bills, having previously un>
dcrgone discussion, amendment, exaIdina-
Iien by Committees and = thorough inves-
tigation, are brought to final vote. and,
On mature consideration, passed or reject
ed. Thus il was In this case. All the
great measures were awaiting the fnal ac-
lion, OF the two Houses, among whieh We
may mentlont the nxi9roAd laws, the school
laws, the Gravel road laws, the Election
laws, and the laws making the necessary
for carrying on the various
Vt the governmeut, snd for
the support OF the benevolent Institutions
OF the state, together with the necessary
provisions for the payment Of the interest
and principal sfthe public dctt. Bdt the
power OF tho stAse 20 use me YhUnSy rails
ca by iafatfoh, for all the above named
purposes, is thus suddenly stricken down
by this revolutionary movement ON the
20 prevent the discharge Of a
duty imposed on tho Legislation by the
Constitution Of thcU. s., which every
member and employe Of both Houses had
sworn to support and obey. That ins,ru-
meut provides that: The Congress. wheu>
ever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem
It necesss-y. shall prop"se amendments to
the constitution, which shsll be valid to
all intents and purposes ~ part Of this
constitution, when ratified by the Lesisla-
tare Of ihree>fourths of the several States
In sccordasce with the power, and In the
manner thus pointed out, the Congress Of
the United States adopted the following:
'AsrioIE Is, The right Of the citizens
ofthe United States 70 vote shall no, be
denied or abridged by the United States
OF by any State, on account OF race, color
or previous condition Of servitude.
SkcrIsN,2 Congress shall have power %
enforce this article by appropriate legis-
latiun.
The Asoposcd amendment was certified
10 the Governor by the proper author
ity, and received by him on Monday
March Let, 1860. On the same day the
Governor. as was his duty. presented tii,
swendment to both Houses Of the Gener
81 Assembly. In the Senate. Immediately
on its reception, its consideration ~
postponed, and was made the special or
der for ThuTsdsythe 4th, 1t two O'Clock p
IN. 1t was thus made the sfgGial order fol
the day named. withsus . dissenting OF
opposing vote or tf3cs. 1t was wei
known that the Dcniscralic ptcjudics
against negro suffrage was intensely .
reused. and the members Of that party
were assured that the measure would NO
be taken up ,or discussion or action unit
the hour and day mentioned, but that thu
majority in the Legislature would move
on with the regular order Of business unti
that matter should be reached, then dis
charge their duty in takineit up snd act
ing upon i:. But 30 bitter was the preju
dice and 50 reckless the opposition Of tb'
minority that, on Thyrsday morning
i>2 O'Clock, they y.aced ihsir resignation
in the hands of the Governor, i've and ,
half hours before the time fixed Tor ths
consideration Of the subject. In thst s l.;
hours The appropriation and other bill
that " w.fe necessary TO. prevent an extrs
session Of the Legislation could have
been pissed, for the appropriation bill
had already passed the House of Reprp
sentative, had been read once IN the Sen
ate. and was then in the hands OF the Fl
names committee sf the Senate, and eoult