Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-05-20
From the indianapolis Journal.
DONE AT LAST.


yesterday, all the Democrats OF the House
but two placed their designations in the
hands Of III, Governor. and claimed to be
no longer members. The House, howev.
er, had no Official note of their action,
which could come only In the form of q
statement from the Governor, with his as
surancc that the designations had been ac-
cepted. Yesterday IN ,rning the House
met, ftill uninformed Off :islly of the re-
tirement OF portion of its members
The ordinary forms of Business were gone
through. and tEc Specific Appropriation
bill, which had been returned from the
Senate for concurrence in an amendment,
In by consent. and the bill made CONS
plete and valid act. There was Mt call
nor act to show that there WAS less thin a
quorum present, and quorum is always
presumed To be present till the contrary is
shown. The concurrence in the Senate
q ncndmert was therefore formal, COM
plete and valid, anil must appear so on
the record. Ii there had been q call Of
yeas aud nays ON concurrins, II might have
shown that there waI less than quorum
present. but NO oh call was asked or or
dercd. There can b. M moro question OF
the validity Of any measure which has
been passed from one stage To another, or
been amended, By consent, for in these
latter cases the presence Of quorum IL
not known, ii is only presumed. The
Journal OF TIC House shows regular and
complete act, in accordance with all the
forms of the Constitution, and that record
cannot be questioned, except for fraud or
Justification, neither of which can be al
legged here. 1t shows nothiss m1re or
less than the actual facts, and what II does
not notice is what the House did not off,
cislly know, and could not, without falsi-
fcation or imrcr;inenc-, allow to DO sta
ted.
Shortly after the completion ef the Spe-
cifc Appropriation bin, the Governor sent
in message announcing the resignation
OF the Democratic members and his ac-
ceptance. The House was now officially
notified that no quorum under the State
Constitution, was, or could be present.
but in the opinion Of the majority this
cenld lot affect the validity of any action
in compliancc with the Constitution Of thu
United States. which recognizes major.
ty as quorum. With this view, the
joint resolution OF the Senate, rstirying
the Fifteenth Amendment to the Consii,u-
ton of the United States, which we no.
riced yesterday, was taken up, and passed
by vote OF fifty-four yeas to nays none.
Mr. Mitchell, of Morg,n, being present
but not voting, aud two Democrats, John
S. Davis, of Floyd, and John II. Coifroih,
OF Huntington, being also present but not
voting. A clear majority OF the House
passed the joint resolution, and 10 the
Senate it was passed b. majority with a
full quorum present. That Congress will
recognize this rs perfectly valid rstifica-
ton we have no more doubt than We have
of the meeting Of Congress. This will
make twenty-three ratifying States of the
twenty>eight necessary TO make the
amendment part Of the Constitution
Three "unrcconstructcd'' rebel States, and
three New England States will give /,
ltwenty-niDe. 1t may be set down as set
tied that impartial suffrage is to be the law
Of this country, and the Democrats may
as well prepare for the inevitable necessi'
lty Of iat,ering and iawning upon the ne,
gro.
J These two acts complete record O
creditable activity and good judgment or
the part of the Legislature. Besides the
Appropriation bills, there has been passet
the Election bill, which consolidates al
the elections, township, county and State
instead Of scattering them through :ht
spiing and fall. and brings them on onll
once in two years, in.tead OF twice ear
This is one of the best snd most Obvious re
forms that the Legislature has ever at
tempted. II will rave hundred thousan'
dollars year in taxes, and ten times a
much In the water oftime, excitement an
hard feeling created by local contests. TIL
Agricultural College, after wandcrin
!, hopclessly round the State for eight year,
has been located, with handsome en-
dowmcnt fund from tho Goyernmer
, donation, and half as much more as th
l purchase morey paid by Mr.. PUEDUR 70
{ the attachment of his name to the institr
ton. Several other important measure
!. have been passed; but we regret th
failure of the Fish Protection law, thou:;
il is no more than we expected. No ma
with the average amount of brains, vii
al this day. expect the Legislature TO tai
any interest in measure ofpurely gener
II benefit, which has no party, local or in
n dividual interest TO vilalize feeling in |
favor into action. Nothing will be dor
e in this direction, OF course, bntil the ifs
e arc all killed out, rs they have have bee
@ in New England, and fifty thousand do
= lars are needed to replace them by art
fetal breeding. Then, but not before, Il
- prudence OF the course we have q
= fruifessly urged will be seen, and mon,
:, Will be gwen largely for what could
n done now for nothing. But this apal
|. 1.-THE Legislature has done a great deal
% good work, and if it might have done mo
d j, might also have done great deal wor;