Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-10
The Address Of the Indiana +" Resign
ers.V Hiaa.i...l

To the People OF Indiana:
THE undersigned members Of the House
of Representatives of the FOrty.seventh
General Assembly Of the State of Indiana
have resigned their seats.
A proper respect for ourselves and the
various constituencies which We repre-.
sented, demand from us an exposition of
the motives which influenced our action.
In explanation OF our conduct we re-
spectfully submit the following statement
of facts vr
We have been, as minority on the floor
of the House, compelled to submit to
novel, unjust, unprecedented and tyranni-
cal rulings from the Speaker, mado for the
sole and only purpose of furthering party
schemes and measures.
We have been denied our privilege to be
heard in support of right principle and
law. Our constitutional rights as minor
ity have not been respected, but have been
trdmpled uuder foot by the majority with
out the semblance of justice or decency.
Brute force has been threatened from the
chair to subject MS to the arbitrary and un
constitutional demands of the majority
Whit we haye claimed as privilege, and
never before questioned by any delberative
body, has been denied us
Forbearing to take the step we have
finally been compelled to take, our lorbear-
ance has been construed into abject submis-
sion TO their behests.
They demanded that we should acqui-
esce in the will of the majority to enact
an infamous, iniquitous and unconstitu-
tional measure, known as House bill No.
291, to apportiOn the State for Senatorial
and Representative purposes, denying us,
by the operation of the "previous ques-
tion," the right to amend or suggest any
change in the proposed law. And, by rea-
son Of the accidental majority of the Dem
ocratic party upon the floor of the House,
all debate and all amendments were not
only cut off, but the bill referred to was
placed out of its regular order, and given
precedence over all other important legis-
lation then pending; and, having been
passed to engrossment under the arbitrary
rulings of the Speaker in direct violation
of law, to complete the infamy the bill was,
by sheer force of Democratic power, made
the special order for the next day at 8
o'clock a. m, thereby declaring that all
| legislation, of whatsoever character or i'm
| portaDce, should be postponed until the
unlawful and unconstitutional behests of
the majority should be subserved.
The enormity and infamous character of
this measure will be seen when it is con-
sidered that, should this bill become law,
the Republican party might carry the State
! by 10000 majority, and yet, under its pro-
| visions, the Democracy would still control
| both branches of the General Assembly,
thus giving to minority, in express viola
| ton of the wishes of majority of the
people of the United States Senators and
all the officers to be chosen by the General
Assembly
Indeed it was the open and avowsd
purpose of the majority, in the language
of the Representative from Monroe County
(Mr. Mitchell), to so re-distTict the State
that the Republicans should never again
have majority in the General Assembly.
This bill was offered by the Democrats
as an GHsHdEaent to the present apportion-
ment law, when it was in fact an entire
new and distinct law to take the place of
the present law, which was passed by the
Legislature in 1867.
The enumeration upon which this law
was passed was made in 1866; the law
passed in 1867.
Our constitution, article 4, sections 4
and 5, are as follows, to-wit:
SEC 4. The General Assembly shall, at its
second session after the adoption of this constiu
tiOn, and every six years thereafter cause emu
meration to be made of all the white male inhabi
tants over the age OF 81 years.
SEC. 5. The number of Senators and Represen
| tdt1VeS snail. NJ tnG session next IOlOWlnE euCL
period of making such enumeration, be fixed by
law, and apportiOned among the several counties
according to the white male inhabitants above 2
years of age In each: PfOtide1, That the first anC
second elections of members Of the General As
sembly, under this constitution, shall be according
to the apportionmsnt last made by the Genera
Assembly before the adoption of this constitution
1t will be seen that, by the express terms
of the constitution above quoted, every sil
years only can an apportionment be made
for legislative purposes, and that this mus
be done at the session next after the success
sive enumerations are made. Not, then, til
; after the enumeration now being taken il
complete, could such measure be con
; stitutionally passed-that is, not until thu
, session of 1873. Yet the Democracy, be
cause of their power, proposed to over
, ride the constitution, and place upon ou
II statute books this act, thus showing tina
the Democracy in the present Legislature
are wholly regardless of law and constitu
? tion, and are as revolutionary in characte
now as they were ten years ago.
We earnestly appealed to the Democrac,
{ to postpone the consideration of this bill
! till later day in the session, so that tn
l many important measures pending Nigh
8 be finally acted upon, and all non n.politica
E questions in which the people are inter
!, ested settled; but our appeals were treate'
q with contempt
a Having taken an oath to support tn
: constitution of the State when we tool
e our seats, we could not sit silently by AM
0 suffer the final accomplishment by tn
b Democracy of the unjust, unconstitutiona
e and revolutionary measure, without fee
ing that we would be chargeable as acceS
q sories to the crime; and to prevent it W
e resigned our seats as members of the Leg
e islature.
v We confidently appeal to the intelliger
law-abiding people Of Indiana to sustai
G our action.