The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-26
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Discussion of the Amendments ia
Both Houses Yesterday.
The Brown Bill Ordered Ensrossed by the
Senate, with an Important Amendment
Other Matters of Interest
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
The discussion of the present status of the
constitutional amendments occupied the at
tention of both branches of the Assembl
the greater part of yesterday. In the Senate,
Mr.. Foulke concluded his exhaustive argu-
nent which is regarded as one of the ablest
speeches ever made in the legislative halls of
this State In concluding he paid his re-
spects to the leader of the opposition Sena-
tor Brown, conVicting the latter of gross in
consistency on the points involved in the
discussion. He showed by the record that
in 1873 when the Wabash & Erie canal
amendment was under consideration, and
the case was substantially the same as
that now at issue, Senator Brown
had strongly supported the very position
now assumed by the Republicans viz That
the amendments were legally pending and
that at that time he had based mis- belief on
legal opinions which he now denied. The
senator from Jackson, in reply to the charge,
said he was Republican then-a very In
cautious remark, for Mr.. Foulke made the
caustic point that he (Nr. Brown acknowl-
edged that while acting as a judge, in
purely legal matter, he would decide one
way as a Democrat and another as Repub-
,ican. The point was well taken, and was
greeted with applause. Altogether, it was a
'cold day" for Mr.. Brown, and he got de-
cidedly the worst of the discussion. After
he had spoken at great length, not as much
on the point at issue upon the merits of
prohibition per Sc, Senator Spann walked
over him rough shod by showing that
his speech was almost identical with the
speeCses he delivered in the northern part of
the State during the last campaign. When he
got down in his own district jackson and
Brown counties) he changed his tune and
was 0 pronounced submissionist so as to
catch yhe vote of the numerous temperance
Democrats in that vicinity. Mr.. Spann made
rafting speech, replying more particularly
to thepolitical charges that had been made
TO thI Democrats, ana he was frequently in
terru,ted by applause. The discussion was
also drried on by Senator Campbell in few
poined observations, and Senator Voyles 1t
will De continued this morning, when Sena-
tors 1enry and Bell will probably speak A
vote expected to-day.
Tn, amendments came up in
the House as a special order,
at thebeginning of the afternoon session
The louise went into a committee of the
whole with Mr.. Jewett in the chair, and the
discussion hinged upon the motion to adopt
the minority report OF the judiciary commit
tee, declaring that the amendments were
II.
ten, # Knox; Mr. Heffren of Washington;
Mr.. Frazier, of Kosciuslzo, and Mr.. Huston,
of Hyette; all these gentlemen, with the ex-
ceEtien of Mr.. Heffren, speaking in favor of
thl proposition The debate will be contin-
used, but probably not concluded, to-day.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Senator Foullze's argument on the consti-
tntoEal amendments is printed in full else
.sHhers
It's now Senator Bells opportunity to be-
come leader. The senator from Jackson
was rather distigured by yesterdays debate,
but is still in the ring
The bill concerning the relocation of
county seats occupied the attention of the
House yesterday morning, and was
crossed. North Vernon seems TO be on top.
Over 10000 petitions for the submission of
the prohibitory amendment at a special cleo
ton have already been received from every
county in the State and have been put into
the House and Senate Only eighty-seven
counties petitioned two years ago but this
time the whole ninety-two have already been
heard from.
A well-posted Democrat, yesterday, gave it
as his opinion that the constitutional amend
ments would be declared not pending, in the
Senate, by vote of 26 to "a and that the
House would show majority of at least 20
against it He said also, that in case the
prohibition amendment was again intro
duced, that the Democrats would vote almost
solidly against it.
The Brown bill for the reorganization of
the benevolent institutions came up for con-
sideration in the Senate yesterday, and was
engrossed, with the addition of an amend
ment offered by Senator Spann. providing
that the female department of the Insane
Asylum be placed in charge of a competent
female physician. 1t looks like the bill will
pass both the House and the Senate
Mr. Ferriter is thinking of making some
changes in the metropolitan police bill, so
that it will not be SO partisan in character.
He proposes to have the police force equally
composed of men of both political parties,
and to have also the commissioners APP
pointed from different parties, the ap-
pointing power to be the Governor, Secretary
and Auditor of State. Mr.. Ferriter says that
if he can get the Republicans to agree to the
bill with these changes, they will be recon-
mended by the committee.