The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-20
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Judiciary Committee Reports on
the Status of the Amendments.
Consideration of the Governors Appoint
ments-Important Matters Intro
duced-Legislative Notes.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

House and Senate reported on the constitn-
tional amendments yesterday, and their con-
sideration was made the special order for next
Wednesday and Thursday mornings, respect
lively. In the Senate there were two reports
The majority was signed by Senators
Bell, Brown, Voyles, McCulloch and
Van Vorhis 1t recited in substance
that they had found that the journals
OF last session SHOW that the amendments
were under consideration in both houses
and appear to have been in some way agreed
to- There is no entry, as provided by Sec
ton i article 16 of the constitution, by
which you can determine what the amend
ments were. Nor is there anything to indi-
cate that the Legislature either intended or
refused to submit them to the present ses-
sion. The majority of the committee are of
the opinion that no amendments are now
pending" Messrs. Bundy and Graham, in
behalf of a minority OF the committee, re-
ported the entries as found in the journals
of both houses in 1881. and copies OF the joint
resolution proposing to amend
the constitution as on file in
the Secretary Of States Office and
published in the laws. The report did not
find that they were referred to the present
Assembly, in words, on the journals of either
house, but that the provisions of the consitn-
ton had been properly complied with and
that they were now pending
In the House there were three reports
from the Judiciary committee. Messrs. Nc
Mullen, Williams, Wilson and Heffren re-
ported that they had examined the journals
and had not found any proposed amendment
trli oh, haA hanf1 IN nv tNF
the members of either house and properly
referred to the present legislature. Messrs.
Adams Wright, Frazier, Wiley and Stewart,
the Republican members, reported that
the amendments were on the files
of the Secretary of State, properly au-
therefore pending. Messrs. Jewett and
Patton, both Democrats, made still another
report, holding that the constitutional
amendments were legally agreed to by both
houses of the Fifty-second General Assem-
bly,, and were properly referred to the pres
ent assembly. Although the position assumed
by the last named gentlemen is substantially
the same that Of the Republican members,
the former, for obvious reasons, declined to
sign the same report.
What is regarded as a test vote on the
amendment question was had on the resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Huston, authorizing the
printing of 300 copies OF the reports Those
members who do not believe that
the amendments are legally pend
ing. of course voted against
the solution. which was defeated by vote
as to A. The Republicans voted solidly for
it, and received support on the Democratic
side from Messrs. Aki n, Graham, Patton,
Pulse, Thomas Williams, OF Knox, and
Woodiug. One Republican (Smth of
Tppecanoe) and one Democrat (Spann of
Vanderburg) announced that they were
paired with members not present and there
-. =
hlvis, McHenry, Peters and Williams, of
Posy, Democratsl and Messrs. Genung,
Giants and Sterritt.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
w. H. Diapers claim for furnishing Bre-
vier Reports last session was yesterday re-
ferred to the committee on claims in the
House.
A bill was introduced in the House yes
terday making railroad companies liable for
the plaintiffs attorneys fees where judg-
ment is recovered against them for killing
stock.
The State-house committee held another
meeting last night, and heard further testi-
mony from Captain Goodwin, secretary of
the commission. The meeting WAS secret,
reporters being vigorously excluded
Commercial Gazette Correspondence: "Sen-
ator Faulkner has discovered that the chap
lain of the Southern Prison is a Republican,
and his wonder is excited as to whether there
is a Democratic Methodist minister in the
State. Church statistics show there is not
one, the nearest approach thereto being De
La Matyr."
In the House yesterday Mr.. Deems intro
duced a resolution directing the investiga-
ton CT the affairs of the Southern prison,
with special reference to the escape of certain
prisoners. In order TO kill the measure Mr.
In, ,z.f4.~
investigation to be extended to Governor
Porters exercise of the pardoning power,
aud then the whole matter was tabled.
Senator Spann yesterday morning intro
duced resolution directing the committee
on executive appointments to reportimme-
diately upon the names sent in by Governor
Porter for trustees of the benevolent institu-
tons. The resolution was adopted by the
acknowledgements deciding vote, Semi
tors Magee, Benz Fletcher and Null voting
with the Republicans. Afterward q recon
sideration was had, and the committee di-
rected to report this morning. The Demo-
cratic majority will report in favor of post
poning action for the present, to await of
course, the passage OF the Brown bill.
Senate bill No. 145. introduced by Mr..
White, of Elkhart provides that teacher
who has passed an examination in the eight
common English branches laid down in our
common school law, emitting him to six
months license, shall receive but one such
license. which shall be STYLED. "a trial
license requiring him to increase his grade
at the next examination 1t increases the
length of teachers license from twenty-four
months to thirty-six months, and after said
teachers have had two thirty -six-months'
licenses, have passed a satisfactory examina-
ton on questions provided by the State
Board of Education and conducted by the
county superintendent they shall receive
license for eight years. which shall be STYLED
"a professional license" The bill also al
lows school trustees of certain cities and
towns to appoint examiners for teachers in
those cities and towns. Such licenses are to
be good only in said graded schools, and
such examinations must be reported to the
county superintendent so he can make his