The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-23
lie GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
vernon Porter's Veto of the House
of Refuge Political Bill.
sly Thousand Dollars Additional Voted to
the Flood Sufrerers-Other Important
Measures Considered.
GOVERNOR PoRrER's VETO.

HOUSE Oh helugS on the apPfoNeu Demo-
cratic plan, to the Senate, with his objections
thereto, the veto message, which makes some
strong points, being as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate-I respectfully re-
turn to the Senate with my objections, Senate
bill No. 81, entitled: "An act designating a
name by which the House of Refuge, for the COR
, r~ection and reformation OF juvenile offenders,
= shall hereafter be known; providing for the APP
u peintment of commissioners and their conpensa-
tlon, and prescribing their powers and duties.
etc The bill relating to the management and
government of the HOSPITAL for the Insane, the
institutes for the education of the blind and
deaf and dumb, which has passed both Houses
daring the present session, provides expressly
that the several trustees of those Institutions,
the terms of whose appointments have not ex-
piFed, shall continue to hold their offices during
the term for which they were appointed. The
terms of office of all but one of the trustees
(called commissioners of the House of Refuge,
have expired. Tie term of thai one, DIR. Viii
liam Freeman, runs under the appointment un-
tl March 1, 1885. The present bill, however,
puts an end Immediately to DR.. Freenan's
term of office. DR.. Freeman was a private
aoldier in the Thirtieth regiment of Indiana vol
unreers in the war of the rebellion. AT the bat
tie of ChickamAuca he was shot through the
body. the ball having passed through his lungs.
He lay upon the field several days.
He was so near to death from the wound infiiet-
ed that his recovery is recorded in "fhe Med.
ical and Surgical History of the War; published
by the Surgenn-general of the United States, as
one of the remarkable recoveries Of gunshot
wounds. He was a member of the Legislature
from Switzerland county in 1877, and served
WIN riAoh CAN''e Vh NHO ALOh1C III
reformstory Institutions. On account of his
patriotic service, %spotless character and peculiar
fitness, | nominated him to the Senate, during
the session Of 1881, as a trustee of the House of
Refuge. The nomination was confirmed
without a dissenting voice. | per
sonally know that he has discharged his
duties as a trustee of that INSTITUTION with the
utmost diligence and fidelity. Why should this
patriotic and faithful officer be singled out to be
deprived OF office before the term of Office for
which he was appointed has expiredq l refuse
TO make myself a party to this proceeding,
which / Wnni6 do nv giving IN Y annrAUa1 of the
bill now returned. And 1 hope that I shall
crafty a majority of the Senate by giving them
an opportunity, by a return of this bill, to recon-
slider what they have done.
The eighth section of the bill provides that, "If
of sixteen years, he arraigned for trial in any
court having criminal jurisdiction on a charge
of any violation of any criminal law of this
State, the court or Jury trying the same may
commit said boy to this Institution in.
stead of the Jail of the county or
State prison; and The Judge may, with the con-
sent of the accused. arrest at any stage of the
cause, any further proceedings on the part of
the prosecution and commit the accused to the
guardianship Of said institution, provided that
no commitment shall be for a shorter period
than until the boy shall attain the age of twenty
one years." Two cases are here contemplated
the case of a trial and conviction for crime and
sentence OF commitment to this Institution, in
stead of a jail or the States prison, and the case
of an arrest of proceedings before conviction,
aud a commitment of the accused to the guar
3ianship of this institution.
Section IS provides that boys, for whatever
cause committed, may at any time he discharged
or released on trial by the board of trustees. In
the case of a person eOnvieted.of crime, if not
being treason,t or q case of impeachment, the
power TO pardon resides, under the constitution,
in the Governor. The Governor may pardon
absolutely or conditiOnally, but the power can
not be transferred by the Legislature to any
cther person, or TO any body OF persons. In the
ease Of a boy not prosecuted TO conviction, who
has been committed to the House of Refuge. a
power of discharging or releasing may be CON
ferred upon a board, but when he has been con-
vtcted of a crime. and committed to the House
OF keTuge tnereTOr, the board OF trustees NAV
not discharge or release him. Under the constl.
tuition, the Governor only has authority TO do SO.
1t is not pleasant to be obliged To differ from a
majority of the Legislature on the propriety Of
the passage of a bill, but it seems to me to he a
plain and obvious duty TO return this bill with
an earnest expression of disapproval.
ALBERT G. PORTER.
The veto message was taken up during the
afternoon session and discussed at length by
4 number of senators on the floor, the debate
taking a vigorous political turn, and at its
conclusion the bill was passed over the
Governors veto by the usual party vote.
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
The session OF the Democratic caucus last
night for the nomination of trustees of the
benevolent boards was short and decisive.
John Fishback, who has figured quite con-
s~pieuously as a candidate for reelection as
president of the boards, developed appalling
weakness, and was overwhelmingly defeated,
DR.. Thomas Harrison, of Lebanon,
being nominated by sixty votes
against twenty-three cast for Fishback.
The ballot for trustee of the Insane
Hospital resulted in the nomination of
Philip Gapin. of this city, by a vote Of 40
against So for B. F. Spann. OF Madison county.
5. e. Urmston, ex-senator from Franklin
county, was nominated for trustee of the
Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and Howard Briggs,
OF Greencastle, for the Blind Asylum. No
action was taken upon any OF the pending
questions. and Immediately after the nom
nations the caucus adjourned.
100000 MORE TO THE SUFFERERS.
The Senate spent yesterday morning in
considering the House bill appropriating
300, 900 for the relief of the sufferers by the
recent floods, and it was finally passed after
reducing the appropriation to $50, 600, and
in this amendment the House a~fterward con-
Cured. There IS no doubt that Governor
Porter will sign the bill, which makes the
total appropriation by the legislature $780,
300 for this very deserving cause.
NOTES.
Good bye, John.
Mr.. Fishback can now retire to the shades
of private life.
Ex-senator Shaffer, of Huntington, was a
yisitor upon the floor of the Senate yester-
lay.
The House yesterday passed the bill hich
permits the removal OF the county seat from
Vernon to North Vernon, Jennings county,
by a vote of 81 to 80.
The Senate yesterday passed Mr.. Voyles'
bill making it an offense punishable by re-
moval from office for any county officer to
charge Illegal or constructive fees.
Professor Camphall who n,ada ,ba ,,r,o,
Of the kankakee region, yesterday explained
20 the Senate the nature of the work done
and recommended, illustrating by a chart of
the region affected by the proposed improve
ment.
Mr.. Cabbage has been vindicated at last.