The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-13
THE RECORD.
A Spirited Discussion of the Amendment
Question-Other Matters.
IN THE SENATE.

A Spirited Discussion of the Amendment
Question Matters.
The Lieutenant governor took the chair at the
appointed time.
Mr Faulkner, from the committee on Federal
relations, submitted a report on the joint reso-
luton in reference to the report of the Secretary
OF War to order the expenditure of the appropri-
alton made for the harbOr at Michigan City
with a recommendation that it do pass. Also,
from the same committee, returning the House
Mexican soldiers pension resolution, recon-
These reports went to the files of the Senate,
under herule observed last session.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Mr.. Van WORMS offered the following:
"Whereas, The constitution provides that any
amendments to it may he proposed in either
house of the General Assembly; and,
whereas, The constitution further provides
that any proposed amendment or amendments,
when agreed to by a majority of the members
elected to each of the two houses. shall, to-
gether with the yeas and nays thereon, be en-
tered on the Journals and referred to the Gen
eral Assembly to be chosen at the next election
and.
''Whereas. 1t is known that certain amend
ments we're under consideration i'll the last Gen
eral Assembly, and,
''Whereas, If any proposed amendment or
amendments were agreed TO by n majority of the
members elected to each house, such proposed
amendment OF amendments should be found on
the journals; therefore,
"kesolved, That the committee on judiciary
he instructed to examine the Journals of the
House of Representatives. and Senate of the last
General Assembly, and report at an early day
what, If any, amendment or amendments TO the
constitution were proposed by that Assembly
and referred to this aad are now on said jour
nails awaiting the action OF the Senate"
Mr. Van Vorhis spoke at length in support of
the adoption of his preamhles and resolution,
citing various authorities and decisions tending
TO prove that the absence OF the proposed con-
stitutiOnal amendments from .he pages of the
clerks journals of the last General Assembly
prevents action on those amendments by this
General Assembly, except as new propositions
Mr.. SpanD, not desiring to enter upon this
discussion from legal standpoint, at this time,
indicated his opposition TO the resolution es-
pecally the latter part-instructing the Judiciary
committee to examine the journals of the two
h0uses-because that is not right, fair or
just to the people of the State 1t Is not right or
fair, because n majority OF that committee is
made up from the Democratic party, and an
opinion from that committee might influence
! some member on the floor. He said: am sorry
1 to part company with my friend from Nation
! county (Mr. Van Vorhis) / admire the courage
| he has displayed on this question, but desire TO
| say 10 him that rs between him and the Repub-
iean party, the roads fork on this question, and
believe the Republican party will stand square
! upon this question honest men standing upon
a platform that shall give to every man the right
| 10 investigate for himself.
| Mr.. Brown hoped tho Senate would adopt the
resolution He did not understand tina I "A re-
! port from a committee would bind the conscience
| of any senator No one is expected to answer
the able and conclusive argument of the Senator
| from Marion (Mr. Van Vorhis) if, indeed, it can
| lie answered at all without a faithful aud cara
! full investigation of the question. The Senator
! from Rush (Mr. Spann) may make the roads fork
| il he chooses between the entire Republican
party and the Senator from Marion MIR Van
| Vorhis), but it will take q
much more able man than the senator from
Rush or any member of his party to Overturn
the sound reasons that the senator from Marion
has given. This is not question that dips it's
wing into the dirty pool of politics, but 1t is a
question that appeals to the Judgment and con-
science Of every individual senator. No party
this side OF hell and the grave, or he'll itself
could bind him to vote according to the dictates
of its caucus Ip0n question of such high i'm
pOrtance as this The Wabash g. Erie canal
resolution ia q precedent, and that not en-
tered upon the Journals of the two houses as the
constitution requires; but that question not
raised tnen-it was not discussed Mt all. No per-
san thought anything about 1t. But the Wabash
d. Erie canal simply asserted the States con-
structon OF the contract between the holders of
the stock and the State herself. Aud 1t cannot
be regarded a precedent of the high authority
that It would he, had the question been discuss
ed and attention called to it as attention has
bsaA nallel w this. But whether the Wabash "