The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-27
IN THE HOUSE,
The Discussion by Messrs. Stewart, Moody,
Wiley and Bynun.

FRIDAY, Jan. &c. 10 A. NJ.
The House was opened with prayer by the Rev.
Rufus G. Black.
MIR. Smith, of Tippecanoe, moved that when
the House adjourn it be until o'clock Mon
day.
Mr.. Wiley moved to amend by saying 10
o'clock on Monday. The yeas and nays being
demanded the vote resulted: yeas Al, nays 40; so
the motion to amend WIS lost.
Mr.. Rowland made an Intellectual motion TO
amend by saying until 10 O'Clock tomorrow.
The question being on the original motion, the
yeas and nays were demanded by Messrs. Jewetr
and Wilson, of Kosciusko. The vote resulted:
yeas Co. nays 81.
The special order fer the honr was the resolu-
ton OF respect on the death of the Hon. Henry
q. Merdtth, late representative from Wayne
county.
On motion by Mr.. Mering the consideration of
the resolution was deferred until Tuesday, Jan.
80 at p NJ.
BY consent, Mr.. Bryant introduced bill, H. B.
No. 300, TO define the Twentieth judicial clrcni5
and creating the Forty third judicial circuit.
which was read the first time and passed to a
second reading
Mr.. Jewett moved that the House do now re-
solve itself into a committee of the whole for the
purpose of continuing the consideration OF the
reports from the judiciary committee in refer
ence to the constitutional amendments. The
motion was agreed to, and Mr.. Jewett was
called to the chair.
Mr.. Stewart was recognized by the chair, and
said that he 1iG not intend to detain the House
at any ienght by discussing the question under
consideration. AS member OF the COMMITTEES,
1t will be expected that l say something on the
question. 1t has been under discussion by mem
6ers on this floor, and by the people OF the State
for many months. AS representatives we
each TO discharge our duty in this matter in the
light in which we may discern the question of
the legality If the pending amepdments, and he
lievlng, as l do, that every member of this
House has made up his mind on the question,
and that the conviction ia firmly fixed do not
feel called upon to debate the question at
length. In my opinion, II the Senate
had on yesterday reached a final vote and the
House had done the same the result would not
have been any different from what it Will be
la cam af
my constituents by voIing correctly on this
question than by consuming the valuable time
of tho House in useless debate. 1t is question,
however, that each member must settle for him
self, and will patiently hear any member who
feels called upon to express himself IN regard to
the legality of the pending amendments. The
people are much more interested in how we shall
vote than they ape In what we shall say before
We vote. That certain amendments to the con-
stituton We're proposed and received IL majority
of the votes of members elected to each OF the
two houses OF the last General Assembly, of this
there is 10 doubt, and that an exact COPY of
these amendments can be procured there is
doubt. | think the proper entry has been made
on the journal. The object of entering The reso-
lutions on the journal is That they may be Iden-
titled. There is no pretense bnt that the identi-
cal resolution can he Off red to the General As
sembly. The public Is as well informed of the
identity of these resolutions though they had
been entered In full on the Journals with every
'.i' dotted and every st" crossed. 1t is not
dangerous to submit any question to the people.
In this matter we enact no law; wa simply pre-
pare the way for the legal voters OF the State to
ueterinlue whether OF not tneY desire certain
amendments to the constitution. / believe, as a
lawyer that the amendments can be legally sub
mitied to the people, and of right ought to be SO
submitted.
Mr.. Moody said: This is deliherative body.
1t is not a caucus nor political convention. It
exercises the highest power and occupies the
most responsible position that it is possible 70
confer uk IN man. 1t is one of the results of
great experiment that was begun upon this con-
tlnent over IA century ago, under circumstances
that astonished the civilized world. We stand
here to-day as q great inquest upon every funda-
mental element which carried into practioe and
gave us this government. Wa have no govern
ment In this country except the law. We have
no law except thar made under prescribed forms.
The first prescribed form is the constitutions and
constitution is the result of the deliberative
Judgment of the representatives of the people
semh1nd In convention over fifty years ago.
Thirty years ago convention was called and
gave us our present constitution. The first OBJ
legation taken at the bar of this House by every
member thereof ia to support the constitution.
This support means more than
tacit assent tnereFO. 1t means more THAI mere
obedience II implies sacred duty, and all AT
tenpts To avoid or evade any Of its provisions
shoald be condemned. The Democratic party