The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-13
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
1t is not probable that we shall see a more
correct list of the dead Of the members of
the constitutions convention of 1850, and of
the Legislature of 1872, than that prepared
by Mr.. English, the secretary of the conven-
ton. He had larger acquaintance with the
members of the former body, in virtue of his
office, if for no other reason, than any mem
a knowledge of the latter body as any one
connected with it. His list, which has been
published by most of the city papers, shows
that of $50 members of the convention 108
are dead. This is below the mark, probably,
and he thinks that correct roll would not
show more than thirty living, which cor
responds with the estimate of the Journals
reminiscent in recent notice of the proposed
meeting of the survivors. But the error can
not be large one, and is most probably car
ried fully into the list of members of the Leg
islature of 1851 We refer to the matter to
direct attention to fact that will be generally
deemed worth notice. The dead of the Leg
islature in the list number in the House, con-
sisting of one hundred members, forty-two,
leaving fifty eight living. In the Senate of
fifty members the dead are twenty-six, the
living twenty-four, excluding James b. Lane,
the Lieutenant-governor and president. Here
are sixty-eight dead of $50 members of the
Legislature. less than half, while of the con-
stitutional convention of $50 members 10S
are dead, or more than two-thirds The
difference is no doubt due to the average
difference of ages of the members Of the two
bodies.
The delegates to the constitutional conven-
ton were generally men of middle age. Some,
like Mr.. Tannehill and Mr.. Zenor, were old
men, and quite number were in the first
flush of active life, or what Moliere calls "the
spring time Of beautiful years." like Mr.. Col
fax, Mr. Hendricks, Mr. Carter (6rst Supreme
Court Reporter), Mr.. Badger, Mr.. Bascom,
General Hovey and General Mckee Dunn.
But the bulk was made of men Of mature age,
experience and tried ability. The young mem
bers of the Legislature made much larger
proportion of that body But even here is
noticeable difference between the two houses.
The dead of the House are considerably less
than one-half, the dead of the Senate very
little more than half. The same proportion
in the former body would make the dark roll
over IS per cent. bigger. Senators then, as
now, were selected, in the average, from a
grade of age considerably more advanced than
the representatives.
The increasing rapidity with which these
relics of the wisdom and public duties
Of a past generation are disappearing
has suggested to Mr.. English, as to
others, that it would be well to make
the reunion of the 7th of next month the
occasion of reunion of the surviving mem
bers Of all the Legislatures, State and Terri
torial, who may be living. They will make
but small addition from time few years
plAoI W low Va TIC VI IOtI UuG
one member is living, so far as Mr.. English
knows. Of that of 1843, of which he was
chief clerk, the survivors can be counted on
the fingers There is no danger of crowd so
large as to be unwieldy or uncomfortable if
every man alive who sat in the Legislatures
at and before the session of 1851 should join
in the unusual and, what will surely be. most
interesting gathering. There are supposed to be
one hundred and twenty four survivors of the
three hundred that formed the two bodies
that have been called to meet in October, and
all the survivors of all the preceding Legisa-
lures will most probably not double this num-
Der. Indeed, they will hardly equal it, for
there may be number Of the dead unknown
to any survivor who is in communication
with the authors of the call It will be
memorable meeting, and it is to be hoped that
the press of the State will give cordial aid in
spreading information of it where unknown
survivors may learn of it and come out of
their long obscurity
MINOR MENTION.