The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-10-21
HON. VS.. HOLMAN.
Hls Interesting Address Upon tan Consultation
IS Of Indiana, tt
At the FIRST Reunion of Surviving Members
at the Legislature of 1881 and Previous
Legislatures. Held at indianapolis
October . and q. 1885.

1tuTC>s YOU WdS Hol Oulf ~ hChibti VI thC
convention which framed the present Con-
,tituiiOn of Indiana, but of the first General
Assembly held under it. Tie has subSe-
gently served as n Representative in Congress
= greater number OF years than any other
person from this State ever served, and has
probably done more than any man ever did
to protect the money of the people in the
United States Treasury. ] now have the
Pleasure OF introducing Hon. ". ;. Holman.
tsPPlause.)
Judge Holman said
The people OF Indiana were fortunate in the
time they selected Tor the reorganization OF their
The constitution OF Isle with its vigorous state
mcnt OF the rights OF the peOne, its specific d.
VISIONS al political power and general limitations
on official authority, an admirable charter
for new state the citizens OF which were almost
exclusively engaged in productive industry, re
claiming fertile Ields from the wilderness and
building up inderen dent homes. With such
peOPle government isOnlya respectable abstrac-
tion.
But i'm thirty-four YEAR the few intrepid and
hardy pioneers, scattered i'm the vast region eN-
tending from the great Miami 10 the Wabash.
each citizen the selfrcllant master OF his rural
possessions. had become great people. with
widespread and varied cmplOymentS.
During this period of - years the people of In
diana had encountered the usual bitter experience
-Oi a sale going into enterprises beyond the sim
pie domain OF government IN an oppressive pub
Tic debt They had seen the authority Of the
state broken into fragments in countless forms of
special laws and local Institutions their system OF
education feeble aud insufficient because there
was no unity OF purpose their rules Of judicial
procedure the OutcrOwth Of institutions
radically different from their own. by their
artificial and complicated methods constantly
defeating the ends OF justice. They with in
-tignstsOR that public officers were not subject to
7ust accountability for their official conduct. All
This and more had enlightened the public opinion
81 the people OF Indiana. when. in $50. they
allied convention 10 reorsanize their political
Institutions.
Reforms in Government 10y people are always
the OutgTOwth Of their own experience. The con
ventiOR OF lS50WaS called together by the people
with su enlightened understanding al their
DurpOSp Public oriuiOu based on extended and
valuable experience. not the theories of statesman
>hip was 10 mould the new charter OF Government.
In the mean time the public debt-an eNpcns-
I've but valuable lesson IN slalesInanshiI-had
been adjusted on favorable conditions, the state
hsFd jOyiully escaped from Outside business enter
priSe> fully informed how Incompatible they were
with eIOd and honest government. ana II WAS
clearly seen that with moderate taxation the
stale might advance with those grand improve
meulS-instituti0Hs Tor the care OF the unfortu-
tunaie and the education oi its children. which
~,a tOru a state and honor it, people.
s!irei. 80 9'OO ''' '''''''' va
The time was auspicious for another reason II
NsS in general sense. in politics an EZRA ri good
feeling The line between the great parties OF
that day. Wing and Democrat, was not we'll lie
lined The great question soon to couvulsc the
Nation was Tor The time suspended. The Wing
party, while in the minority. furnished a very
-'he BODY statesmen That party
men in Indiana a. in the years oi it, decline. The
people July appreciate the importance OF the oc-
rssiOn and party spirit was hII>hed. Few. ifany.
IF the great counties elected iul delegation Oi
he same political faith. Citizens unknown in
politics. but eminent in other pursuits, were
called Tor. In Franklin and perhaps in other
great counties citizens. the most trusted. were
sent 10 tue convention while holding other pub
lir emplOyments-
In discussing the question al the qualification
OF voters Mr.. Clark. oi TippecsnOc-you. gentle
men Oi that convention. viii remember him a.
one Of The most amisble aud accomplished of the
10 AFT Ff fUfr
well advanced. said.
o Lam Wing and shall vote against the section
under consideration. feel Il necessary 10 make
aDr -r3 that little ii party feeling hsye We
most forgotten thatI was a Wing, and cheerfully
iestifE that the gentlemen who are in the ma
ioriy here have carefully abstained from PARTY
discussions and illusions 10 parties.
20 gentlemen am not JUSTIFIED in saying that
the convention was called at an suspicious times
In the light OF subsequent events could il have
theea saieiv dclayed3 think I am safe in saving.
without the slightest reference 10 TO political par
ties, That at no time since that period could the
constitution have been 50 completely the expires
sion OF the enlightened Judgment OF the people Of
The Stale.
other gentlemen who participated in the great
events OF the convention have recalled in detail
The work accom- liSh6d-the bulWarkS OF free in
>titntions established in the constitutOn-the
work OF that cOnyentiOn-the limitations il i'm
poses delegated authority. aud the barriers
against imprOyident and covert legislation.
beg your Indulgence gentlemen Tor
established by that instrument, in a
material degree original in that conven-
fiOn now firmly fixed in the political system 81
Indiana. hut still open 10 discussion in your Ma
TiC1al politics. refer 10 the restrictions imposed
On the eligibility OF the citizen 10 public employ
The Constitution OF lslS imposes no restriction
on &c eligibility 20 ohice, such restrictions arc
great feature in the Constitution OF is5l
As To judicial Offices 10 was onlydeemed necessary
that 10y a reasonable limit on the term OF Office
rhe qualifications OF the Judge should be- subject
"A WaSt
.idered that the dutics Of the judge were per
formed in the presence Of the people The
theater Of his Of1cial duties and the records by
which he could only speak were open To all men.
Ills atiainmeHts. fidelity ana integrity col char
scteT were under constant observation. besides
experience in the judicial office and the harmony
al judicial uttcrancC< were of especial ValiIe. -
the people OF Indiana lett themselves unrestricted
~ regard 10 the reelection 81 the Judge. but eN-
Guided him from all other than judicial employ
nents during the period for which he had been
chosen
Most of shCse considerations also applied 10 the
Office oil the legislator. Besides, neither the judge
nor the legislator could hold public pecuniary
beyond. - that. 10 both al these Office the.
constitution only provides for reasonably brief
terms with prolonged term OF Office only on the
cOud tiOn. al feasOnablc intervals Of direct pub
Sic approval. But in relation executive aud al
minlsintNc Offices, state and local. involving
nigh political power or lduciary trllst. pubic
safety and purity in the public service required
greater safeguards than simply limited term of
Dihcc. Inc possible temptation Ot the citizen u
the power patronage and resources Of Office 10
c0ntipte his tenure was carefully considered and
. -siiartiCFl against
but the greater number Of these offices involve.
directly or indirectly. pecuniary trust hence q
short term Of office. eligibility 20 one reelection.
and then the actual closing OF the account was
deemed necessary Ia the public safety. Can any
one frame a better safeguard - integrity ~ public
oflice-espeeially one involving pccuniary utter
-->tz-tilau this2
The reasonably brief. fixed term. Is the strong
and saving feature. No skill OF the citizen in
office can get beyond IT,. The ssbte and perilOus
suggestion. IN an emergency fand who j. exempt
from IFS occurrence that years may clal~c before
an accounting may be- required. that countless
opportunities might intervene 10 bridge over The
violation OF trust j. likely arise with alb
-9lufely liked period Of account in view
Can anyone imagine now many a citizen in
these thirty four years. SOrely tempted Ia violate
public trust, has found his sense OF virtue Dol
stored up by this constitutional provision In
Any event under this rigid rule the public inter
ests could not often suffer
But while uBfsithfulness ia q public trust j. oil
all Ofcnses the most hum iIiating. the system al
policy that protects the integrity of the public
officer reflects The highest honor on
sise State. and the surcst guaranty Won can
accountability Of the officer, and the cxpressiO
At brief intervals, OF the Judgment OF the people
on the rccerd he has made. In offices involving
linanciai Interests the limit eligibility j. IN
9uestiOnably OF the greatest value. Office are
created for the benefit OF the people and main
tained AZ their expense not Tor the benefit of the