Year: 1865

ton Senators and Representatives for the next
four years" This act not h~sed upon an emu
meration Of the white male inhabitants OF the
State over the age of Il years, for 10 such enume
ration had been completed, and although it has
long since expired by its own limitation, no other
apportionment law has been enacted in its place,
and by common consent, and from the necessity of
the case, members of both houses Of The General
Assembly are still elected under the p.ofisons of
this law which has ceased TO exist and which if il
existence, has become grossly unjust and unequal
by the change in the population of the several
counties OF tie State since 1857. a literal COM
pliance with the Constitution as TO enumeration
and appCrtionment is now impossible, but the near
est practicable approach to it should be promptly
made. To this end, recommend the passage of
an act providing for an enumeration such as is
contemplated by the Constitution, to be made in
1866, ard another in the year 1871, and another
every sixth year after the year 1871. These peri
odcal enumSrations should be provided for by per
manent enactment that would require no renewal
at the expiration of each period OF six years, and
to its enforcement there should be adt quate
penalties for any failure of duty on the part OF the
officers charged with making the enumeration.
To meet the present emergency further recon-
mend the passage Of law Temporary iu its char
acter, making a new appOrtioGment of Senators
and Repres entatiyes the basis Of the votes cast
at the Presidential election in 1861, such appor-
tionmemt to continue until q new one can be
made, PASSED upon the enumeration required by
the Constitution.


HOUSE REFORM FOR JUVENILE oFFENDEIs.


The other particular before alluded TO. in which
positive requirement of the Constitution has
hitherto been wholly dsrcgarded relates to the
establishment of Houses of Correction and Reform
for Juvenile Offenders.


The second section of tie ninth article Of the
Constitution reads as follows, viz:


"The General Assembly shall provide Houses
of Refuge for the Correction and Reformation oil
Juv emile OFFENDERS


In accordance with this humane ard enlightened
provision, the eighteenth section OF the first arti-
Gle further provides that the penal code shall he
founded the principles of reformation, and not
OF vindctve justice.


It may well be doubted whether the county ails
should, in any instance be used as places of pun
ishment for any class of offenders, and whether
they should not be solely employed as places of
detention Of accused persons awaiting trial. BE
this as it may, there can be no doubt as to the
duty and policy OF speedily establishing Houses of
Reform for Juvenile Offenders.


The Legislature of 1855, impressed with the
propriety 0. providing place in which youthful
offenders might be confined uncontaminated by
the proximity and examples Of old and hardened
offenders. authorized purchase of tract of land
few miles west of indianapolis for the express
purpose Of establishing house Of Reform for
Juvenile Offenders. In pursuance Of this authori-
~ the land pun chased, but since then nothing
mas been done to to carry into execution the
provisions of the Constitution on this subject.


Institutions of this description have ceased TO be
an experiment, numbers Of them having been
established in other States of the Union, with the
most beneficial results. l most earnestly recon-
mend that immediate steps be taken for carrying
into execution, with the least possible delay, this
requirement of the Const tuition.


SOLDIERS RELIEF LAW.


The restoration Of peace and the consequent
discharge from The service OF the United States of
the major part of the Volunteers of this State,
since the adjournment of the General Assembly,
render it proper that there should be complete
and thorough revision of the Act for the relief of
the families OF soldiers, scamen and marines, and
sick and wounded soldiers in hospitals, approved
March 4th, 1865. Difficulties have arisen in the
construction OF tho act, and although the Auditor
OF State has taken great pains to prevent diyerSi
ty of action in taking the enumeration contempla
ted by the act, regret to say his efforts have not
been successful in procuring entire uniformity.
There is also want of uniformity of construction
as to the persons entitled to receive the benefits OF
the act the local authorities in some counties, as
am informed, holding that the soldiers family
must be reduced 10 condition Of absolute
pauperism, before they can receive the allowance
provided for by the act, while in other counties,
relief has been afforded whenever the soldiers
family was in the language of the seventh section
of the act, otherwise Aithout Sufficient means for
their comfortable support" although they might
possess some property or means. TIE latter is
obviously the proper construction, and it is greatly
TO be regretted that the act should not have been
literally construed in all parts of the State.


There is also some uncertainty Is TO the time
when the weekly allowance provided by the
shall commence, or from what time it shall be
computed to those entitled, although in my opin-
ion tie Auditor Of State has very properly decided
that the allowance should commence from the date
of the passage of the Act. So far as it may be
necessary 70 continue the provisions of the Act in
force, recommend the adoption of such cxplana
tory legislation as may be necessary TO remove
existing antiquities, and to secure the benefits of
the Act to all those within it, scope and spirit, and
10 prevent the libCrd construction before alluded
to. The Act contemplates the levy and collection
of a three mill tax on all taxable property, and n
poll tax Of one dollar each taxable poll, for each
of the years lc65 and 1866. respectfully suggest
that under existing circumstances it will neither
be necessary or proper that these taxes should be
levied or collected for the year 1866, believing
that the levy for 1865, if properly disbursed, will
be sufficient to furnish all the relief that the altered
condition ofth country demands.


SOLDIERS AND sEAMEN's HOME


/ earnestly invit, your attention to the
necessity for the speedy establishment of
an Institution in which Indiana soldiers
and seamen, disabled by wounds or dis
ease contracted in the service of the
United States, shall be cared for and
maintained during the continuance of the
disabilities under which they are labor
ing. Justice, humanity, and the honor
of the State, forbid that these brave men
should be permitted to suffer for the
comforts of life, or be compelled to re-
ceive from the public such assistance as
is accorded to ordinary paupers.


On the 10th day of May last, for the
purpose of enlisting the sympathies of
the people in the establishment Of such
an institution, Iissued an address, copy
of which is herewith respectfully sub
mitted. In pursuance of the invitation
contained in this address, two successive
meetings were held at Indianapolis, for
the purpose of effecting temporary or
ganization ofa Home for disabled Indi
ana soldiers and seamen, and to inaugu-
rate system for the collection of vol
untary contributions sufficient to place it
ultimately on permanent foundation.


At second of these meetings, held on
the oath day of May last, temporary
organization was effected, the basis of
which viii be seen by reference to copy
Of the proceedings ofsaid meeting, here


~ A. IL L