Year: 1863

State, and the appropriation to advance
the pay due them from the General Gov
ernment.


They proposed Military Bill-their
pet scheme of the session-whereby they
proposed to Immediately disarm the In
diana Legion and thus render the border
counties defenceless against the raids of
Southern rebels! They also proposed
by this Bill to take the control of the
arms, the militia, and all military affairs
of the State, out of the hands Of the Gov
ernor, in direct violation of the Constitu-
ton of the State-a measure which, if
carried out, or passed into a law and at
tempted to be carried ont, would have
plunged the State into civil war.
Their object was enquestionably to
take the entire military power, arm@and
munitions of war out of the hands of the
Governor and place them in the hands of
the Knights of the Golden Circle and
friends OF the Southern Confedcracy!
Then would have come civil war in our
midst, just as certain as civil war now
exists in Missouri, Kentucky and Tennes-
see!


They introduced measures looking to
the assumption Of the treaty-making pow
er, which alone belongs to the General
Government, by proposing to appoint
Commissioners to meet Commissioners
from the rebels now in Hrms against the
Government-an act directly in contra
vention of the Federal Constitution.


After delaying all the necessary legis-
lation, and all legitimate business till the
last week of the session, they said these
revolutionary and unconstitutional meas
ures must pass first, and then, it ace
please, we will attend to other business!'
These measures, however, did not pass
The loyal minority Of the House defeated
them, and by the only possible way that
was within their power to do it. They
have thus possibly saved our State from
the demon of civil war. For this and
this alone the minority are responsible.
They will not shrink from that response
bility But for the failure Of legitimate
business and the odium and dishonor
brought upon the State by the present
disgraceful and worse :than useless ses-
sion of the Legislature, the disloyal and
factious majority are chargeable, and
upon their heads let the responsibility
rest


Let the people of Indiana remember
these things, aud hold to strict account
the men who have thus sqandered their
time, neglected their duty, disregarded
the inmates of our benevolent institu-
tions, jeopardized the public credit, in
suited and wronged our soldiers, dis
graced the State, and attempted to over
ride the Constitution and plunge the
country into civil war; Some of them
may attempt to shield themselves by the
plea that they did not favor some of these
measures; that they were introduced and
advocated by others That may be so;
but had they manfully opposed them, and
united with the Union members in the
transaction of the necessary business of
the session, all would have been we'll
Combining in caucus to work as unit,
each member of the majority is individ-
ually responsible for what the majority
did or failed to do. Enemies to the best
interests of the country, and allies of the
the rebels, in their attempts to obstruct
and cripple the Government, and per-
haps induce civil war in our midst, their
dispersion without the consummation Of
their designs is a triumph of no little i'm
portance, and one that will be hailed
with rejoicing by loyal men and patriots
everywhere throughout the State and
country.