of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, be and the same is hereby agreed to, and in case said amendment shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of each house of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend Article 2, Section 2, by striking out "may reside" and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "shall have resided for the sixty days next preceding such election, and when his name shall have been registered, according to such regulations as may be prescribed by law.”

300.

Miscellaneous Amendments to Constitution (January 9, 1877). On January 9, Mr. James W. Lanham introduced a resolution in the House proposing a series of unspecified amendments to the Constitution. On January 15, the resolution was referred to the Committee on Elections.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 77.]

Joint resolution No. 4. A joint resolution proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State.

On January 24, the committee reported the resolution back to the House and recommended that it lie on the table, and in lieu thereof they reported five separate resolutions, numbered 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. On February 2, the original resolution No. 4 was laid on the table by the House, and the substitutes taken up. Meantime a resolution of instruction had been submitted "to inquire into the expediency of incorporating a provision requiring voters to present a tax receipt," which was laid on the table.

The first proposed amendment merely struck out of Section 2, Article 2, the word "white." The resolution passed the House by a vote of 66-10, and was laid on the table by the Senate.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 368.]

House joint resolution No. 16. A joint resolution to amend Section 2 of Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to Section 2 of Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana is hereby agreed to, and in case the same shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of each branch of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend Section 2 of Article 2 by striking out of the same the word "white" wherever it occurs.

The second proposed amendment was designed to strike out Section 5 of

Article 2 which denied suffrage to negroes and mulattoes. It passed the House by a vote of 72-4, and was laid on the table in the Senate.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 369.]

House joint resolution No. 17. A joint resolution to amend Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, is hereby agreed to, and in case the same shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend Article 2 by striking out of the same, the whole of Section 5.

The third proposed amendment changed the Constitution so as to base the enumeration of male inhabitants over the age of twenty-one years on males instead of white males. The resolution passed the House by a vote of 72-3 and was laid on the table by the Senate.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 370.]

House joint resolution No. 18. A joint resolution to amend Section 4 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, is hereby agreed to, and in case the same shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of each branch of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend Section 4 of Article 4 by striking out of the same the word "white."

The fourth proposed amendment provided for basing the apportionment of representatives on the male population above the age of twenty-one years, instead of white males, as formerly. The resolution passed the House by a vote of 72-2, and was laid on the table by the Senate.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 371.]

House joint resolution No. 19. A joint resolution to amend Section 5 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to Section 5 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana is hereby agreed to,

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and, in case the same shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of each branch of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend Section 5 of Article 4 by striking out of the same the word "white."

The fifth proposed amendment was designed to strike out the negro exclusion and colonization article. It passed the House by a vote of 72-3, and was laid on the table by the Senate.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 371.]

House joint resolution No. 20. A joint resolution to amend the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana is hereby agreed to, and in case the same shall be agreed to by a constitutional majority of each branch of the next General Assembly, then the same shall be submitted to the people of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Sec. 2. Amend said constitution by striking out of the same the whole of Article 13.

301. Negro Exclusion and Colonization (January 11, 1877).

On January 11, Mr. Justus C. Adams, a Republican, introduced a resolution in the House to repeal the negro exclusion and colonization article. The resolution was laid on the table and apparently was not subsequently considered.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 102.]

Joint resolution No. 9. A joint resolution repealing Article 13 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

302. Issue of State House Bonds (February 5, 1877).

On February 5, Mr. De Forest L. Skinner, a Democrat, introduced a resolution in the Senate to amend the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to issue $3,000,000 worth of bonds to provide revenue for the construction of the new State house. The resolution was referred to the Judiciary Committee and apparently was not further considered.

[Senate Journal, Fiftieth Session, 276.]

Senate joint resolution No. 18. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

303. Calling a Constitutional Convention (January 6, 1877).

On January 6, Mr. Byron W. Langdon introduced a bill in the House to provide for the calling of a Constitutional Convention. On January 10, the bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee, which on January 24 made a favorable report. On February 2, this bill, together with House joint resolution No. 4, was considered and the bill passed by a vote of 51-26. On February 5, the bill was referred to the Senate; on February 13, it was referred to the Committee on Elections; on February 20, the committee reported the bill back to the Senate with the recommendation that it lie on the table; and on March 1, this report was concurred in.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 53.]

House bill No. 22. A bill to provide for taking the sense of the qualified voters of the State on the calling of a convention to alter, amend, or revise the Constitution of the State.

304.

Duration of a Legislative Session (March 5, 1877).

On March 5, the day on which the fiftieth regular session expired, Mr. Aaron B. Swayzee introduced a resolution in the House declaring that the constitutional limitation of sixty-one days on legislative sessions meant sixty-one working or week days, Sundays excepted. The House, however, determined to adhere to the legislative construction of this constitutional provision and laid the resolution on the table.

[House Journal, Fiftieth Session, 989.]

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Indiana, the Senate concurring, That the Constitution of the State, in limiting the session of the General Assembly to sixty-one days, refers to, and should be understood to mean, sixty-one working or week days, Sundays excepted.

Resolved, That the members and employes of the General Assembly, except those who live in the city, be and they are hereby allowed $1.50 per day Sabbath day included in the session. for expenses.

THE FIFTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1879 AND THE SPECIAL SESSION OF MARCH 11-31, 1879.

The personnel of the General Assembly of 1879 was as follows: Senate 23 Republicans, 24 Democrats and 3 Greenbacks; House, 39 Republicans, 50 Democrats and 11 Greenbacks. The special session was called to complete the appropriation measures and to enact other important legislation. The most important work of the session was the adoption of the constitutional amendments proposed in 1877 and their submission to the people. One unsuccessful attempt was also made to submit the proposition of calling a constitutional convention. Scores of petitions relative to the fees and

salaries of public officers and to the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors were presented. Aside from the amendment actually proposed concerning the grading of the compensation of public officers, no constitutional measures in relation to the fees and salaries of public officers were asked for, but a rather comprehensive fees and salaries act was adopted. The scope of this question, as well as the necessity of obtaining a constitutional amendment authorizing the enactment of laws, is pretty clearly set forth in the following resolution, introduced by Mr. James Osborn of Elkhart on February 12.

305. Fees and Salaries of Public Officers (February 12, 1879).

[House Journal, Fifty-first Session, 464.]

WHEREAS, The material reduction of the fees and compensation of county officers was made the paramount issue before the people in the last political campain; and

WHEREAS, All parties stand pledged to the people to bring about at this session of the General Assembly such material reduction and thereby relieve the people of a portion of the burdens yet resting upon them, the results of the high prices of the preceding years; and

WHEREAS, More than one-half of the session has expired and and as yet no general discussion has been had upon the subject. by which the members might be able to compare views and arrive at some basis upon which to make such reduction which will be just toward the officers and beneficial to the people; therefore be it

Resolved, That in order to avoid the almost universal habit of charging constructive fees not in truth and spirit warranted by the statute, which has obtained among public officers of late, and in order that the people may at all times know just what they are paying their servants for the transaction of their business, and may intelligently reduce or increase such pay so as to do justice to all, it is the duty of this General Assembly, and in accordance with the best interests of the people, that the pay and compensation of county auditors, treasurers, sheriffs and clerks be established by permanent and fixed salaries, and graded among the several counties according to population, and that the general features of House bill No. 113 should be carried out and engrafted into the law, making such changes, if necessary, as to amounts to be paid or received as will afford the officers a fair compensation for their services, and bring to the treasury a proper sum for the services rendered to litigants and others having business done by the public officers.