Constitution Making in Indiana: 1851-1916

electors of said State, viz: Amend by adding thereto article seventeenth, so as to read as follows:

Section 1. The manufacture, sale, or keeping for sale, in said State spirituous, vinous, malt liquors, or any other intoxicating liquors, except for medical, scientific, mechanical, and wines for sacramental purposes, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited in the State of Indiana.

Sec. 2. The General Assembly of the State of Indiana shall provide by law in what manner, by whom and at what places such liquors shall be manufactured or sold for medical, scientific, mechanical and sacramental purposes.

337. Prohibiting the Manufacture and Sale of Intoxicating Liquors (March 22, 1881).

On March 22, Mr. Abner H. Shaffer, a Republican, introduced substantially the same resolution in the Senate. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Temperance and obviously no report was made and the resolution was not subsequently considered.

[Senate Journal, Fifty-second Session, 692.]

Senate joint resolution, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana, by inserting Article 17, forever prohibiting the manufacture, sale or keeping for sale, in the State of Indiana, spirituous, vinous, malt or any other intoxicating liquors, except for scientific, medical, mechanical, and wine for sacramental purposes, and providing for regulating sales for said purposes;

Resolved by the Senate of the State of Indiana, the House of Representatives concurring, That the following amendment be, and is hereby proposed to the Constitution of the State of Indiana, to be submitted to the vote of the electors of said State, viz:

Amend by adding Article 17, so as to read as follows:

Section 1. The manufacture, sale, or keeping for sale in said. State, spirituous, vinous or malt liquors, or any other intoxicating liquors, except for medical, scientific, mechanical, and wines for sacramental purposes, shall be, and is hereby forever prohibited in the State of Indiana.

Sec. 2. The General Assembly of the State of Indiana shall provide by law in what manner, by whom, and at what places such liquors shall be sold or manufactured, for medical, scientific, mechanical and sacramental purposes.

Resolved, That in submitting this amendment to the electors of

the State, to be voted on, it shall be designated as Amendment No. 1.

338.

Governor Porter's Reference to Woman Suffrage (January 10, 1881).

The sentiment in favor of extending the right of suffrage to women was wide-spread in 1881. Memorials and petitions asking that a constitutional amendment be adopted extending the right of suffrage to women were presented from Henry, Howard, Boone, Clinton, Blackford, Gibson, Parke, Marshall, Fulton, Wayne, Huntington, Wells, Marion, Hancock, Shelby, Parke, Vermillion, Franklin, Ripley, Brown, Monroe, Bartholomew, Tippecanoe, Decatur, St. Joseph, Starke, Spencer, Perry, Hamilton and Grant counties, and from the city of Indianapolis. Several petitions from the citizens of the State generally were also presented. A joint resolution was likewise under consideration requesting the senators and representatives in Congress from Indiana to favor the passage of an amendment to the Federal Constitution "prohibiting the disfranchisement of citizens of the United States on account of sex," but this memorial failed to pass. On January 28, Mr. John W. Furnas introduced a bill in the House "to extend the elective franchise in elections for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States to certain classes of women therein designated." This bill was referred to the special committee on female suffrage which had been appointed on January 19. On February 9, the bill was reported back to the House with a unanimous recommendation that it pass and the bill was advanced to engrossment. On February 16 the bill came up for third reading in the House; a recess of one hour was taken "for the purpose of hearing the ladies on the subject." After addresses on the subject of woman suffrage were given by Mesdames Haggart and Gouger, the suffrage bill was taken up for third reading. By a vote of 49-35, the bill was postponed and made the special order for February 22, on which day the measure was rejected by a vote of 43-46.

[House Journal, Fifty-second Session, 87.]

All these ameliorations, so just and wise, which have affected society far more than many measures that have divided parties and excited party frenzy, have been accomplished without having once, it is believed, been accompanied by a party division, or by party strife, or by any public excitement. They have been merely the reflections of a more and more enlightened public opinion. Contemporaneously with these ameloriations, women have been admitted to a part in the management of educational, benevolent and penal institutions. The intelligence, fidelity and feminine delicacy with which generally they have performed their duties, are universally acknowledged.

The art or organization, of working with unity and efficiency in considerable numbers, has been learned by them, and this is one of

13-5055a

the elements best fitted to prepare them, in the fullness of time, for the higher and more important public duties which may well be expected to be devolved upon them. I am informed that certain ladies of high mental endowments and large culture, whose lives and example, as wives and mothers, have won for them in the communities in which they live, the greatest possible respect, will ask to be heard by you in person in an application to have an amendment of the Constitution submitted to the people, which shall provide for conferring upon women the right of suffrage. Without desiring to obtrude an opinion upon you concerning the wisdom of such a provision, I trust that the most worthy and respectable ladies who will present the application, will be received by you with the gallant and generous hospitality to which their lives and character so justly entitle them.

339. Conferring the Right of Suffrage on Women (March 15, 1881).

On March 15, Mr. John W. Furnas introduced a resolution in the House proposing a constitutional amendment conferring the right of suffrage on women. The resolution was referred to the special committee on female suffrage. On April 7, the resolution was reported back to the House and was passed by a vote of 62-24, and reported to the Senate. The resolution passed the Senate on April 8, by a vote of 27-18.

[Laws, Fifty-second Session, 721.]

House Joint Resolution No. 8 proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

Be it Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana be, and the same is hereby proposed, to-wit: Amend Section 2 of Article 2 thereof, so that it will read as follows:

Section 2. In all elections, not otherwise provided for by this Constitution, every citizen of the United States, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, who shall have resided in the State during the six months, and in the township sixty days, and in the ward or precinct thirty days, immediately preceding such election, and every person of foreign birth, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, who shall have resided in the United States. one year, and who shall have resided in this State during the six months, and in the township sixty days, and in the ward or precinct thirty days immediately preceding such election, and shall have declared his or her intention to become a citizen of the United States, conformably to the laws of the United States on the

subject of naturalization, shall be entitled to vote in the township ward or precinct where he or she may reside, if he or she shall have been duly registered according to law.

Resolved, That in submitting this proposition to the electors to be voted upon, it shall be designated as Amendment No. 4.

340. Conferring the Right of Suffrage on Women (March 22, 1881).

On March 22, Mr. Simon P. Yancey, a Republican introduced the same woman suffrage amendment in the Senate. The Committee on Revision of Laws to which the resolution was referred reported favorably. On April 8, the resolution was considered in conjunction with House joint resolution No. 8 and the Senate resolution was laid aside and the House resolution matured instead.

[Senate Journal, Fifty-second Session, 693.]

Joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article 2 of the Constitution.

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring, That the following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana be, and the same is hereby proposed, to-wit: Amend Section 2 of Article 2 thereof so that it will read as follows:

Sec. 2. In all elections, not otherwise provided for by this constitution every citizen of the United States of the age of twentyone years and upwards who shall have resided in the State during the six months, and in the township sixty days, and in the ward or precinct thirty days, immediately preceding such election; and every person of foreign birth, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, who shall have resided in the United States one year, and shall have resided in this State during the six months, and in the township sixty days, and in the ward or precinct thirty days, immediately preceding such election, and shall have disclosed his or her intention to become a citizen of the United States, conformably to the laws of the United States on the subject of naturalization, shall be entitled to vote in the township, ward or precinct where he or she may reside, if he or she shall have been duly registered according to law;

Resolved, That in submitting this proposition to the electors to be voted upon it shall be designated as Amendment No. 1.

341. Qualifications to Practice Law (March 22, 1881).

On March 22, Mr. Simon P. Yancey introduced a resolution in the Senate proposing an amendment to the Constitution prescribing the qualifica