to Section 2, Article 6, of the constitution, shall be submitted to the electors at the spring election of eighteen hundred and eightyeight.

The same amendment was introduced in the House on March 1, by Mr. William R Gardiner. a Republican, and was adopted at once by a vote of 91-0, but because of the dead-lock was never sent to the Senate.

[House Journal, Fifty-fifth Session, 733.]

Joint resolution No. 5 proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article 6 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

WHEREAS, The following amendment to Section 2 of Article 6 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, was proposed to the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, at its fifty-fourth session, held in the year 1885, and the said proposed amendment was agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of the two Houses, and said proposed amendment was, with the yeas and nays thereon, entered on the Journal of both Houses of said General Assembly, and is now pending the action of the present session of the General Assembly; therefore,

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 agreed to, to-wit:

Amend Section 2 of Article 6 to read: Section 2. There shall be elected, in each county, by the voters thereof, at the time of holding general elections, a clerk of the circuit court, auditor, recorder, treasurer, sheriff, coroner and surveyor, who shall severally hold their offices for a term of four years, from the first day of January after their election, and no person shall be eligible to either of said offices, except that of surveyor, more than four years, or one term, in any period of eight years: Provided, That in case of the appointment of any one of such offices to fill any vacancy therein, such appointee shall be appointed to hold only to the first of January succeeding the next general election after such vacancy occurs.

Resolved, That in submitting this amendment to the electors of the State to be voted on it shall be designated as Amendment No. 1.

394. Admitting Negroes to Militia (February 26, 1887).

The militia amendment was presented in the Senate on February 26 by Mr. E. B. Sellers, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The amendment was agreed to at once by a vote of 29-13, but the House refused to receive it.

[Senate Journal, Fifty-fifth Session, 799.]

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Indiana, That the following resolution, which was heretofore proposed and agreed to by the Fifty-fourth General Assembly of the State of Indiana, being the special session of 1885, to-wit: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article 12 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 and agreed to, to-wit: Amend Section 1 of Article 12 by striking out the word "white", contained in said section.

Resolved, further, That in voting on this amendment it shall be designated and known as Amendment No. 3, be and the same is hereby adopted and agreed to.

395. Membership of Supreme Court (January 17, 1887).

A proposed amendment, fixing the number of members of the Supreme Court at not less than six nor more than nine, was introduced in the House on January 17, was referred to the Judiciary Committee and not subsequently considered.

[House Journal, Fifty-fifth Session, 147.] .

Joint resolution No. 2, entitled:

A joint resolution proposing amendment to Sections 2 and 3 of Article 7 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

396. Suffrage and Elections (January 21, 1887).

On January 21, Mr. Joseph A. Little, a Republican, introduced a resolution in the House to amend the section of the Constitution relative to suffrage and elections. The character of the amendment does not appear. The resolution was referred to the Committee on Rights and Privileges and never reported back.

[House Journal, Fifty-fifth Session, 204.]

House joint resolution No. 3, entitled: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 2 of Article 2 of the Constitution of Indiana.

397. Constitutional Convention (February 21, 1887).

On February 21, Mr. William M. Van Slyke introduced a bill in the House providing for the call of a constitutional convention. The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee and was never reported back.

[House Journal, Fifty-fifth Session, 634.]

House bill No. 457, entitled: A bill for an act to provide for a call of a convention of the people of Indiana, to make a new Constitution for said State, and to provide for submitting said new Constitution to a vote of the qualified voters of the State of Indiana, and declaring an emergency.

398.. Democratic Platform of 1888—Sumptuary and Private Property Regulations (April 26, 1888).

The Democratic State Convention of 1888 was held in the city of Indianapolis on April 26. The following resolution relative to the interference with private rights and sumptuary regulations was adopted.

[Indianapolis Sentinel, April 27, 1888.]

It is provided by the Constitution of this State that the liberty of the people should be protected and that their private property should not be taken without just compensation, and we are opposed to any change in the constitution tending to weaken these safeguards, or to any legislation which asserts the power to take or destroy the private property of any portion of the people of this State without compensation, or which unjustly interferes with their personal liberty as to what they shall eat or drink or as to the kind of clothing they shall wear, believing that the government should be administered in that way best calculated to confer the greatest good upon the greatest number, without sacrificing the rights of person or property, and leaving the innocent creeds, habits, customs and business of the people unfettered by sumptuary laws, class legislation or extortionate monopolies. While standing faithfully by the rights of property and personal liberty guaranteed to the people by the Constitution, we distinctly declare that we are in favor of sobriety and temperance, and all proper means for the promotion of these virtues, but we believe that a well regulated license system, and reasonable and just laws upon that subject, faithfully enforced, would be better than extreme measures which, being subversive of personal liberty and in conflict with public sentiment, would never be effectively executed, thus bringing law into disrepute and tending to make sneaks and hyprocrites of our people.

399. Republican Platform of 1888-Terms of County Officers and Admission of Negroes to Militia (August 8, 1888).

The Republican State Convention of 1888, which assembled in the city of Indianapolis on August 8, endorsed the proposal of amending the Con

stitution to fix the terms of county officers at four years and admitting negroes to the State militia.

[Indianapolis Journal, August 9, 1888.]

The amendments to the State Constitution making the terms of county officers four years, and striking out the word "white" from Section 1, Article 12, so that colored men may become a part of the regular militia force for the defense of the State, should be renewed.

THE FIFTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY (1889).

The session of 1889 was predominantly Democratic. The Senate consisted of 28 Democrats and 22 Republicans, and the House of 58 Democrats and 42 Republicans. An unusually large number of constitutional measures were proposed. Nine amendments were adopted and referred to the succeeding General Assembly. These amendments authorized the General Assembly to prescribe the qualifications necessary to practice law; admitted negroes to the militia; prescribed a year's residence in the State to achieve the right of suffrage; fixed the term of State and county officers at four years; increased the membership of the Supreme Court; and provided unlimited legislative sessions. Other amendments proposed were designed to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, provided that the Supreme Court might sit in divisions or in banc, and provided a somewhat complicated method for the apportionment of representatives. The work of considering constitutional measures was so onerous that on recommendation of the Governor the Senate provided for the appointment of a committee of seven members on the revision of the Constitution.

400. Governor Gray's Recommendation Relative to Constitutional Measures (January 11, 1889).

In his biennial message of January 11, Governor Gray expressed the conviction that no necessity existed for a constitutional convention, but he recommended the adoption of amendments fixing the terms of all State and county officers at four years.

[House Journal, Fifty-sixth Session, 47.]

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

At this session it will be appropriate for you to propose and agree to such amendments to the Constitution as your wisdom may suggest or experience has shown to be necessary. The present instrument, which was adopted nearly forty years ago, has not been changed except on two occasions.

While it is advisable, and in some cases necessary, that some of

its provisions should be amended, it is not believed that a necessity exists for a constitutional convention.

Every proper amendment can be effected in the manner provided by the Constitution, at a small expense to the people and without presenting the opportunity of unsettling a system of government well understood and tested by long service.

I would recommend that the Constitution be so amended that all State and county officers shall hold their offices for a term of four years, to commence on a fixed day, and with, perhaps, a few exceptions, be ineligible to hold the same more than four years in any period of eight years. No good reason seems to exist why the term of certain officers should be limited to two years, while others whose duties and responsibilities are no greater should have a term of four years. It is my opinion that two years is too short a period for any officer to acquire that knowledge of the duties of his office necessary to enable him to discharge the same with the degree of efficiency expected by the public. There has always been manifested a willingness to continue a faithful official four years in office; but at the same time a strong public sentiment seems to prevail against electing an administrative fficer for a longer period.

All temptation should be, as far as possible, removed from every officer to use his office or neglect his duties to secure a reelection, and thereby allow such officer to devote strictly his time to the duties thereof and render the most efficient public service. The designation of a fixed day on which terms should begin would secure uniformity. In the case of State officers it has frequently occurred, and may occur again, that new State officers have come into possession of their respective offices during the first days of the legislative session, and having had no opportunity to become acquainted with their duties, are not competent and qualified by experience to speak in relation to matters which concern their offices and the public welfare.

The sources of public information should be the very best, If the terms of State officers commenced on the first day of April succeeding their election, the General Assembly would have the advantage of the counsel and assistance of the officials, who could give intelligent and valuable information in relation to the business of their respective departments of the government.

The terms of county officials should commence on the first day of January succeeding their election.

Our State elections should be determined upon State issues

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