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189. Length of Legislative Sessions (March 2, 1859).

Adopted by the Senate on March 2, and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

[Senate Journal, Fortieth Session, 881.]

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That in estimating the term allotted by the Constitution for a session of the General Assembly it is the opinion of this legislature that Sundays should not be included and that the present session of the General Assembly should be in accordance therewith.

190. Length of Legislative Sessions (March 1, 1859).

On March 1, the Judiciary Committee of the House reported a resolution in favor of sixty-one consecutive days as a legislative session.

[House Journal, Fortieth Session, 908.]

The Judiciary Committee, in answer to a resolution of the House inquiring the opinion of the committee as to the last day of this session on which bills can be presented to the Governor have had the subject under consideration, and instructed me to report back that a majority of the committee are of the opinion that Friday next will be the last day; the minority being of the opinion that Thursday will be the last day. All of which is respectfully submitted. Therefore,

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this House that Friday next is the last day of this session, on which bills, passed by the General Assembly, can be constitutionally presented to the Governor for his signature.

191. Resolutions adopted by Political Parties Relative to a Constitutional Convention (1859).

The Republican county conventions refrained from either endorsing or disapproving of the proposition of calling a constitutional convention. The Democratic county conventions, generally, disapproved of the idea and adopted formal resolutions of condemnation. Following is a list of these resolutions which were adopted at county conventions held between April 9 and September 26, 1859.

(a) FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, MARION COUNTY (PRIOR TO APRIL 11,

1859).

[Sentinel, April 11, 1859.]

Resolved, That we are opposed to the calling of a convention

to amend or alter our State Constitution, believing that such frequent tampering with the fundamental law of our State has an injurious effect upon our prosperity, and especially when the evident object is to make it subservient to partisan interests.

(b) SHELBY COUNTY (APRIL 9, 1859).

[Sentinel, April 12 and 15, 1859.]

A resolution was adopted opposing a call of a constitutional convention.

(c) DEARBORN COUNTY (JUNE 18, 1859).

[Sentinel, June 27, 1859.]

Resolved, That the movement on foot to amend the Constitution of Indiana, with a view to an increase of the already enormous powers of the banks of the State; the removal of restrictions on the legislative power; and a curtailment of the right of suffrage, meets our unqualified condemnation. We are satisfied with the instrument as it is; and if it ought to be amended, let it be done by the economical mode provided for by the constitution itself.

(d) HARRISON COUNTY (JULY 16, 1859).

[Sentinel, July 22, 1859.]

Resolved, That to avoid excessive taxation and promote public morality, we hold it to be the duty of the governmentnational, state, county and township-to use the most rigid economy in the administration of these several departments; and, therefore, for these amongst other good reasons, we are opposed to the Republican scheme of calling another convention, at a cost of not less than one hundred thousand dollars, to amend the Constitution of Indiana.

(e) FRANKLIN COUNTY (JULY 23, 1859).

[Sentinel, August 1, 1859.]

The Franklin county convention adopted the foregoing Harrison county resolution verbatim, and in addition the following:

That should there be a convention called to amend or change our State Constitution, the Democracy of Franklin county are distinctly opposed to any change of our organic law affecting the civil rights or franchises of our citizens, native or adopted.

(f) MORGAN COUNTY (AUGUST 17, 1859).

[Sentinel, August 22, 1859.]

Resolved, That the frequent change of the organic law of the State is likely to be injurious to the interests of the people, by unsettling the judicial constructions put upon the various contested provisions of the Constitution, and exposing to needless hazard the rights of persons and property; and that in case of needed amendments to the Constitution of this State we recognize the great superiority of the mode (on account of its cheapness, safety and convenience) pointed out and provided for amendment in the Constitution itself over the manner provided by the law of the last legislature; and that we consider the calling of a convention at any time, for amending the Constitution of this State as likely to be unnecessary, and at the present time not only uncalled for, but as incurring a heavy and useless expenditure of money, and otherwise injurious to the best interests of the State.

(g) WASHINGTON COUNTY (AUGUST 27, 1859).

[Sentinel, September 5, 1859.]

Resolved, That we are opposed to the project of calling a constitutional convention, believing the same to have originated in a desire to fasten upon the people of this State tyrannical will and despotic notions, to abridge the right of suffrage, to prepare the way by which indebtedness of the Wabash and Erie Canal can be foisted upon the State, and in the end to leave the people of the State in a much worse condition that at present.

(h) ORANGE COUNTY (AUGUST 27, 1859).

[Sentinel, September 6, 1859.]

Resolved, That a rigid economy in the administration of public affairs both State and National, is one of the cardinal principles

of the Democratic party, and that we therefore, declare our opposition to this pet scheme of the Black Republican Party of the last legislature to call a convention for the remodelling of our present State Constitution.

(i) TIPTON COUNTY (SEPTEMBER 3, 1859).

[Sentinel, September 10, 1859.]

Resolved, That we are opposed to the calling of a constitutional convention to amend, revise or make a new Constitution, as the effects thereof will be evil and only evil, and that continually; and that the present remodeling of our organic laws tend to shake and render inefficient our government and institutions.

(j) RUSH COUNTY (SEPTEMBER 3, 1859).

[Sentinel, September 12, 1859.]

Resolved, That we oppose, and will vote at the ballot-box against the mischievous and unnecessary project of calling, at this early period, and before our existing Constitution is fairly tried and understood, another State convention to make a new one

(k) SCOTT COUNTY (SEPTEMBER 22, 1859).

[Sentinel, October 1, 1859.]

Resolved, That we regard the proposition to call a convention to amend the Constitution of this State, as uncalled for and inexpedient, and we recommend every good citizen to oppose the same at the polls.

(1) CLINTON COUNTY (SEPTEMBER 25, 1859).

[Sentinel, October 3, 1859.]

Resolved, That the act of the legislature, approved on the 5th day of March last, providing for a convention to alter, revise or amend the Constitution of this State, is not demanded for the public good, and, therefore, we recommend and advise every Democrat to vote against the calling of such convention, when the question is presented at the October election.

(m) JEFFERSON COUNTY (SEPTEMBER 26, 1851).

[Sentinel, October 2, 1859.]

Resolved, That we deem it inexpedient to call a convention at the present, to amend the State Constitution.

192. Democratic Platform of 1860-Aliens, and Wabash and Erie Canal (January 11, 1860).

The Democratic State Convention of 1860, assembled in Indianapolis on January 11, 1860, adopted the following resolution relative to alien voters and the transfer of the Wabash and Erie Canal.

[Indianapolis Sentinel, January 13, 1860.]

Resolved, That any distinction amongst citizens on account of their religion or place of birth, continues to be utterly reprobated by the Indiana Democracy, in common with their brethren of the other States, as neither justified by the past history or future prospects of the country, nor in unison with the spirit of toleration and enlarged freedom which peculiarly distinguishes the American system of government; and that we most earnestly denounce the unjust and disparaging imputation upon the character of our foreign born population, contained in the recent enactments incorporated in the laws of that State by the so-called Republicans of Massachusetts, whereby a class of white men whose rights are entitled to equal respect with those of all others, are deprived of privileges and immunities accorded even to the negro, and whereby a most odious example has been set, from which that party, if successful in retaining power, may feel justified in perpetrating, there and elsewhere, new aggressions and outrages on that portion of our population.

Resolved, That we believe in that provision of the Constitution and the laws thereunto enacted for the naturalization of foreigners, and that when they declare their intention to become citizens of our Government, we believe that they are entitled to its protection, wherever the flag of our country may wave over the land, as though they were native born citizens.

Resolved, That we are opposed to the transfer of the Wabash and Erie Canal to the State, or any change in the relation of the State to the canal bondholders.

193. Republican Platform of 1860–Aliens, and Wabash and Erie Canal (February 22, 1860).

The Republican Party, assembled in convention at Indianapolis on

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