Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Constitutional Convention

of 1850

PART IV.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1850.

The Constitutional Convention of 1850 assembled on October 7, 1850, adjourned on February 10, 1851, after having been in session 127 days. The Convention consisted of 50 senatorial and 100 representative delegates, 95 of whom were Democrats, and 55, Whigs. Owing to one death and several resignations, 154 delegates actually served during the sittings of the Convention. The Convention organized by electing George W. Carr, President, W. H. English, Principal Secretary, and such assistant clerks, secretaries, doorkeepers, sergeants-at-arms, messengers, woodmen and stenographers as were necessary to carry on the work of the Convention. For the purpose of considering, drafting and submitting sections to be incorporated in the new constitution, the Convention was divided into 22 standing committees. The material out of which the new constitution was constructed consisted of the corresponding sections of the constitution of 1816; the provisions of the existing constitutions of the other states, especially Illinois and Wisconsin; resolutions submitted by delegates either on their own initiative or on request of their constituents; and recommendations and suggestions of the members of the several committees and other delegates on the floor of the Convention. Of these resolutions there were 333. The first resolution was introduced on October 9, the third day of the Convention, and the last on January 29, only two weeks before final adjournment. After a committee had had time to deliberate, a draft of a section or series of sections was reported to the Convention for consideration. In maturing a section of the Constitution, the procedure followed was substantially identical with that followed in the General Assembly in maturing bills, except that when a section was finally adopted it was referred to a Committee on Revision and Phraseology to be put in final form. Sections which were revised by this committee were usually reported back to the Convention in groups and formally approved. When the Constitution was finally approved it was deposited with the Secretary of State and published in full in three separate issues of the Indiana State Sentinel, the Indiana State

Journal and the Statesman. The Convention also issued an address to the electors of the State in which was summarized the most important changes in the old Constitution and the arguments for the proposed changes. On February 25, Governor Joseph A. Wright issued his official proclamation notifying the electors that an election would be held on the first Monday of August on the adoption or rejection of the Constitution as a whole and on the adoption or rejection of the article relative to the exclusion of negroes and mulattoes from the State. The election was held on August 4, 1851. The total number of votes polled for the Constitution in the counties making returns was 109,319, the total number of votes polled against the Constitution was 26,755; the majority for the Constitution was 82,564. The total number of votes polled for the exclusion and colonization of negroes and mulattoes was 109,967; the total number of votes polled against the exclusion and colonization of negroes and mulattoes was 21,066; the majority in favor of the exclusion and colonization of negroes and mulattoes was 88,910. Since both the Constitution as a whole and the article relative to the exclusion and colonization of negroes were adopted by substantial majorities, the Governor issued his proclamation on September 3, 1851, declaring the whole Constitution, including the thirteenth article "to take effect and be in force on and after the first day of November, A.D., 1851.''

136.

Suitable Room for Holding Sittings of Convention of 1850 (October 7, 1850).

By a resolution adopted on January 21, 1850, the Governor, Auditor and Treasurer of State were required to procure a suitable room for the sittings of the Constitutional Convention. (See Document No. 131.) The following communication and correspondence sets forth the efforts made by this committee. The information was laid before the convention on October 8, 1850.

HON. G. W. CARR,

[Convention Journal, 19.]

Executive Department, Oct. 7, 1850.

President of the Convention:

Please lay before the body over which you have the honor to preside, the accompanying correspondence. Having failed in procuring the Masonic Hall for the use of the Convention, under the restriction of the legislature, we have prepared the Hall of the

« PreviousContinue »