Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1879 — The Constitutional Amendments. [ARTICLE]

The Constitutional Amendments.

Seven important amendments to the Constitution of Indiana have been agreed to by a majority of the mem hers elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assemblies of 187 T and 1879, and by an act of the last General Assembly, approved March 10,1877, these said amendments are to be submitted to the electors of the State of Indiana for ratification or rejection, at an election to be held on the first Monday in April, 1880. The law providing for the submission of these amenoments to the electors of the State enacts that “the secretary of State shall procure ballots of blue paper, on each of which shall be printed the proposed amendments, and below each amendment shall be primed the word ‘Yes’ in one iine, and in another line the word ‘No;’ that any qualified elector may vote for ®r against any amendment by depositing one of said ballots in the ballot box. If he intends to vote for any amendment he shall leave thereundei the word ‘Yes,’ and erase the word ‘No’ by drawing a iine across it, or otherwise. If he intends to vot against acy amendment, the word ‘Yes’ shall in like manner be stricken out and the word ‘No’left; and if both words are allowed to remain without either of them being so erased, the j vote shall not be counted either way. These amendments are designated by numbers, and are. numbered 1,2, 3, 4. 5, 6 and 9, numbers 7 and 8 having failed to receive a majority of votes of both branches of the last General Assembly. AMENDMENT NO. 1. Amend section 2 of article 2 so as to read as follows: Section 2. In all elections not otherwise provided for by this constitution, every male citizen of the United States of the age of 21 years and upward, who shall have resided iu the State during the six months, and in the township 60 days, and in the ward or precinct. 30 days immediately preceding such election, and every male of foreign birth, of the age of 21 years and upward, who shall have resided in the United States one year, and shall have resided in the State during the six months, and in the towuship 60 days, and in the ward or precinct 30 days immediately preceding said election, and shall have declared his intention Vo 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 or precinct where he may reside, if he shall have been duly registered according to law. AMENDMENT NO 2 simply provides for striking out the words “No negro or mulatto shall h ivethe right of suffrage,” contained in section 5 of the second article of the constitution. AMENDMENT NO. 3. Amend section 14 of the second article to read: . Section 14.. All general elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but township elections may be held at such time as may be provided by law. Provided, that the General Assembly may provide by law for the election of all judges of courts of general and appellate jurisdiction by an election to be held for such officers only, at which time no other officers shall be voted for; and shall also provide for the registration of all persons entitled to vote. AMENDMENT NO. 4 amends by striking the word “white” from sections 4 and 5 of article 4, conforming the same to the constitution of the United States. AMENDMENT NO. 5 amends the fourteenth clause of section 22 of article 4 to read as follows: In relation to fees or salaries, cx cept tire laws may be so made as to grade the compensation of offic rs in proportion to the population and the necessary services required. AMENDMENT NO. 6. The following amendment is pro- j postal to wit: Amend section 1 of the ! seventh article to read: Section 1. The judicial power of j the State shall be vested in a supreme j court,circuit courts, and such oilier; courts as the General Assembly may establish'. The words “such other courts” are suostituted for the words, “such inferior courts.” AMENDMENT NO. 9. No political or municipal corporation in this State shall ever become indebted, in any manner, or for any purpose, to an amount in the aggregate exceeding 2 per centum on the value of the taxable property within said corporation, to be ascertained by the last assessment for State and county taxes, previous to the incurring of such indebtedness, and all bonds 01 obligations in excess of such amount given by such corporations shall bo void; provided that in time of war, foreign invasion,'or other great public calamity, on petition of a majority of the property-owners, in number and value, within the limits ©f such corporation, the public authorities, in their discretion, may incur obligations necessary for public protection and defense, to such amount as may.be reauested in said petition. An editor headed a column of se-. lections “Men and Things,” and his wife mussed his hair, under the impression that the last part of the heading referred to the other sex. Chilcotein Makeever’s new building.