Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1880 — The Constitutional Amendments. [ARTICLE]

The Constitutional Amendments.

Seven important amendments to the Constitution of Indiana have been agreed to by s majority of the members elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assemblies of 1877 and 1879, and by an net of the lust General Assembly, approved March 10. 1V77, these said amendments are to be submitted to the electors of the State of Indiana for ratification or rejection, tit an ejection to be held on the first Monday in April, 1880. The law providing for tlie submission of j these amendments to the electors of j the State enacts that "the secretary of State shall procure ballots or blue j paper, on each of which shall be print- j ed the proposed amendments, and be- j low each amendment shall be printed il).- word “ Ws" in one line, and in an oth. r line the word "No.” that any qualified elector may vote for or against, any amendment by depositing one of sai-l ballots in the ballot box. If he intends to vote for any amend u Hit he .-hall leave thereunder the word ‘Yes.’ ami erase the word ■No’ by drawing a line across it, or otherwise. If lie intends to vote against ai y amendment, the word ‘Yes’ shall in like manner be stricken out and the word ‘No’ left;andif both words are allowed to remain without either of them being so erased, the vote shall not be counted either way. rin se amendments are designated by numbers, and are numbered 1,2, 3, 4. 5, G 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 oT 21 years and upward. who shall have resided in the State during ihc six months, aud in the township GO days, and in tlie ward or precinct 30 days immediately preceding such election, and every mule 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 ■township GO days, and in the ward or preemet 30 days immediately preceding said election, ami shall have declared his 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 ov 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 li vothe right of suffrage,” contained in section 5 of tile second article of the constitution. AMENDMENT NO. 3, Amend section 14 of the second article to read: Section 14. All genera! elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but ti.vnship elections may be held at smii time as may be provided by law. Provided, that the General Assembly may provide by law for the election of ail judges of courts ul general and appellate jurisdiction by an election to beheld for such officers paly, at which time no other officers shall be voted for; an l 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 eonstltu lion of the United States. AMENDMENT NO. 5 amends the fourteenth clause of sectiou 22 of article 4 to read us follows: la relation to fees or salaties, ex cept the laws may b 6 so made as to grade the compensation of offie rs in proportion to the population and the necessary services required. AMENDMENT NO. G. The following amendment is proposed to wit: Amend section 1 of the seventh article to read: Section 1. The judicial power of the State shall be vested in a supreme court,circuit courts, and such other courts as tlie 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 or obligations in excess of such amount given by such corporations shall be void; provided that in time of war, foreign invasion, or other great public calamity, on petition of a majority of the property-owners, innumber and value, within the limits of such corporation, the public authorities, in their discretion, may incur obligations necessary for public protection and defense, to such amount as may be requested in said petition.