404 



INDIANA. 



feeling among the people of all the States, under a 

 Constitution securing an equality of political and civil 

 rights of all citizens, without distinction of race or 

 color; that we reverence the Constitution of the 

 United States as the supreme law of the land, and a 

 wise embodiment of the principles of free government, 

 and, following its teachings, we will adopt, from time 

 to time, such amendments as are necessary more com- 

 pletely to establish iustice, insure domestic tran- 

 quillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to our- 

 selves and our posterity ; and that wo rejoice at the 

 ratification of the fifteenth amendment, which for- 

 ever secures an equality of political rights to all men ; 

 and we extend to the colored man a helping hand, in 

 the race of lifej to improve and elevate his condition. 



That the national debt, created in the defence and 

 preservation of the Union, however great the burden, 

 must be cheerfully borne, and honorably and honestly 

 extinguished, in accordance with the letter and spirit 

 of the several laws authorizing the debt, and that all 

 attempts at repudiation of the principal or interest 

 should meet the scorn and denunciation of any honest 

 and patriotic people. 



That we demand in every department of the Gov- 

 ernment, from the highest to the lowest, the strictest 

 economy of all expenditures consistent with the re- 

 quirements of the public service. 



That a reduction of taxation is demanded, both of 

 the tariff and internal taxes, until it reaches the low- 

 est amount consistent with the credit and necessi- 

 ties of the Government ; and that we are in favor of 

 a tariff for revenue, believing that a proper adjust- 

 ment of duties must necessarily afford the incidental 

 protection to which any interest is entitled. 



That we are in favor of a currency founded on the 

 national credit, as abundant as the wants of the trade 

 and commerce of the country demand ; and that we 

 disapprove of all laws in reference thereto which es- 

 tablish, monopoly or inequality therein. 



That we are opposed to the donations of the public 

 lands, or the grant of subsidies in money to railroads 

 or other corporations, and that we demand the reser- 

 vation of the public domain for the use of actual set- 

 tlers and educational purposes. 



That we reaffirm that of all who were faithful in 

 the trials of the late war hero none are entitled to 

 more honor than the brave soldiers and seamen who 

 endured the hardships of the campaign and cruise, 

 and imperilled their lives in the service of their 

 country ; and the bounties and pensions provided 

 by law for those brave defenders of the nation are 

 obligations never to be forgotten, and should be 

 borne without cost to the recipient. The widows 

 and orphans of the gallant dead are the wards of the 

 nation, sacred, legally bequeathed to the nation for 

 care. 



That we approve the general course of our Sen- 

 ators and Bepublican Kepresentatives in Congress, 

 and express our full and entire confidence that they 

 will act with wisdom and integrity in all that con- 

 cerns the welfare of the people, and that we tender 

 our thanks to Senator Morton for his exertions in so 

 shaping the legislation of Congress on the reconstruc- 

 tion of the late rebel States as to secure the passage 

 of the fifteenth amendment. 



That we indorse the Administration of General 

 Grant as President of the United States, and accept 

 the increased collections of revenue, the reduction 

 of the expenditures, and payment of a large portion 

 of the public debt, as a fulfilment of his promises 

 of economy, and rejoice that the victorious general 

 of the Union armies should, as a civil officer, receive 

 "the last of the rebel States in. its return to the na- 

 tional family. 



. Inasmuch as all republican governments depend 

 for their stability and perpetuity on the intelligence 

 and virtue of the people, it is the right and duty of 

 the State and national authorities to establish, fos- 

 ter, and secure the highest moral and intellectual 

 development of the people. 



Resolved, That taxation for county and other local 

 purposes has become so great a to be oppressive to 

 the people ; that our system of county administra- 

 tion ne_eds reform, and we demand of our Kepresent- 

 atives in the Legislature such changes in the statutes 

 of the State as will protect the people from extrava- 

 gant tax-levies by local authorities ; and, as an aid to 

 this needed reform, we favor a reduction of fees for 

 county officers, to a standard which will furnish a 

 fair and reasonable compensation for the services 

 rendered, and that no officers should be favored with 

 salary, fees, or perquisites, beyond such fair and 

 reasonable compensation. 



Resolved, That the canal stocks issued under the 

 legislation of 1846-'47, commonly called the "Butler 

 Bill," were, by the terms of the contract, charged 

 exclusively upon the Wabash and Erie Canal, its 

 reservoirs and lands, and the faith of the State never 

 having been, directly or indirectly, pledged for the 

 payment or redemption thereof, said canal stocks 

 therefore constitute no part of the outstanding debts 

 or liabilities of the State. That the constitution of 

 this State ought to be amended, at the earliest prac- 

 ticable period, so as to prevent the taking effect of 

 any law or acts of the General Assembly proposing 

 to recognize or create any liability of the State for 

 the said canal stocks or any part thereof, until each 

 proposition shall have been submitted to a direct 

 vote of the people of the State, and approved by 

 them; that we heartily indorse the administration 

 of our State affairs by Governor Baker and his asso- 

 ciate State officers, and especially congratulate the 

 people that the time is so near when toe State debt 

 will be entirely liquidated. 



There was no important issue in the can- 

 vass except that of general retrenchment and 

 economy in the finances of the State. The 

 subject of the "Wabash and Erie Canal, which 

 was broached in the thirteenth resolution of the 

 Eepublican platform, occasioned considerable 

 discussion, and probably had some effect on 

 the election of members of the Legislature. In 

 1846 the State had become considerably em- 

 barrassed on account of the bonds which had 

 been issued for public improvements, a large 

 portion of which had furnished the means for 

 building this canal. At the session of 184G-'47 

 a bill passed the Legislature making a settle- 

 ment with the holders of the canal claims, 

 whereby new bonds were given for one-half the 

 debt, and a lien on the "Wabash and Erie Canal, 

 and the stock thereof, for the remainder, the 

 canal in the mean time being placed in the 

 hands of trustees for twenty-four years. As the 

 railroad system of the State has been gradually 

 built up, the canal has become more and more 

 unprofitable, and at the last session of the 

 Legislature an attempt was made by the hold- 

 ers of the stock to induce that body to pro- 

 vide for the resumption of its full obligations 

 by the State. The matter was considerably 

 agitated throughout the year, and will proba- 

 bly make its appearance in the Legislature of 

 1871. Both parties disclaimed any intention 

 to bring about an assumption of the old canal 

 debt, and such a course would evidently be 

 unpopular. 



The election took place on the llth of Octo- 

 ber, and resulted in the choice of the Demo- 

 cratic ticket, by an average majority through- 

 out the State of 2,864. The total number of 



