Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1885 — OLD-TIME LEGISLATORS. [ARTICLE]

OLD-TIME LEGISLATORS.

Veterans of 1850-’sl Reunite at the State Capital, And Indulge in Reminiscences of By-gone Days. w * * ~r ;li-iTtiiii -- Historical, Biographical, and Anecdotal [From the Indianapolis Sentinel.] Survivors of the Convention of-1850. There was but a small leathering of visitors at the opening session of the reunion of the members of the Constitutional Convention of 1850 at English's Opera House, the meeting being simply for the purpose of organization. The spectators occupied the main auditorium, the stage being reserved for the members and the press. Hon. Wm. McKee Dunn, delegate to the Constitutional Convention from Jefferson County, called the meeting to order. Hon. Geo. W. Carr, who was a delegate from tiie County of Lawrence to the State Constitutional Convention of 1850, and who was elected President of the convention by a vote almost unanimous, was called upon to preside over this meeting of the survivors of the convention. Hon. William H. English, who was the principal Secretary of the Constitutional Convention, was unanimously elected Secretary of the meeting. The following members responded to their names: Oliver P. Badger, delegate from Putnam County. Cromwell W, Barbour, delegate from Vigo County. Othnell Beeson, delegate from Wayne County. Horace P. Bidden, delegate from Cass County. Alexander B. Conduit, delegate from Morgan County. William McKee Dunn, delegate from Jefferson County. James B. Foley, delegate from Decatur County. John A. Graham, delegate from Miami County, Jefferson Helm, delegate from Bush County. Thomas A. Hendricks, delegate from Shelby County. William S. Holman, delegate from Dearborn County, Phineas M. Kent, delegate from Floyd County. ,z'~ Beattie McClelland, delegate from Randolph County. Samuel Pepper, delegate from Crawford County. James Keeney, delegate from Johnson County. S. B. Taylor, delegate from Laporte County. Henry G. Todd, delegate from Hendricks County. George W. Carr, delegate from Lawrence County. As the roll was called the Secretary ani nounced the names of those who were certainly known to be dead, and it was found that the I total survivors aggregated but thirty-three out 1 of a convention composed of about 150 members. Uuon conclusion of the roll-coll, Hon. Oliver P. Badger, delegate from Putnam County in the Constitutional Convention, invoked the divine blessing, the members rising to their feet. The Secretary announced that he had letters from two of the members of the convention, and on motion they were read. The letters were from Christopher C. Graham and Gen. R. H. Milroy. A paper on “The Unwritten History of the Constitutional Convention,” written by Hon. John L Morrison, a short time before his death, was read by Mr. English, to whom it was presented by a daughter of the writer. The evening session of the reunion was more largely attended by spectators than was that of the afternoon, and the programme proved an interesting one, addresses being made by Vice President Hendneks on “The Constitution and Its Amendments;’’ Hon. William H.English on “The Personnel of the Convention;” Hon. William McKee Dunn, upon the prominent features of the work of the convention; Hon Oliver P. Badger of Putnam County, in an address which was in the beginning sentimental, in the middle biographical, and at the close humorous; and by CoL Taylor of Chicago, who was a member of the convention from Laporte County, and is still vigorous at the age of 84 years. Survivors of the Legislature of 1851. Fifty members of the Legislature of 1851 are still living, and of these thirty-eight were in attendance at the reunion at English's Opera House. There was a fair audience of ladies and gentlAnen, the proceedings being principally of an informal nature, most of the time of the session being spent in renewing acquaintanceships and indulging in reminiscences of “ye olden time.” The meeting was called to order by Judge Niblack, and Hon. William H. English, Speaker of the first House under the new constitution, was called to preside, and Dr. Andrew J. Hay was chosen Secretary. i The roll-call showed the following members I present: Senate—William E. Niblack, Knox, Daviess and Martin; Joseph H. Defrees. Elkhart; R. D. | Logan, Rush; J. A. Cavens, Washington. Be- , lieved to be living, bnt not present—George Berry, Franklin; John Hunt, Hancock and Madison (now living in Arkansas); Ben Newland, Lawrence; John Witherow, Hendricks (now in California); Frank Emerson, Jackson and Scott; O. P. Davis, Park and Vermillion; Job Hatfield, Perry; James M. Seeth, Shelby. Total—l 2. House—Wm. H. English, Scott; Isaac D. G. Nelson, Allen; Andrew J. Hay, Clark; William S. Holman, Dearborn; Michael Thompson, Delaware: Phineas M. Kent, Floyd; Samuel Davis, Franklin; Andrew Humphreys,Greene: John Lyle King, Jefferson; Martin D. Crim, Martin; Riehard F. Donaldson, Miami; Mahlon D. Manson, Montgomery: George W. McConnell, Steuben and DeKalb: Robert N. Hudson, Vigo; Calvin Cowgill, Wabash: Joseph M. Bulla, Wayne. Total—l 6. Believed to be living, but not present—John Crawford, Adams; William B. Beach (now living at Providence, R. 11, Boone; John Scudder, Daviess; Henry W. Barker, Dubois: Jacob Dice, Fountain; Zimri Reynolds, Grant; Samuel T. Wells, Jackson; Robert Huey, Jay; Francis F. Mayfield, Jefferson; Edward P. Hicks, Jennings; Francis Henry, Lagrange; John Laverty (now thought to be living in Nebraska), Morgan; Daniel C. Stover, Montgomery: David 8. Huftstetter, Orange; Mil ton Walker, Perry; D. C. Donahue, Putnam; Hiram H. Hart, Ripley; Thomas M. Smith, Spencer: Theophilus Chowning, Sullivan; Gilbert C. Mudgett, Steuben and DeKalb: Godlove O. Behm, Tippecanoe. Total members of House believed to be living. 37. Hon. W. H. English, on taking the chair at the evening session, said: Gentlemen Of the reunion: I thank yon sincerely for assigning me the duty of presiding over this meeting, and I recognize that. the selection is made, mainly, because I am the surviving presiding officer of the first Legislature held under the present Constitution. I perform the duty with mingled feelings of pleasure and of pain, which I find it diincult to .express—pleasure in meeting again comrades of a third of a century ago, and pain at the realization of the fact that so many have passed away, and that the others must speedily follow. 1 have never so fully realized the shortness of life and the transitory nature of all worldly honors and responsibilities, as I have since the call for this reunion has developed that so many of my old comrades are dead. “When 1 remember all The friends so link’d together I've seen around me fall. Like leaves in wintry weather, I feel like one Who treads alone Some banquet hall deserted. Whose lights are fled. Whose garlands dead. And all but he, departed.” Of the little body of great men who formed the first Constitution of Indiana, Jn 1816, all have long since passed away, as have also, I believe. all the members of the first thirteen General Assemblies of the Stat I may be mistaken in this, bnt if there be a surviving member of any Legislature of this State, held prior to 1831, I do not know it, and I have made diligent inquiry to ascertain. The General Assembly which met in 1835 was the 20th that had been held up to that date, and the total of members elected would aggregate thousands, and yet to day yon could probably count all who survive on the fingers of one hapd. Even including all the Legislatures up to 1840. there are probably npt over a dozen surviving of the thousands composing the twentyfive Legislatures which had then been held. Coming five years inrther on, to 1845, would probably not increase the number to over twenty-five. , , < You would doubtless like to know who these venerable and patriotic survivors are. To state something of the personnel of the first General Assembly held under the present Constitution, and to give some account as to. who are the survivors of the preceding Legislatures, will be the object of this address.. I have already said that I have not heard of any one being alive who was a member of any Legislature of this State held prior to 1831. There may be. of course, and one of my objects in making this address is to call out the facts as they exist. ‘ .1831-2. I may be mistaken, but I think that Hon. Alexander y. (Stevenson, who represented Putnam County in the House of Representatives in 1831-2, is the only surviving member of that Legislature. and of all the Legislatures back to the organization of the State. 1832-3. I next come to the General Assembly of 1832-3.

I have not been able to find that any member of that Legislature survives except John 0. Parker, then one of the Representatives from the County of Clarke. 1838-4. My father was a member of the Legislature of 1832-3 and also of 1833-4. and I have often heard him talk about the session being held in the old Court House of Marion County, and also about who were then members, bnt I have been unable to find that any of the Legislature of 1833-4 are now alive. Daniel M. Bradbury was a member of that Legislature from W»vm •County, and was taking much interest in this reunion, but unfortunately he died since the call was issued, as did also Senator George B. Walker, of Cass County, and Representative Thomas 8. Stanfield, of St Joseph County, showing how rapidly these pioneers in the legislation of the State are passing away. 1334-5. , I now come to the Legislature of 1834-5. I have knowledge of but one member of that body being alive, and that is my distinguished friend, Col. Richard W. Thompson, whom I am sure you all delight to honor. Incidentally I will state a fact in connection with this Legislature which may be of interest, as it illustrates the wonderful progress the country has made since that time. It is that the record shows that Henry Brady, who recently died near this citv, was then (1835) the sole representative of Marion and Hamilton counties and all the country north of the great Miami Reservation. 1835I find that my friend Thompson was returned to the next Legislature, which met in December, 1835, and with him came another of my old friends—David Macy—then a Representative from Henry County, and now a highly esteemed citizen of Indianapolis, and, aS far as I know, is another old friend, Christopher C. Graham, now a resident of Red Wing, Minn. 1836-

It is a little singular that the same three gentlemen, Thompson, Macy, and Graham, are survivors of the next Legislature—H36-7—to which may be added Joshua B. Huckaby, a Representative from Perry County, and Dr. Graham N. Fitch, who subsequently served with distinction in the Senate of the United States. 1837-8. Macv and Graham again turned up as the sole survivors, as far as I know, of the Legislature of 1837-8. My friend Thompson seems not to have been a member. Whether a political cyclone struck him abont that time, or he went up higher, or got tired of the business, he can tell yon mor? entertainingly than any man alive. As totfie General Assembly of 1838-9, George W. Carr and C. C. Graham are, as far as I know, the only survivors: so that it would seem that of the twenty-three Legislatures held up to that time, there are probably less than a dozen now living. I know of but eight at this time, but there may be more, and probably are. These Legislatures were all held before my day, but I now come to Legislatures of which I have some personal knowledge 1839The first Legislature I ever saw was the Indiana Legislature of 1839-’4O It was a great event to me, at that time of my humble life, and has made a marked impression on my memory. I rode three days on horseback from Scott County to Indianapolis, in winter weather and over the worst possible roads, to see it and to attend a Democratic State Convention, although I was not then of age by several rears. Incidentally, I may say that the convention nominated General Tighlman A. Howard for Governor. He was badly beaten, although a very superior man; so I tasted the bitter of the political defeat of my party early, and had so much of it in the last twenty-five years that I have learned to take such things qnite philosophically. Indianapolis had then a population of only a few thousands, bnt was putting on city airs even at that early date. I remember there was a riot one night soon after my arrival, growing ont of the marriage of a negro man and white woman, and it made a terrible sensation. My father, who was a member of the Indiana Legislature at one time or another for nearly twenty years, was a member of that Legislature, and I remember that I boarded with him, during my stay of several weeks, at a house kept by Bazil Brown on the east side of Indiana avenue, near Tennessee street. The house is still standing, bnt I think every one of the persons stopping there, and there were many, have long since passed away, and I know of but four members of that Legislature now alive. They are Judge Fabius M. Finch, Alexander C. Stevenson, James 8. Shively, and Amzl L. Wheeler. 1840As to the Legislature of 1840-41, the only members of it that I know to be alive are A. C. Stevenson, Geo. W. Carr. James Ritchey, C. C. Graham, and Aaron Rawlings. 1841At the next Legislature, 1841-42, my venerable friend Josepn F. Brown, who I am glad to see here to-night, was principal Clerk of the House, and he informs me that ne knows of bnt seven members of that Legislature now living, viz.: Geo. W. Carr, James Ritchey, A. C. Stevenson, Christopher C. Graham. Aaron Rawlings, James S. Shively, and John Pitcher. 1842I was present at the organization of the Legislature of 1842-43, and had acquaintance with many of the members, as I was then.for the first time, a candidate for a legislative office and trying to learn the art of “electioneering with the members.” Of those surviving of that delegation I can name only: Aquilla Jones, now Postmaster of Indianapolis: Amzl L. Wheeler, George W. Carr, Joshua B. Huckaby, James Ritchey and Franklin Hardin. 1843-4. I had a very intimate acquaintance with the members of the Legislature of 1843-4 by reason of being the principal Clerk of the House of Representatives. Judge William T. Otto, long the Reporter of the Supreme Court of the United States, was the Secretary of that' Senate, and is still living, but Jesse D. Bright the President of the Senate, and Andrew L. Robinson, the Speaker of the House, and nearly all of the 150 men who were my associates in that Legislature, busy with the affairs of state, and full of the hopes and ambitions and cares of life, have gone to their eternal rest. I called the roll of the 100 members of that House a great many times In that day, but alas, were I to call it now I know but five members left to answer, and but fonr Senators. George W. Carr, George Berry, James Ritchey, and John Pitcher are the Senators, and the Representatives’ are Augustus C. Handy, W. W. Connor, David Macy, and my old and highly valued friend, David McClure, who was from my own county. We rode three days on horseback over the worst roads ever seen by mortal man to reach the capital He came a greatef distance in about three hours to attend this meeting. '* 1844-5. I now come to the Legislature of 1844-5. When that Legislature met, the, duty devolved on me, as Chief Clerk, of calling the House to order- -It I should call the same old roll tonight,! think less than a dozen would be found alive to answer. I will call such as I know to be living: A. C. Stevenson, Speaker; Alexander B. Conduit, Franklin Hardin, David McClure, James 8. Shiveley, J. B. Huckaby, William W. Conner, Robert Hney, Augustus C. Handy; and of the Senate, George Berry and James Ritchey. There may be others, bnt these are all I know to be alive. I went to Washington City before the close of that session, where I remained severatfears, and, consequently, had no connection with the Indiana Legislature until I was elected to the first one held under the new Constitution. I pass over the Legislatures which met during my absence in Washington because of my lack of information about them and because others are here better prepared to speak of them—such men as Willi’am E. Niblack. Delano E.. Williamson, Andrew Humphreys, M. L. Bnndy. Jos. H. Defrees, I. B. Julian, John W. Dodd, J. A. Cravens, Jonathan 8. Harvey. Joseph M. Bulla, Michael Thompson. C. F. Donaldson, A. B. Conduit, George W. Carr, and other gentlemen who I see present,but have not time to name, were members of those Legislatures, and they were all important and able Legislatures. 1851-2. In what I have further to say on this occasion I shall sneak only of the first Legislature held under the present constitution It was the understanding in advance that it was going to be a Legislature of unusual importance. The new Constitution had just been adopted by an immense majority of the electors. Its adoption made a careful revision of the laws necessary in order that they should conform to its provisions. The work devolved on the Legislature was. in fact, a continuation of the work begun and outlined by the convention. The new Constitution required that the forma and practice in the courts, which had before that time been very intricate and voluminous, should be revised and simplified, the pleading made more uniform, the then prevailing distinction between law and equity abolished, and that the general statute law of the btate should be reduced to a plain and systematic code. “The whole temple of State government, from spire to foundation stone, had to be taken down, remodeled, and rebuilt so as to conform to the new Constitution and the progress and improvements of the age.” Te do all this properly, and much more that was devolved on the first Legislature, required time, and consequently that Legislature was not restricted by the Constitution as to length of session. It was necessarily logger in session than any Legislature ever held in the State, having Met on the Ist of December, 1851, and adjourned on the 15th of June. 1852. The public wisely recognized the need of doing the work well of these great reforms, and, looking to that end, elected a strong Legislature. Many of the members had served In the convention which framed the Constitution and in previous Legislatures, and, as a whole, it was a splendid body of representative men.

A glance over the Hat will show many names of high standing and recognized ability, metot of whom were called to high and honorable positions. Great as was the number of members of the Constitutional Convention caUedlo represent the people in the Congress of the United States, more were called from the Legislature, viz: James H. Lane, John G. Davis, Norman Eddy, George G. Dunn, David P. Holloway James D. Williams, all dead; and William E. Nfbtack, James A. Cravens, Joseph H. Defrees, Mahlon D. Manson, Andrew Humphreys, Calvin Cowgill William 8. Holman and William H. English, all of whom are present. This Legislature is also ahead as to the number of Its members transferred to the Supreme Bench, the convention having furnished three ahd the Legislature five, as follows: W. E. Niblack, who will next address you, and Samuel H. Buskirk, James H. Hannah, William F. Stewart, and Samuel B. Gookins, who are dead. This Legislature also furnished a Governor of the State. James D. Williams; a Lieutenant Governor, Mahlon D. Manson; a Clerk of the Supreme Court, William B. Beach; two Secretaries of State, Norman Eddy and James 8. Athon: two Generals in the Union army. Slack and Manson, and numerous other public officers. ■ . At the close of Mr. English’s remarks Judge Niblack was introduced, and addressed the meeting at length. He was followed by Hon. W. S. Holman, Hon. Robert N. Hudson of Vigo County, Hon. John Lyle King of Chicago, and CoL R. W. Thompson. The hour for adjournment having arrived, Mr. English rose and said: “In the act of adjourning the House of Representatives of the first Legislature held under the present constitution, my last and parting words to the memb rs from the Speaker's chair were these: “ ‘Let us separate as a band of brothers, each one prepared to say of the other through the rest of life, “he is my friend; we served together in the first Legislature under the new constitution.” "These words are as appropriate to-night as they were a third of a centurv ago, and so now, with the consciousness that we shall not aIT ever meet again on this earth, I repeat, not only to the members present of the Legislature of 1851-2, bnt to all the members of this reunion: " ’ Let us separate as a band of brothers, each one prepared to say to the other through the rest of life, he is my friend—we served together in the councils of the State many long years ago. and renewed onr friendship in the great legislative reunion of 1885.’ I now perform the last melancholy duty of declaring this meeting adjourned."