Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-10-16
foI.i.c.I Mysteries of indianapolis.
CHAPTER X.

sketch Of the personal poltica! history of the men,
bers of the misnamed Democratic Junto, who should
De called .hs ogice-seskng jlto we proceed to pay
our respects to WILLIAM J. PEAsELEE, who by rirtue
of his Office Of Judge of the 9th Judicial Circuit, is
entitled, perhaps, to the appeation Of h0norabe,-an
appeIatiDn, By the way, which IS getting cheaper
every day.
Before we became personally acquainted with
PeaseIee and fJr iltls while afterwards, thought
HIM good Democrat, if nothing else. But subse
quent events, and better knowledge Of the man,
have but added force TO the trite saying; that II Is
the easiest tang in the world to be mistaken"
The principal attribute in the political character of
Mr. Peaselee is intrigue He resorts ii at all times,
and IF course when even many who believe in Its
utility sometimes can see for it. He seems
to consider intrigue and management sort of lever
of Archimedes and is eternaly working with it, and
half the time without tulcram! Though Judge,
so far as learning goes, either in law literature,
he is not above mediocrty, even among Western
lawyers; and we have not many SToRYs amongus. His
talents are on par with his requirements, and would
MT be more than sufficient for fourth rate country ed
tor These decieucies however, partially relieved
by a gotd share of determination and perseverance,
and con idcrabe degree of personal ambition. Indeed
~
not only enabled him to raise himself from most
obscure and humble position become the President
Judge of the 9TH Judicial Circuit of Indiana but they
lmpel him desire and seek for erery Office,
from the oGe he holds, up to the Senate and the
Cabinet if not the Presidency Of the United States
itself!
There is another fact peculiar to Mr. P. for which
we cannot pretend to account, upon any known law
Al =
control which he is able obtain apparently
much more intelligent and of much better judgment
than himself But such is the fact In at least half
dozen instances. We have anecdote in illustration
Of this porer Of fascination, shall call ii for
want of better terms. A gentleman from Shelby
county, who attended the late Congressional District
Convention at this place, exempifed this power of
Mr.. P. as follows " If Mr. P. (said he,) should g.
10 Mr.. -, and tell him he must be on the Wa
bash at = o click tomorrow morning, Mr.. -
would obey the mandate, if in doing it he had to kill
every morse in Indiana :" 1t was then O'Clock, p H.
Skipping over the earlier history Of Mr.. Peaselee,
(which we may revert to hereafter, we shall now
touch upon few incidents of the last four or FIVE
years only.
In the canvass OF 1910, when the Democratic party
of this State happened be rather unfortunate in It's
electoral ticket, IN ways than one, Mr. Peaseee
was one # tie candidates Of his course, during
the canvass, we personally know nothing. He las
the reputation however of having faithfully performed
his du,y. And It is upon the reputation thus Ub-
tanned that he has since based his claims to prefer
He planes himself upon it, as perhaps it is
right he should do for every man should lie proud
(hough not arrogantly SOY of his good deeds, if he
has ever done any. Mr. P. is certainly proud of his,
and Is not by any too dEdent to blow the
trumpet of hi own fame; for we never listened to
political conversation Of his in which be did not
aude to own adroit participation in the contest
of l54O particularly MS management in Shelby county.
Since that event, like Of Shakspeares characters
in Ais well that ends WE'LL" he has apparently
tloIgls ,nl. +" shay tn thing shall make nae
aee' We thought harm of this however, and
regarded t only another instance Of the fondness
OF AN Cd rreren u shoulder his crutch and fight
MS battles DER again"
The office of Judge of the 9th Circuit having, after
the esgnation of Morrison, gone begging for year
or mJre, Mr.. Peaseiee was elected to the same, in
DECEMBER 1872 By the General Assembly. At the
tine, glad that he was successful We
only supposed him good Democrat, but good
lawyer enough also. We especially glad further,
because Morrison had done every thing in his power
70 feat 4.-u-sven going round to members rooms
;4ii "a uIgat, eiecao1eerng against him. This we
Thought OF tie very best evidences in taUOr of
Pea FL (, and stated TO members who enquired Of
u, concerning him. So it seemed the members of the
Legislature considered it, for Peaselee was elected on
the irSt ballot. But from subsequent events
that Morrison knew the Jch better than we did,
We supposed, of course, that having succeeded in
getting TO be Judge, he would have attended to his
appropriate duties as he should have done, and we
dreamed that he would neglect them, and be
necessarily involved in political intrigues either for
his own others promotion. We have been sadly
disappointed IN every respect.
Political intrgues of are always carried on
in the dark, with much secrecy as possible.
For tbi, reason, it Is often difficult when several are
engaged IN them 10 appotlon correctly the degree TO
wl.ca they individually may be involved. This can
only oe determined by circumstances in relation to
DIR. PeaSelee, We make up our opinion by these, MS
well by more direct evidences, which we may ad-
duce If necessary.
The first mporan. series of intrigues in which
Dir. Peaselee took part after his election as Judge
were those Of the winter of 1913, when every candi-
date preferred by the Democratic majority of the
Legislature for the State Offices with perhaps single
exception,) was defeated. We were at that time
well satisfied in minds, that Judge Peaselee
was one of the chief instruments in producing those
dIsorganizing and disiracting, if not disgraceful
scenes. The Democratic members of the Legislature
were Of the same opinion. And subsequent events
have confirmed US in the correctness of the impress
sion Those nrigues engendered personal hcstIities