Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-08-07
DoDoIso A prr.

Alta term OF tho Circuit Court OF
the United States, / was requested
by Daniel j Caswoll TO be employed
for Nicholas Longworth, Of fCinoInna-
u, Ohio, one of the wealthiost men OF
tho State. was highly pleased with
the employment, looking forward, OF
course, 10 a liberal foe, punctually
paid, as ] was assured by Mr.. Cas-
well would be tho case. IL was an
ejeotment brought by David Close, OF
Rising Sun, against Longworth for q
tract of land In Dearborn county.
Judge Holman was on the ebench. Mr..
Caswell had 20 leave for Columbus
next day, and wished TO deliver over
the case 10 me, as tho sole attorney
for Longworth. Mr.. Caswell left be-
iore the case was reached on the dock
ct. Tho trial lasted several days, and
was warmly contested by both sides.
Judge Holman charged the law against
us, and the plaintiff recovered the
land. i Immediately informed Long
worth, and requested him 10 pay me
n fee Of fifty dollars, about one-iourth
what | should have charged him. He
refused 10 pay me, on the ground that
1 was not his lawyer. Mr.. Caswoll
then called upon him, rs he told me,
and Mr. Longworth refused to pay
him, because he had not attended TO
the case. This gave me enough OF
rich attorney clients, who would re-
fuse 10 pay for services rendered
them. Longworth, besides being
wealthy, was at that time cunning
lawyer. He had not then reached
his high position of successful vint-
ncrs in sparkling Catawba. His con
duct in my case forcibly reminded
me Of the man that went into the
grocery. 'Let me have glass OF
whiskoy p ''Here il is" "You may
take back the whiskey and give me
crackers Here they are" Eats
the crackers and is about leaving.
Grocer, "Pay me for the crackersT
81 gave you whiskey for them ?'--
"Then pay me for the whiskey?' 81
gave the whiskey back" "Well
hereafter, pay rs you go, it may be oil
right, but it don't exactly look 80 to
mesp
FIRST SPEECH IN THE LEGISLATURE.
/ had been ut Connersville about
eighteen months, when to my surprise
| saw my name announced as u cand-
idate for the Legislature. Nothing
was then further from my thoughts
than TO enter the field Of politics; my
ambition was to make myself a good
lawyer. was elected, however, and
the next winter found me at Cory
don-a representative. 1t so happen
ed that il was the greenest legislature
ever convened in the State. The
raw material was not SO defective, as
the experience Of the members. This
accounts for the fact that the speaker,
General Washington Johnson, an
nounced my name as chairman of the
committee on the judiciary. On the
third day Of the session we went into
joint convention to count the votes
for Governor. William Hendricks
was elected. The Secretary had open
ed the envelops, and the counting had
progressed till the county of Dear.
born was called. This return was not
sealed and directed as the constitution
required. The bodies retired 10 their
respective chambers to discuss the
important question. Mr.. Bassett
Gen. Stapp, COL Scott, Col. James
Mr.. Dumont and Dennis Pennington
had spoken, when there seemed to be
a pause. All eyes were turned to me
as the chairman of the judiciary
committee, supposing, Of course, that
1 knew all abought it. The house
was filed with distinguished audi.
ence, from all parts af the State, and
several from Kentucky / arose. II
was my first effort in Legislative ca.
pacity, and much was sexpected by the
audience. "Mr. Speaker said 1
These were the only words | could
afterwards remember OF my speech
grew blind, and down sank in my
chair, almost unconscious, when Mai.
Henry p. Thornton, who was oui
clerk, sprang from his desk, ran tC
where | was seated, and whispered
in my ear, my dear sir, you mus
have studied your speech athome
you have made a powerful constitution
al argument"