Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-08-21
From me Daily Journal.
Early Indiana Trials.



AS have already found that these
"Reminiscences cannot be confined to
trials alone, and give them the inter-
est desirable, / have concluded to
take wider range, and sketch other
interesting incidents, that the reader
may look for as they appear.
STATE ORGANIZATIONS, AND DIVISION
OF PARTIES.
l came to Indiana in the spring of
1917. The political affairs of the State
were then in the hands Of three par
ties, or rather, one party with three
divisions-the Noble, Jennings and
Hendricks divisions-which were all
fully represented in the convention
that formed the Constitution Of 1916.
Gen. James Noble and Jonathan
Jennings were delegates. Jennings
was elected President, and William
Hendricks Secretary Of the Conven-
ton. 1t was evident to these leaders
that personal political conflicts must
arise between them, unless the proper
arrangements were made to avoid
them. 1t was then agreed between
them to aid each other in making
Noble, u. s. Senator, jennings, Gov
ernor, and Hendricks, Congressman.
An apportionment was made in the
constitution to suit all parties. 1t
was provided, at the close Of Section
20 OF Article 3 ssNor shall any mem
Der Of either branch of the General
Assembly during the term for which
he is elected, be eligible to any office,
the appointment OF which is vested
in the General Assembly. Provided,
that nothing in this Constitution be
so construed as to prevent any men,
Der of the first session of the Gener-
al Assembly from accepting any Of
fee that is created by this Constitr-
ton, or the Constitution of the Uni
ted States" There were three judges
to be appointed for the Supreme
Court. Each subdivision was emit
tied to one. Gen. Noble, selected j.
s. Holman, living on the beautiful
heights of the Ohio river, above the
town Of Aurora, good lawyer, and
one of the most just and conscientious
men / ever knew. Gen. Jennings,
selected John Johnson, a fine lawyer
and an excellent man. He lived but
o short time, and after his death, in
the winter of 1928, named the
county of Johnson for him in the leg
islature, and not for Col. Richard NJ.
Johnson, as some suppose. Governor
Hendricks named James Scott, OF
Clark county, Pennsylvania, one
Of the purest men in the State, a fine
scolar and a good lawyer, The opin-
ions of no judge that has been on the
Supreme Court bench to this day, so
far as am capable of judging, have
been entitled to higher standing
with the profession, than his. He
took for his model Lord Hardwicke.
A strong common sense view of the
case, enabled him to select the grain
of wheat from the stack of straw, and
holding it up to the gaze Of the par
ties without discussing the chat, say;
at is my opinion that this is q grain
OF wheat.
FIRST ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The Constitution was ratified, the
election held, and the Legislature
met. Jonathan Jennings was cleo
ted Governor, William Hendricks to
Congress, Gen. Noble and Waller
Taylor to the Senate of the United
States; Jesse H. Holman, John John
son and James Scott, Supreme Judges
Judge Johnson lived but short time
and Isaac Blackford, Of Vincennes, q
young lawyer from New Jersey, q
graduate OF Princeton, was appointed
to the vacancy. Like Judge Story,
he looked too young for that high ju-
dicial station, but, to say the least, he
camc fully up to the expectations OF
his friends, as his decisions conclusive
ly show. He is now one Of the judges
OF the United States Court of Claims
sitting at Washington. The princi-
pal Characterised fthe mind of Judge
Blackboard, is caution. He never
guesses. He is emphatically "book
Judge" Defamation with him is
nothing, precedent and good authori-
ty everything.
MoSRoE'ssEcoSDE ELECTION -oEN. NOBLE
The State organization and the dis.
tribution Of offices went on swim
mingly, the chiefs changing hands as
in a country dance. Hendricks left
Congress, Jennings the Executive
Chair, and went to Congress, and
Hendricks was elected Governor
Noble was reelected TO the Senate
Waller Taylor died. and Governor
Hendricks resigned his Office and was
elected to the United States Senate
over Judge Blackboard, his competitor,
by one vote; aud James B. Ray
President of the Senate, became ex.
officio Governor. Judge John Test
was elected TO Congress in the third
district, Jonathan jennings in the
second, and Ratchliff Boone in the
first. Thus stood political and judi.
cial matters at the time the second
election of Mr.. Monroe came on be.
fore our Legislature. There was nc
opposition. The people knew moth.
ing about it. The Legislature, sitting
at Corydon, appointed the electors
The first notice had that there had
been a presidential election, was from
an extract in our Connersville Ners
taken from the Corydon paper, Civ
ing the names Of the electors, among
which was Daniel J. Caswell, and the
giving of the vote Of the State fol
James Monroe and Daniel ID. Temp
kins, and yet as good and quiet al
administration followed as any that il
likely to be produced by our existing
elections at this day. General Noble
was as the sayingis born for leader
His person, his very act, look, anC