Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-02

passage of the very bill which they undertook to
defeat, in that respect they put me where want
to stand, acting in the discharge OF my duty;
and they placed themselves, in defiance of their
duty. in a position cOndemning themselves and
stutifying their own action by conSentng to the
passage of that bill which they tried To defeat
And what was the reason they did not again
break a quorum? Why, sir. because the Senate
hall was packed, it is to-day, by Republicans
who had come up to the capital to attend the
meeting OF the day following, and they dare not,
in the face of Republicans representing different
parts OF the State, do such revolutionary act as
those Senators had done but few short hours
before. That is my honest conviction, sir, about
that.
know, sir, very well, all the power and iEtlu-
ence of party discipline; but while holding seat
in the other branch of this capitol, and while
holding seat in this Senate chamber, have on
all occasions, before my constituents and before
God, attempted To discharge my duty, with con-
scienti0us conviction of that duty, anC according
to my own best judgment. | know have been
met with arguments that man representing a
party had no right to plead his conscience or his
judgment. | know arguments have been used
that whatever pledges we have made to the peo-
pie, we have right to carry out those pledges,
but il was, on the contrary, our duty to violate
those pledges: and, if necessary, disOrganIZe this
Legislature and prevent the CARRYING out OF those
legitimate objects for which il convened.
These were the argume Its brought to bear upon
me to control my action Senator and as
Republican, better Republican than these self
STYLED leaders dare ever be-a Republican that
never gave a Democratic vote. Never. sir. a
Republican sir, that has been an advocate of the
politics OF that party which has laid its very
foundations broad and deep in the county he rep.
resentS, as is well known to every Senator
on this floor from that part OF the State.
One who, when the first demand of the Presi-
dent of the United States was made for vOlun-
teers, left his seat in this hall, sir, is well
known to this Senate, and private soldier
went into the ranks and shouldereda musket, and
there remained during the entire Sime of enlist
ment And when that demand was repeated
left my family and my home, and for nine months
served in the Army of the Mississippi; and now l
stand before God and my country, and the people
self acquitted. But how stands the question hereI
Upon technical quiObe, growing out of my
services as a private soldier ana officer in the
army, these Republicans undertake to Dust me
from my seat; and then they go out upon the
street and plead that they are the oRly loyal PEG
pie in this State-the only defenders of the Union
and the flag of our country. Shame on them, !
say. And | will say further. that have not only
seen here, but IN nv own District ! have found
more genuine sympathy in the cause of my cOun-
try, existing on this floor than among those men
to whom | should think | ought to look for it.
MIR. Mellett desired to obtain the floor, but Mr.
Murray remarked, 81 expect the Senator is un-
easy." and proceeded as follows:
Mr.. President, say. sir, that these are some
OF the influences attemOted to be thrown around
me and compel my votes, and because have re
fused to lend myself as mere machine TO act
contrary to my judgment. l say before this Sen
ate what | know, that contrary to the judgment
of a majority of my political associates, these
Senators introduce resolutions day after day for
the purpose of OuSting me from my seat, for
reasons growing out of my services to my cOun-
try If | wanted to come back to this LegiSla-
ture or this seat, or TO run for any other Office
before my people, would not want better capi-
tai than could he made out of these diSgraceful
acts. | mean revolutionary acts, for it is revO-
lutonary, and is in the same identical spirit Of
those traitors of the South who are attempting
70 secede from this Union, As these gentlemen
haze frequently from this Legislature. / say,
sir, it is the same spirit of those Rebels-it is a
revolutionary spirit. That's SO y When a
| leader of the Republican party in the House
I of Representatives undertook TO admit that
revolutionary measures were right, he at
tempted to commit the Republican party
to what, sirl To the very doctrine of
those traitors Of the South who desired to break
]
/ publican at that time repudiated such doctrine,
and take this occasion to repudiate it again, SIR
| Secession is revolutionary contrary to the forms
of law, and is not and cannot be justified. Now.
/ sir, / shall wait till hear from the honorable
Senator from Henry, Mr.. MeeJt.
! Mr.. Mellett obtained the floor The honorable
/ Senator from Wells Mr. BrOwnl had suggested
that sixty one days is not long enough to deter
mine the contested seat cases. The question be-
fore the Senate is not as TO whether | am entitled
to this seat or not, but how much service must
the Senator from Elkhart Mr. Murray give to
| the Democratic party to purchase his seat hereg
/ He tells US the Senator from Fayette would put a
collar on his neck and call him Senator Murray,
my dog" But he has allowed the Democratic
party TO put the collar on him
| Mr.. Murray (interrupting): | deny it. 1t is
/ false. | say yon are liar when you say it, sir
a base and cOwardly liar.
/ The President The Senator from Elkhart
| Mr.. Murray will take his seat The Senator
from Henry Mr. Mellett] will be kept in order.
The Sergeant alarms will take charge of both
! Senators.
Mr.. Mellett lresuming): That is the compli-
cation that arises. What l said in reference to
this matter is a matter of hstory-a matter of
truth. Ii is as well an established fact as any
thing that appears upon the journals of this
session. Now, | sir, stated from the first that
was ready and willing for the question in regard
to my seat to come up. / have no desire to re-
tain my seat / would not beg to have my seat
here. | prefer, personally. to 90 home. No
Senator upon this floor will say that have not
been at all times anxious to have that question
settled, and it ought to have been settled.
Now l make another statement. The gentle
| man wants to know why the questions in refer
ence to the Senators from Miami. LaOorte, Shell
bv and myself have NOT hapn Settled-whv wa
are pressing his case and not ours. | say il, sir
and | challenge contradiction when / say that
there Is not Senator upon this floor who has not
been from the start, of the opinion that the Sen
ator from Elkhart Mr. Murray was not entitled
to his seat. There may have been some question
as to whether Mr.. Baker is entitled TO his seat,
but not one Senator will rise and say that Sena-
tor Murray has been entitled to his seat; and yet
the gentleman from Wells says he wants time to
investigate the complication.
The very Senators who are insisting that the
seats of the Senator from Shelby, and myself,
ought to be declared vacant, are the very Sena-
tors begging for the Senator from Elkhart. Why
do they do tI If we are not entitled to our seats
on account of having an Office, can they have any
doubt to the Senator from Elkhartg None
under heavens. Then why beg to have the mat
ter Of the Senator from Elkhart DELAYED? 1t is
but matter of justice to the gentleman clairD-
ing tnat seat 10 nave TINS matter settled and u Is
a matter that the Democratic party on this floor
owe to themselves to say that they are not defer
ring this matter. The Senator from Elkhart
may serve them a better purpose than the other
Senators-the young Democratic Senator from
Elkhart. Laughter in the lobby by one or two
voices.
The President: Order must be kept In the lob.
bies or they will be cleared.
Mr.. Meett: He has never deceived me since
the first two weeks made his acquaintance.
| ALWAYS knew he would not do IN he trusted md