The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-11-24

fee by the late Senator Morton. In 1874 Governor
Williams was elected 70 Congress from the Vim
cennes District. and took his seat the ensuing
on Accounts q the House. Abuses lad crept
into this branch Of the public service. Officers
and employees acted upon. the theory
that "Uncle Sam" a rich goose. from
which every one had the right to pluck quill. He
soon taught them that public properly
right to lis use without rendering an equivalent.
This brought upon him the maledictiOlis of those
who hover about the Capital To fatten upon the
rich pickings there TO be found; but ii endeared
him TO those whose money supplies them. II was
while at his post az Washington, attending
was handed him announcing his nOmi
nation for Governor Of Indiana by the Demo-
cratic Convention of taat State. He had
much surprised as anyone when informed that
the nomination had been made. The campaign
| OF 1876 In Indiana was memorable one IL never
had its counterpart in this country, except in
| 1883, when Douglas and Lincoln in Illinois con-
tested for the Presidential stakes in 1850. Senator
Morton announced early in the canvass. In a
speech he delivered In the Academy of Music in
Indianapolis, that the election of Williams as
Governor meant the election of Tilden rs Presi
deut Events proved the truth of the Senator's
declaration; for neither the decision OF
the Electoral Commission nor the legerde-
main practiced by the Returning Boards can OBJ
scure the fact that the United States voted in No
vember ms Indiana did in October. Hendricks
and Mcdonald, Landers and GoOding Voorhees,
and Williams. and many other able men, entered
Morton ana Harrison, Cumback and Butler, Cor
don and Nelson, and other men of prominence
and ability, maTshaled the forces OF the Republic
ans. The conflict was so fierce that il shook
the whole country. The Republican
speakers and journals hdiculed the Dem
Ocratic candidate for Governor. and made sport
of his hemespun clothes and plain appearance:
but the Democracy seized upon his peculiaritieS
and made them watchwords OF victory. Blue
Jeans Clubs were formed throughout the State,
and the name the Republicans had given the
Democratc candidate IN derision was accepted by
his friends and made 70 do service i'll his behalf.
When the cam paign was ended and the ballots were
east and counted II aseertained that the plain
and honest old farmer OF Knox had beated his OBJ
ponent-General Benjamin Harrison-over 500
votes. The result was as gratifying 10 his friends
rs ii could have been TO him. for they knew he
had never been found wanting in any place he
h'iu pee" caileu upon 70 MI ana the! ielt enure
confidence that his Legislative and Congressional
laurels would not turn to gnbernatorial willows.
The predecessors OF Governor Williams for more
than two decades have been eminent men, The
three immediate ones were Morton, Baker and
Hendricks, the former and the latter of whom
have National regulations. While he
has not the organizing ability and aggressive
of Morton, the reading and legal erudition of
Baker, nor the elegance and symmetrical devel-
Opment of Hendricks, he has other qualities an
executive officer valuable as those possessed
by any OF them. He israreful and painstaking.
and enters into the mnutest details Of his office
and he peri rms no official act without thoroughly
understanding its import ana effect. He is self
willed and self-reliant, and probably consults
fewer persons about his official duties
6 a4n sd During his his ennSss 6
Governor it was charged by his political
opponents that his selection would place in the
Executive chair one who would be influenced
proved the falsity of the charge IL any just crit
icism can be made upon him IN this regard, it is
that he has not sufficiently given his confidence
to his friends Instead of being swayed TO and
fro by Others, he goes, perhaps. To the other ex
IRENE, and refuses TO be influenced by any. Bet
ter however be stubborn than tickle, for the first
insures stability and fiXedness of purpose, while
the latter always results in uncertainty and
doubt. Governor Williams is economical and
simple in his tastes and habits BY industry
and care he has accumulated handsome cOmpe-
tency. which, no doubt viii increase each sue
ceeding year of his life The necessities of his
youth caused him 20 be careful and saving OF his
earnings, and ne has chung to the habits then
formed to the present day. He is fond of amuse-
ments, and is an adept I'm social games and
pastimes. He frequently visits the theater, and
il is rs pleasant as il is common 20 zee him enter
place of public amusement accompanied by his
grandchildren OF some OF his country nefghbOrs. I
He is courteous in his intercourse with others, is
a good cOnyerSationalist, and is never at a loss
for words to express his thoughts. He stands six
feet four inches In his boots is remarkably straight
and erect for one of his years: has large hands |
and feet has high cheek bones; long, sharp |
nose; twinkling, gray eyes: clean shaven face. |
skirted with whiskers upon his throat; and a /
head covered prOfuSely with black hair, in which
scarcely gray filament is TO be seen. His phys
iognomy denotes industry and shrewdnesS, and !
does not belle the man. He dresses plainly, |
but with scrupulous neatneSs. He |
is good judge of human ma |
nre and and he Tho ait S!tempt to DECEIVE
il James ID. Williams. the Centennial Governor of |
Indiana. Governor Williams will retire from his |
probable that his public Mfe~forty-two years in
the service of the peOple-will then be ended |
That he has acquitted himself well in all the po-
sitions he hlled; that he has made the world bet
ter by having lived in it; and that he is entitled
to honorable mention IN the history of his adopt
ed State will be the verdict Gf the people, when,
F.11 e
office and retires to his farm, there to spend the
evening of his life in quietude and rest.
But little need be added to this graphic !
sketch of the dead Governor. Since the |
death of his wife, which occurred a few |
months ago, he has really not been the
same man. BE did not obtrude bis sorrow !
upon his friends, but to those who knew |
him well it was not necessary for his lips to |
open or his tongue to proclaim his grief.
In life they had been long together, and |
death parted them but a little while.
Ii can be truly said Nf Governor Williams /
that he died full of years and full of honors.
life a poor boy, he died Chief |
Executive of a great State. For more than |
a quarter of a century he has taken a proini- /
nent part In the politics and legislation of
Indiana, and no one can trutbfully say that
he did not act honestly and well, He was |
not a learned man, but what he lacked in I
learning he made up in common sense.
There was never better administration of |
the State Government than his, and the day
will soon come when this will be universally
admitted. The asperities epgendered by po-
litical strife will soon be gone, and then the /
sturdy, honest farmer Governor of Indiana
will be held up as an example for the rising
generation to follow. What he was and what
he did is part of the history OF the State, and
k.. IL, vi ptrft
indeed. will ibis Successors be if.
office, their robes are as clean
as were those which James d.. Williams laid /
aside on yesterdaysto enter 1.-THE undiscov-
cred country from whose bourne no traveller