The Indiana State sentinel., 1881-01-12
GOVERNOR PoRTER's INAUGURAL

GOVERNOR PORTER'S INAUGURAL.
1t is unfortunate for Governor Porter that
he should have made failure in. his first
appearance before the public as Governor
or, to put the case somewhat milder, that he
should have failed to come up to the expec-
tations of those who had predicted all exhi-
bition of those higher qualities of states
manship which ardent friends and admirers
were confident he possessed. Governor
Porter. as il was feared would be the case,
puts on little too much style, and. as was
expected, the wrong sort of style. There is
none of the Ben Franklin and Tom Jeffer-
son simplicity about it. Any unprejudiced
citizen sees at a glance that Governor Porter
is inclined to be imperious naughty, dicta-
torial, dogmatic and pedagogic. 1t is said
that Governor Porter is looking forward
to a nom nation for President in
1884, and if it is a fact that
Presidential fly is buzzing in His Excel
lency's ears, il is doubtful if he ever over
comes the confusion of ideas likely to re-
suit from such misfortune. But we prefer
to believe that His Excelleney's failure to
hANNb bAAC pNONdtAOuo u Ills ACllON-NltiLClo
yesterday was owing to the success, felicities
and benedictions that have lately been
layished upon him. When the nomination
lightning struck him he was astonished,
and when the count showed that he had
been elected he was bewildered. Then
came the wedding with Its rapturous
blisses-joys tlnspeakable-thc blending of
two hearts with but a single thought, with
a honeymoon to boot. Under such circum-
stances Governor Porter, with much pro-
priety, could have been, and ought to have
been, sugar plum instead of a crab apple
His heart should have been attuned 10 the
music of ''love's young dream"
He should have so deported himself
that the pink of his eyes and
the glorious blondeness of his countenance
would have so added to his beauty natural
and artificial. that the dear ladies would
have been frantic to have bestowed upon
him hymenial, honeymooneal and ain itl-i
augural kiss to make him think the heavens
were full of angels, shooting stars and fiery
tailed comets. and that, for time, al the
Dhdcc OdANS III hAlCIAOd NCEC Gci1ONLi-H his
illustrious deeds skyward. But His iExcd-
lency was as full of malaria as quarter sec
ton of Louisiana swamp. He seetned to be
offended because Governor Gray had distin-
guished himself by the proetction OF a
message which received univefSal applause
for its craftsmanship, and because he could
not fashion such thoughts nor reach con-
clusions of such wealth of wisdom. Governor
Porter seems 70 have concluded to make
himself ridiculous, and, in that regard, sue
cess attended his efforts. When he began to
speak Governor Porter weighed a ton. When
he concluded he was about the size of
mouse, and of about equal heft. His
friends had sought to honor him, and TO
give eclat to his inaugural by hireing an
Opera House; but as the matter turned out,
the elegant and gorgeous surroundings only
made His Excellency appear the more
diminutive, and the more he talked the
more he dwindled, until he became curl
osity by his almost infinite smallness. His
allusion to Governor Williams showed the
meanness of his partisanism. He could not
permit himself to speak well of the dead.
He alludes to Governor Williams want of
education" and of 'travel," /" and of the mar
rowness of his views" which showed his
(Porter's) anxiety to disparage a man of
exalted worth, distinguished for integrity
and for every quality of head and
heart that qualities men for positions of
honor and trust, and without which all
else becomes of little value, and Governor
Porter, with all of his boasted education
and travel and hopes for partisan boosting,
will have occasion to thank his stars If he
wins half the respect and confidence that
fell to the lot OF James ID. Williams. Gov
ernor Porter made sad mistake when he
attacked the Supreme Court of Indiana. To
introduce into his inaugural address any
part of his campaign aatulency was in bad
taste, and he had no right to offend the
olfactories of invited guests by such partisan