The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-19

every member of Congress with whom you may
converse with the absolute necessity OF
the immediate completion of the Legion, and
that you also pay a visit to the seat of govern
ment, and wait personally upon the President
aud Secretary of War, and give them every IN
formation, viva voce, that they may wish TO re-
oe1ve relative to the situation of the Legion TO-
gether with the motives and circumstances
which influenced an advance and halt at this
place. You will also suggest the expediency
and policy of permitting settlers to take posses
sion OF it the moment the Legion takes up It's
line OF march in the spring.
Wishing you safe and quick passage through
the wilderness ana happy meeting with your
family and friends, am, with the truest and
most lasting friendship and esteem, ETC.,
ANTHONY WAYNE.
When the war was over General Posey re-
signed his commission in the army, and
soon afterwards removed to Kentucky. In a
short time after settling there he was elected
member of the State Senate and was
chosen Speaker of that body. He thereby
became ex officio Lieutenant Governor OF the
State and held the place during his entire
service in the Senate.
In 1909, on account of the unsatisfactory
conditions of our relations with France and
England, Congress ordered the raising OF an
army of 100000 men, and the President
fixed the quota of Kentucky at 5000 Gen
eral Posey was commissioned Major
General and assigned to the command
of the Kentucky troops. He at once
proceeded to organize and equip his forces,
but the call for troops was premature. War
was not declared, and the forces were dis,
banded. Soon after this General Posey re-
moved to Louisiana. He never seemed con-
| tented except when on the frontier, and
whenever his home ceased to be near the di-
viding line between civilization and the
woods, he moved away.
| In 1872, when war was about to be inau-
| gurated with Great Britain, General Posey,
then citizen of Louisiana, raised COM
pany of infantry at Baton Rouge, and for
some time was its captain. Seldom in the
| history of military men do we find one who,
having held a major-generaPs commits
sion, consents to command company.
stronger than pride. Had he believed it
best for his country he would have shout
dered musket and marched in the ranks.
John N. Destrihan was one of the first sem
ators sent by Louisiana to the Senate of the
United States. Soon after his election he re-
signed and Governor Claiborne appointed
General Posey to fill the vacancy. He sat in
the Senate until March 3, 1913, when Presi-
dent Madison appointed him governor of In
diana Territory. He reached Vincennes the
next May and entered upon the discharge of
| his official duties. Soon after this, the terri
| torial capital was removed to Corydon, ne
| cessitating change OF the Governors resi-
! dence to that town. On the 9th of the next
| December, he delivered his first message to
| the Legislature. He was in delicate health
at the time, and on the 9th of the same
month he addressed a letter to the president
of the legislative council, in which he said
wish you to communicate to your honorable
| body that the delicate state of my health will
not admit of my longer continuance at this
| place (CorydonI. / find myself badly situated
| on account of the want of medical aid My ply
siolan Is at Louisville, and l have taken the
| medicine brought with me. The weather is mod
crate now, which will be favorable TO my going
to Jeffersonvilie, where any communication
| that the two houses of the Legislature may have
70 maze VIII iinu ne, MT rrather VIII, III tne
| most expeditions manner. bring them on; and
| it will take but a short time for me to act upon
| them and for his return, which would not de-
| tain the Legislature in session more than day
| longer Be assured, sir, that nothing but i'm
| perious necessity oompels me to this step.
On the 9th of January, 1914, the legislative
| council passed the following preamble and
| resolution:
Whereas, Both houses of the Legislature did.
| on the 4th inst, inform the Governor that they
had gone through their legislative business, and
were ready to be prorogued; and, whereas, the
| to the people of the Territory by reason of the
| Legislature being kept in sessiOn-all of which
evils and incon venience doth arise from the
Governor leaving the seat of government during
| the session of the Legislature and going to JEFF
| fersOnvlle, and the Legislature having to send
their committee OF enrolled bills to that place to
| lay them before him for mis- approval and sigma
| ture, be ii, therefore,
| "Resolved, That in order to prevent any
| further expense accruing to the Territory at the
| present session, that the President of the Legis-
! lative Council and the Speaker of the House of
| Representatives be, and are hereby authorized
| to receive the report of the Governor OF the laws
| by him signed rejected and his order of proro-
| CATION, and communicate the same to the clerks
| of their respective houses, who shall insert the
same in their journals in the same manner as If
| the Two houses were in session."
The House of Representatives concurred
in this resolution, whereupon the two houses
| adjourned without day.
| On the first Monday in December, 1875
the Legislature of the Territory met in ses-
| sion at Corydon. Governor Posey, who re-
sided at Jeffersonville. was too unwell to be
present, and sent his message to the two
! houses by his private secretary, Colonel
| Thorn. The message was brief one, treat
| ing principally upon questions affecting the
internal affairs of the Territory. This was
his last formal communication to the Legis
lature, and to it that body responded in the
following complimentary manner:
| They Uhe Legislature) cannot refrain from de-
| caring their perfect appreciation OF your official
conduct AZ Governor of this Territory. During
your administration many evils have been rem
edied, and we particularly admire the calm, dis
passionate, impartial conduct which has pro-
duced the salutary effects of quoting the vio
| lence of party spirit. harmonzing the interests
as well as the feelings of the different parties of
| the Territory. Under your auspices we have be-
come one people.
In May, 1916, delegates were elected 10
make State constitution, and in the follow
| ing June they met at Corydon and performed
the work. The next August officers were
elected for the new State. At the election,
General Posey was a candidate for Governor,
| but was beaten by Jonathan Jennings by
very decisive vote.
When Governor Poseys official term had
expired, by reason of the admission of Indi-
ana into the union. he was appointed Indian
agent for Illinois Territory, with headquar-
tiers at Shawneetown. Early in the spring of
| 1873 while descending heWabash river from
| Vncennes, he caught deep cold, which threw
| him into fever. When he reached Shaw
neetown he was compelled to take to his bed.
He continued TO grow worse until the 10th of
March, when he died
| Governor Posey was most amiable man in
| private life. He was a member of the Pres
| hvterian church and very active i'm church