The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-13
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
A Spirited Discussion Over the Winter
botham Memorial in the Senate,
Consideration of the Amendment Question
important Bills introduced and
Personal Matters.
THE w1NTERBoTHAM MEMORIAL.

sentatives yesterday received a letter from
ex-senator John H. Winterbotham, derounc-
ing Senator Hutchinson, of Laporte county,
as scoundrel and a traitor to his party, and
making specific accusations. A copy was
also received by Mr.. Hutchinson, accom-
panied by the following cheerful note:
William b. Hutchinson indianapolis. Ind
Sir-I herewith inelose yeua copy OF a commu-
member of the Senate and House OF Represent
Btves TO put them on their guard against your
treachery, and show them what contemplate
Bcoundrel a naturazed Canadian can be.
Yours with contempt
JOHN H. wINrERBoFHAM.
At the beginning of the afternoon session
Senator Campbell offered the following reso-
luton on this subject:
whereas, John H. winterbotham, late defeat
ed candidate for Congress in the Thirteenth dis
trict of this State, has memoratzed this Senate
making certain suggestions In regard TO ieglsia-
tion, and asking our consideration thereof.
where's, upon dates concurrent OF nearly
so. with the transmission of said memorial, the
said WinterbOtham sent in writing to majority
Of the members of this Senate language highly
insuitug TO one of it's esteemed members, the
Senator from Laperte; and not stopping at
that, sent to the member himself a copy of the
said scandaious letter which he had sent to a
majority of the members OF this Senate, and to-
gether with such letter sent one to the Senator
himself couched in the most Intentionally and
pended), to brand the Senator frem La
porto as treacherous scoundrel, and asking
that the Senate, by its majority, should watch
with constant dstrust his actions as a senator;
and, whereas, we desire to express confidence in
our brother senator from Laporte, and to have it
known that this body constructs this insult to
of its members in his official capacity as an
insult to the selate itself; therefore.
"Resolved, That the committee ON elections, TO
whom was referred the memorial, be and are
hereby instructed to return the said memorial to
the said Winterbotham without consideration"
In support of the resolution, Senator Camp
bell said:
Mr.. President believe that the resolution
Hhould prevail. Mr.. Winterbotham is guilty of a
breach Of privilege that should subject him to
the contempt rather than to gain for him the
recognition of this Senate. Can we sit quietly in
our seats upon this floor and pay the compli-
ments of an official hearing to n memorial from
man who transmits Herewith letter of eau
tlon worded IN the most vindictive language,
Htigmatizng with epthets the most sneering
and insulting that he can command, and specific
ally naming as treachernus scOundrel one of
the senators upon this floor, making the insults
to all intents public one by sending to the in
suited sent tor from LapOrte a copy of it, to-
gether with an expression of his supreme con
tempt, and making therein the boastful state
ment that the copy will indicate what he has
written to a majority of the members of the
Senatef The insult is given, not as TO an indlvid
ual, but as to senator; the caution
to guard againstt treaehery and VIII
lany is made, not with reference
to pendingo or prospective private or business
his actions as a senator, and asking that he be
pnt under the closest surveillance and be re-
garded as a scoundrel unworthy of trust in those
things which he may do in hls official capacity
as senator. The man who thus broadly and
unreservedly insults and villifies one of the
ators upon this floor and tradnces him as with
out honor, has insulted the Senate itself. This
body can, by the power of its majority, compel
the n, senator from Gtor,t Lports to Sit
fully recognize the one who thus prays
to him as senator in the same breath that he
grossly insults him d senator, but this action
would multiply the indignity by the number
- Endorsing 1t and magnify its intensity by
neRrness Of our association with our
brother senator. OF the merits of the sugges-
lions contained in the memorial and
the truthffulness of the statements therein
l SAT- in silence and listened to the reading of its
broad inuendoes and direct charges of crime
against the elective franchise said TO have been
committed in the Thirteenth district, in which
am an humble resident; said to have been per
petrated by the manufacturers of that district,
some of whom have the distinguished honor to
number among my constituents; said to have
been 1nstigated by Major CalKins, n statesman
and gentleman, all of whom to mention as my
personal friends would he immodes, because of
the great fiattery to myself. YET. uOtwthstand-
ing oil this sat voiceless, content that the me-
morialist should quietly be permitted to breathe
ont the last wall of disappointed ambition, il it
would in the slightest degree ease the last strug
giles of his political death. Now, as then. 1 am
silent as TO the merits of the memorial, content
that the world as well as myself, knows whether
these statements be true or faise content that
the world as well as myself knows full well,
without the necessity of discussion, that IL
crimes were committed in the Thirteenth dis
trtct against the sacred elective franchise, by
whom they were instigated. But when this de-
feated canddate-peevish, because of disap-
pointment--insuits, without cause, and brands
by notice to this body, one. of its
members as treacherOus senator and official
scoundrel, dnty to ourselves and chlvalry to-
ward brother senator, demand that we
should unite IN giving him the power to treat
with the contempt of silence the prayer adj
dressed by his traducer to him as one of this
body, and hence, with no political malice, I
favor the resolution,
Senitor Brown followed at considerable
length, making a bitter partisan harangue,
and concluded by moving to lay the resolu-
ton on the table. thus cutting off further
debate, and shielding himself by his party's
majority, which adopted his motion; and
then Mr. Campbell rose to a question of
privilege and said:
Idesire to have it go on the record that by re-
quest of the senator from Laporte | offered the
resolution just laid upon the table; that spoke
to that resolution alone; that, in answer, the
senator from jackson spoke to different ques-
ton, making statements relative to actions of
constituents of mine, which, to my personal
knowledge, are utterly false, and without even
a shadow of foundation, and yet the senator from
jackson moved TO lay the motion upon thu
table and denied me the courtesy of an answer,
although requested to be allowed to speak, and
offered to answer every statement he made.
Senator Spann then offered a resolution
expressing for the Senate the fullest conf
dence in Mr. Hutchinson's integrity and
honor, but Democratic senator raised Il
point of order against this, and it was not
put to vote.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
The constitutional amendments occupied
the1, attention of both houses at various
times yesterday, and the proceedings were
characterized by vigorous debate and the
most decided action that has yet been taken.
At the morning session of the House, Mr.
Huston offered resolution requiring the
Secretary OF State to furnish to the Legislature
certified copies of the pending cmendme nts,