The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-15
THE ANNIVERSARY.
The Scenes Attending the Inauguration of
Oliver p. Morton as Governor.


The occasion of the unwilling of the statue is
intended to be commemorative, although not an
anniversary, OF an important event in the his
tory of Indiana and of her greatest
son. On the 10th of January,
1861 twenty three years ago, the two
houses of the Legislature, by concurrent vote,
elected to the United States Senate Governor
Henry s. Lane, who thereupon Immediately re-
signed the Office of Governor into the hands of
Lieutenant governor Morton. The following is
from the proceedings of the Senate of the date
of Jan 16, 1861, taken from the indianapolis
Journal of the 18th:
The President laid before the Senate the
resignation of Henry S. Lane as Governor,
which. is as follows:
ITO the President of the Senate of Indiana:
'You will please to present to the honorable
body over which you preside the annexed com
munication:
''To the General Assembly of the State of In
diana-Having been elected to the Senate of the
United States by your honorable body for the
term of six years. commencing on the 9th day of
March, 1861, hereby resign the Office Of Gov
ernor of the State of Indiana, the resignation to
take effect from and after the reception of this
communication. In rendering to you my resig
nation, desire, through you, to return to the
people of Indiana my heartfelt thanks for the
honor conferred upon me in electing me to the
high and responsible Office of Governor of the
State of Indiana, and also to assure them that
nothing but strong sense of public duty could
have induced me to tender this resignation. The
Senate will please to have this letter entered
upon the journals of that body.
JAN. 16, 1861 II. S. LANE"
A House message announcing the election of
Henry S. Lane as senator in the Congress of the
United State and the consequent resignation of
that gentleman as Governor of the State, was
taken up, and the invitation to the Senate to
come into the hall of the House and witness the
Inauguration of Lieutenant governor Morton as
Governor of the State of Indiana was accepted,
whereupon the Senate repaired to the hall of the
House-Governor Lane and Senator Cravens,
President of the Senate, escortng Lieutenant
governor Morton.
The Senate came into the hall of the House,
and the presiding officer, Senator j. r. Cravens.
announced the purpose for which the houses had
convened. The oath of office was then admin
istered to Mr. Morton by Judge Perkins He
then addressed the houses as follows:
Gentlemen of the Scnate-I beg leave to re-
turn you my thanks for the courtesy and kind
ness extended to me during very brief official
intercourse. The intercourse was just long
enough to exhibit, on my part the awkwardness
of the novice, without the improvement and
facility resulting only from experience In the
new position in which l am placed, | trust that
our relations, both social and official, may con
tinue satisfactory and pleasant
'Gentlemen Of the Senate and House Of Rep
esentatives-Called by the constitution to per-
form the duties of the office of Governor, it will
not be expected, under the circumstances, that
| should deliver formal inaugural address. !
can only pledge myself to you, and through you
to the people of Indiana, to the extent of my
ability, for faithful and economical admins
tration; to take care that the laws be enforced,
and to resist extravaganza and peeulaton, come
in what form they may. The financial affairs of
our State are in great confusion and embarrass-
ment. 1t will be among your first duties care
fully to investi gate their condition, which, hay
ing done, you will then be able TO devise the
necessary remedies and apply them as far as
may be in your power. The people of the State
have been promised retrenchment and reform
That promise can and must be redeemed. The
times in which we are called to act are full of
gloomy portents, counseling us to discretion
moderation and frmness, and l shall gladly co
operate with you in all measures harrington their