The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-07

and Hamilton counties. and all the country
north to the great Miami reservation.
l find that my friend Thompson was returned
| to the next Legislature, which met in December,
| 1885, and with him came another of my old
| friends-David Macy-then a representative
| from Henry county, and now highly esteemed
citizen of Indianapolis: and, as far as l know,
| another old friend, Christopher G. Graham, now
| a resident of Red Wing Mimi.
| 1t is little singular that the same three gen
| tlemen, Thompson. Macy and Graham. are sur
vivors of the next Legslature-lo36-I-to which
may be added Joshua b. Huckaby, representa-
tive from Perry county, and DR.. Graham N.
| Fitch, who subsequently served with distinction
in the Senate of the United States
| Macy and Graham again turn up as the sole
survivors, as far as know OF the Legislature OF
/ 1878. My friend Thompson seems not to
have been member Whether a political
| cyclone struck him about that time, or he went
| up higher or got tired of the business, he can
| tell you more entertainingly than any man alive.
AS to the General Assembly of 1889 George
! w. Carr and c. G. Graham are as far as ] know,
| the only survivors; so that it would seem that of
| the twenty three Legislatures held up to that
time, there probably less than dozen mem
| bers now living. / know of but eight at this
time: but there may be more, and probably are.
These Legislatures were all held before my day,
| but now come to Legislatures of which have
some personal knowledge.
| The first Legislature ever saw was the Indi-
! ana Legislature of 1839-40 1t was a great event
to me- at that time of my humble life, and has
made marked impre sson on my memory.
| rode three days on horseback from Scott
| county to Indianapolis, in winter weather, and
| over the worst possible roads, to see it, and to
| attend a Democratic State convention, although
was not then of age by several years.
| Incidentally, may say that the convention
| nominated Gen. Tghman A. Howard for Gov
ernor. He was badly beaten. although very
| superior man, so tasted the bitter of the polit-
| ical defeat of my party early, and had so much
| of it in the last twenty-five years that have
learned to take such things quite phlosophcally.
Indianapolis had then a population of only
| few thousand, but was putting on city airs even
at that early date I remember there was
| riot one night soon after my arrival, growing
| out of the marriage of negro man and white
| woman, and it made terrible sensation.
| My father, who was member of the Indiana
| Legislature at one time another for nearly
| twenty years, was member of that Legislature,
| and remember that boarded with him. during
| my stay of several weeks, at house kept by
BAIL Brown. on the east side of Indiana av
| enue, near Tennessee street. The house is still
standing, but think every one of the persons
| stopping there and there were many, haye long
| since passed away, and l do not know of but
| four members of that Legislature alive.
They are Judge Fabius NJ. Finch Alexander c.
Stevenson, James s. ShivelyI and AMI L.
| Wheeler.
AS to the Legislature of 1901, the only mem
bers of it that l know to be alive are A c.
Stevenson, George w. Carr, James Ritchey, c.
| g. Graham and Aaron Rawlings
AS to the next Legislature 1912 my ven
cradle friend Joseph F. Brown. who am glad to
see here tonight, was principal clerk of the
| House, and he informs me that he does not know
of but seven members Of that Legislature now
living, Wis George W. Carr James Ritchey,
| A. c. Stevenson, Christopher c. Graham. Aaron
Rawlings James S. Shively and John Pitcher.
| was present at the organization of the Legis
,lature Of 1923. and had acquaintance with
many of the members. as I was then, for the
first time, candidate for legislative Office and
! trying to learn the art of ''electloneerng with
the members" OF those surviving of that dele
postmaster of indianapolis; AMI l.. Wheeler.
| George w. Carr, Joshua B. Huckaby, James
| Rltchey and Franklin Hardin.
had very intimate acquaintance with the
members Of the Legislature Of lS434, by reason
| OF being the principal Clerk of the House of Rep
resentatives. Judge VIM. II. Otto, long the Re-
porter of the Supreme Court of the United
States, was the Secretary Of that Senate, and is
still living but Jesse D. Bright. the President of
| the Senate. and Andrew L. Robinson, the Speak
| er of the House, and nearly all of the $50 men
who were my associates in that Legislature,
busy with the affairs of state, and full of the
hopes. and ambitions, and cares of life, have
gone to their eternal rest 1 called the
| roll Of the 100 members of that House
great many times in that day. but, alas,
were to call it now do not know but FIVE
members left to answer, and but four senator's
| George w Carr. George Berry James Ritchey
and John Pitcher the senator's and the rep
resenta tives Augustus c. Handy w. w.
Conner, David Macy and my old and highly
valued friend, David Mcclure, who was from
my own county. We rode three DAYS on horse
back over the worst roads ever seen by mortal
man to reach the capital. He came greater
distance In about three hours toattend this meet
| ing.
now come to the Legislature Of 1S44-5 When
| that Legislature met, the duty devoved on me-
| as chief Clerk of calling the House to order. If
l were to call the same roll tonight, think less
| than dozen would be found alive to answer.
will call such as know to DE living: A. c.
Stevenson. Speaker Alexander B. Conduit
Franklin Hardin, David Mcclure. James S.
| Shiveley. j. B. Huckaby, William w. Conner
Robert Huey. Augustus c. Handy; and of the
| Senate George Berry and James Richey. There
| may be others, but these are all know to be
alive. l went to Washington City before the
| close of that session. where / remained several
| years, and, consequently had connection
with the Indiana Legislature until | was elect
ed to the first one held under the new Constitu-
| ton.
pass over the Legislatures which met during
my absence in Washington, because of my lack
! OF information about them, and because others
| are here better prepared to speak of them-such
men William E. Niblack. Delano E. William
son. Andrew Humphreys. M. L. Bundy. Jos. Fl.
Defrees. |. B. Julian, John w. Dodd, j. A. Cra-
vens, Jonathan S. Harvey Joseph NJ Bulla,
Michael Thompson, C. f. Donaldson, A. B.
Conduit George w. Carr and other gentlemen
| whom see present, but have not time to name
were members of those Legislatures. and they
were all important and able Legislatures
In what have further to say on this occasion,
/ shall speak only of the first Legislature held
under the present Constitution
1t was the understanding in advance that it
was going to be Legislature of unusual impor-
tance The Constitution had just been
adopted by an immense majority of the electors
Its adoption made careful revision of the laws
necessary. in order that they should conform to
its provisions. The work devolved on the Legis-
lature was, in fact, continuation of the work
begun and outlined by the convention.
The new Constitution required that
the forms and practice in the
courts, which had before that time been very
intricate and voluminous should be revised and
simplifed. the pleading made more uniform the
| then prevailing distinction between law and