The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-11-27
BANQUET AND SOCIAL MEETING.
Ex-Law Makers Spenda Pleasant Evening at
the Table and in the Parlor.

Ex-Law Makers Spenda Pleasant Evening at
the Table and in the Parlor.
After the banquet the ex-law makers ad-
%jOurned to the parlor, where Mr.. English,
by invitation, addressed the members.
"Going back to the beginning of the terri
torial government in $780," said he, 'for the
first twenty-five years all are dead. The
Governors, judges, members of the terrific
rial legislatures as well as Delegates to Con-
gress in the territorial period, have long
since passed away. OF the forty-three men
who, in 1916, formed the first Constitution
of Indiana, my old friend, Joseph Holman,
who died In the spring of 1913, was the
last. He was one of the delegates from
Wayne county. 1t is a little singular that
another delegate from that county, Hugh
Gull. the first Methodist preacher to set
foot on Indiana soil, should have lived to
the remarkable age of los. He died before
Holman. In all tue State Legislatures. be-
ginning with the first session in 1916 and
extending down to and including the ses-
sion of 1S2S-29, there were $40 members
e~lected-sOme of these, of course. being re-
elected a number of times-but only
SIS of them served. Among those elected
was a celebrated character named Dan
Linn, who was. by the way, a member Of
the constitutional convention of 1915. IN
stead of attending. the Legislature to
which he had been elected Lynn bought a
lot of produce and went down to New Or
leans, not going to the State capital at all.
And yet all the citizens of Posey county
say that county was never better rcpre-
sented before or since. In the beginning
there were but thirty-nine members OF the
Legislature, counting both Senate and
House. but they increased until in 1912
the number reached 80, where it has re-
manned ever SINCE. This will account Tor
the small number of members elected from
1916 to 1925.
Coming down to the celebrated Legis-
ture of 1s39-1S4O. the first L ever saw, there
had been z. O2l members elected. and of this
large number l do not think one dozen are
now alive: Beginning with the oldest in
service. i have information of only nine:
DIR. Curtis u. HusSey, WHO was a Represent
alive from Morgan and Hendricks in 1929
1880. He kept a country store at Moores-
willie and there increased his business
greatly and finally went to Pittsburg, Pa,
where he engaged in mining and manu-
featuring enterprises, and became a man
of great wealth. He is now about ninety
years old. The next is John Pitcher, a rep
resentative from Perry and Spencer in
1S30-31. who lives at Mount Vernon, and is
at least ninety years old. Then m
1928, and Richard w. Thompson. of
Terre Haute. ex-Secretary of the Navy.
who represented Lawrence county
in 1S34S5. The next is David
Henry county in 1856, and Christopher
G.. Graham. who represented Warrick i'm
the same Legislature. He is now living at
Redwing, Mimi. Graham n. Fitch repre-
sented Cass in 1S36-37, and has since been
eminent as a physician, general and as
United States Senator. George w. Carr. of
the Legislature of 1889. was a member
and president of the constitutional conven-
tioE of 1S50-51. Fabius III. Finch, a Repre-
sentative in 1S39-40 from Johnson county, is
now living in this city. and next and
last of the nine is James s.. Shiveley. who
represented Grant and Wabash in 1S39-4O.D
Miles Hunt, who represented Randolph
county in the period named. has been omit
ted said MIR. Stone.
II had the honor of being principal clerk
OF the House of Representatives in 1882
continued Mr.. English. ''Of all elected to
the General Assembly up to that time /
find only six names in addition to those l
rave give who are still living: Aaron
Rollins, Scott county, 1904; DIR. George
Berry, a Senator in 1928. from Franklin,
the only Senator up to that time that is
living; William w. Conner, who repre-
sented Hamilton county in 1884,. and
who now lives in this city; Augustus G.
Handy, Representative from Hancock in
1854: Franklin Hardin. who represented
Johnson county In 1884. and David Nc
Clure, who was a Representative in the
same year from Scott county, and is now
living. and a State Senator; Joseph f.
the principal clerk of the House in 1S41-42.
i do not think there is any other member or
officer of that Legislature alive"
Mr.. English spoke of the $50 men who
formed the constitutional convention of
1S50-51, and said that the number living at
the time of the reunion of that convention.
In October. 1885, was only thirty-three, and
since that time several had died, SO that
now. after the recent death of Othniel
Beeson, there were only twenty-fouf alive.
Gen. NJ. ID. Manson paid a glowing eulogy
! to Governor Morton, and spoke of his per-
sonal acquaintance with the war Legisla-
ture. He noted the fact that the Senate
passed "a resolution that the officers i'm the
first six regiments be each loaned 500 out
of the State Treasury to buy their outfits.
The House refused to pass this, and it was
finally agreed to give each officer and pri-
vate -. to be afterward taken out of their
first pay. He called to mind a number of
distinguished men who were members of
that General Assembly. Among them was
join +. Miller, Senator from ST. Joseph,
who rose 10 be a major-gencral during the
war. and removing to California, was made
United States Senator from that State. He
also made pleasant reference to Eugene
Bundy and James H.. Willard. who were
pages In 1861, and afterward sat as State
Senator's.
speech, thanking the organization for the
honor conferred upon him in choosing him
for president. He spoke of his personal
recollectiOns of the men of the Senate of
1851. and made pleasant reference to James
d.. Williams, John +. Miller. Martin NJ.
Kay and Others A number of short
speeches followed and the members adj
J0urned much pleased with the incidents
OF the day and the recollectlons of the past
evoked by the occasion.