The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-05
TRIBUTES TO Mr.. PORTER
GENERAL HARRIsoN-s REMARKS Al
BAR ASSOCIATION MEETING.
The Ex-Governor's CarefuIness as n
Lawyer-FuneraI Services to
Be Held To-day.

said:
Gentlemen of the Bar-We are met this
morning to give some expression to our
sorrow upon the death of distinguished
member of the bar of the State of Indiana;
to express in a suitable way our estimate
of his character and of his public services.
Governor Porter has been separated from
us for several years. The character of his
lnhrmty was such that he was shut out
from THAT friendly intercourse which had
IN the past years been his delight, and,
therefore, the coming of death to him does
not seem to reach us with that suddenness
ana that appalling solemnity which hap
pens IN the separation from one who has
been up to the time of death in active asSo-
clatloh with his feIlow-men. In the death
OF governor Porter feel, myself, a per
sonal loss growing out of the fact that he
was one or my earliest acquaintance when
l came to indianapolis to reside. and that
was so long associated with him in bust
ness
He was man possessed of many fine
qualities. He had in all the relations of
life the sense of conscientiousness He was
conscientious not only in great things but
In small things. All his work was charac-
tef1zed by conscientiousness. There was
consclentiousness in his very signature, as
every man knows who recalls it. There
was not letter in it that was slurred EV-
cry one was rounded and complete in all
its parts. Every signature was a. fac-simile
OF every other. In all his work he was ex
act and particular He was an enemy to
sloVenliness in everything.
AS a CAREFUL, LAWYER
1 recollect well in the old time when
the lawyers wrote their own pleas when
the typewriter had not come in to establish
a sort OF equality between the negligent and
lnefflcient and the conscientious and careful
WRITER'S remember the perfectnesS that
characterized the papers prepared by him.
lie was careful in the matter of punctua-
ton. To him the comma and the semi-colon
We're not interchangeable sings In the
preparation of his argument he had the
habit of making careful notes when he was
to address the jury or the court. He was
man who had ready appreciation of the
form of address that was likely to be eff
fective. He was strong before jury, be-
cause ne entered into their methods of life.
his early life had Infatuated him to their
methods of thought, and his intercourse
with men had familiarized him with the
ways OF plain people. He was effective in
the Illustrations he used drawn from the
common life of men.
His conscientiousness extended to his
business relations in his profession and out
SIDE OF It. de was thrifty man always. He
accumulated. but he did not exercise his
thrltt at the cost of other men. 1t was
IN those wise economics and with thought
iul care for the future that he founded his
hablts OF accumulation and the exercise of
his thrift.
As public man Governor Porter car
RED these qualities with him. He was care
iul and laborious He used legitimate and
"A : a
democrat, hlled with aspirations of sue
cess, a jealous and ambitious young man
ne LETT his party when it seemed to him
mat his party had departed from the adj
Vocacy of those principles of human right
ana liberty in which it had it's origin He
had a very wide circle of attached nolitioaI
Irlehds-men who believed in him. who fol-
lowed his lead. with enthusiasm and conf
dence. In the Governors office, in Congress
Wherever he has served his State or coun-
try-he brought to the discharge of his du-
d d a careIul Gonscientiousness, a desire to
nc tne rlght thing and his complete duty
we mourn his loss and come to paw the
tribute OF individual affection and regard
to him. We come as members of the Dro-
fession of which he was an honOred mem
per, TO pay our tribute, to submit our mi
tuaI expressions of regard and love for him
ana OF sympathy to that family to which
ne was SO much attached for we know that
IN ia ms children he took the highest delight:
fna1 IN thelr successes, achievements and
happiness he found his highest joy
Upon resuming the chair General Harri
son son named Judge Baker. Judge McMaster.
W. T.. Fishback, Noble c. Butler and s N
Chambers as a committee to prepare a me-
moral and while this committee retired a
NUMBER OF gentlemen present made brief
speeches. w. p. Fishback said that during
ms long association with Governor Porter
In the practice of law he never heard him
use q slang expression nor tell story that
could not be told in a drawing room He
was man of infinite care in the prepara-
tlon or case, always carefully arranging
his line of argument and following il re-
CARELESS of the theory of the other side
He spoke of Governor Porter as n man who
always had the courage of his convictions
enough to break from the Democratic par
~ when it seemed the only road to success
10 ms attitude against the wave Of green
pack1sm and his admonition to the strikers
in 1877 that they could not afford to indulge
in or sympathize with violence in any form
,. II. Spooner, speaking as a native of
Lawrenceburg, where Governor Porter
studied law under his uncle, said that for
his old home he brought a tribute of re-
IfS hOn rod
had always felt a maternal interest in Gov
ernor Porter and was proud of his distin-
guished career. In concluding his brief
speech, he said the influence of his life like
the concentrlc circles upon the surface of
the ocean, would widen and expand until
1t reached the shores of eternity itself.
THE MEMORIAL.
Feeling tributes We're also paid by John
T. Dye Thomas Hanna, David s. Good
ing and John w. Ray. The memorial COM
mittee reported the resolutions, which were
adopted and ordered spread upon the rec
ords of the federal and state courts After
giving brief and plain biography of Gov
ernor Porter the memorial proceeds as fol-
lows:
While at the bar Mr.. Porter was early
recognized as one of its ablest members,
and he ultimately became one of the lead
ing members of the bar of the State His
professional standing among judges and
lawyers was always deservedly high. His
integrity and his attachments were unques-
toned lie rose to professional and pOliti-
cal eminence by dint of his merits only. He
was destitute of any talent or taste for
manipulation and intrigue, and despsed the
use of them. He served with credit and
distinction in all the offices that were held
by him, and enhanced their dignity and
Importance by the character of his service
His early struggles with adversely did NOT
embltter his nature or sour him. They
gave him clearer insight into the lives
of other men than he could have gained in
any other way, and made him more toler-
ant of their faults and weaknesses The re-
verses and disappointmentS of life left no
sting in his memory. He was free from
rancor or VindictiVeneSs. ANY manifesto
tion of iniquity or meanness aroused his
righteous Indignation, but it was impossi-
of it would have broken his own peace of
mind. He preferred a different relation
with his fellow-men than one of perpetual
warfare, although he never shrank from
conflict when it was inevitable or neces-
sary. His natural predispostion toward
them was sympathetic and kindly. His
interest in them was benevolent. The sue
cess of others gave him unfegned pleas
ure. which was never alleged with the
pangs of jealousy or envy. lie liked men
for their manhood. and discovered and ap-
preciated manliness i'm the poor and Hitter
ate as well as among those of higher rank
and station in society. He met and assoc
ciated with men upon terms of perfect
TO his superiority or making them con-
scious of it, The breadth and universally
Of his sympa thies brought him into the
closest relations with his constituencies
and gave him power and influence over
them while it gained for him their per-
feet confidence. He knew their wants in
tuitiVely, and he knew how to satisfy them
He trusted the people, and they trusted