The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-04

bitter and threatened a split in the party.
Porter was Kept Informed by wire OF the
persuaded that Streignt could not be nom
mated, he consented to accept the nominal
ton. The convention did not last long
after this word was received. 1t came 70
his banner with a rush and a scene OF Wlld
enthusiasm followed.
This was but the beginning of the most
remarkable campaign the State has ever
known. Indiana was an October State and
a doubtful one, and politicians all over the
country believed that as Indiana went 50
the Union would go. Porter opponent was
Franklin LanderS, and the chlet issues were
the solid South which had not, yet lost
prestige as a political Issue, and the tarlf,
which was first brought into prominence
In this campaign by the Democratic Dec
larati0n for revenue tariff. Governor Por-
ter's part as the central figure in this
campaign, was one of heavy responslolnty
and the amount of personal work he laid
out for himself and accomplished was
something amazing TO people VINO think
politics is play.
AS soon as he returned to the State. after
his nomination, he addressed a personal
letter to each of the ninety-two county
chairman in the State asking that he send
him at once a careful digest OF the situa-
ton in his county by wards and townships,
together with a list of all doubtful voters.
led this information thoroughly. AS fast as
his route for speech-making was made out
by the state committee he notified each
county chairman when he would arrive and
asked him to arrange for the full county
committee to meet him at a certain hour.
Tie dlcO dShGQE tildl ill uOublIh1 NONNAo NC
invited to meet him, and many of these Who
were influential among their nelghborS re-
cefVed personal letters from Porter asking
them to attend his meeting at their county
seat and TO call upon him after the speak
ing was over. When he met with the coun-
ty committee, usually Immediately after his
arrival at the county seat, he would go
over the list of doubtful voters and learn
all the committeeman could tell him about
them and about the situation. When these
voters called upon him after the speaking
they found that he knew all about each one
~ IAya ~ RaFN1An-EAA1 vrBN~ ThaNT o. in
doubt. Very rarely did a voter. after this
personal interview with the candidate, fail
to. vote the Republican ticket. Porter did
this work and did it thoroughly IN the
ninety-two counties of the State during the
campaign, and his wonderful personal quail
tiles won an untold number of votes. He
was satisfied from his personal observa-
ton. long before election, that he would
be elected and awaited the result calmly.
He occupied the Governors chair four
years and they were comparatively I'M
eventful He had been left a widower five
years before and shortly before his inaug-
uration he welded Miss Cornelia Stone, of
jamestown, N. Y, with whom he mad be-
come acquainted in Washington two or
three years before. She was a woman OF
wide travel and cultivation and presided
over the home of the Governor with gentle
dignity and grace. Their happiness, how
health began to fail and she died in No
Governor Porter's messages and state pa
pers We're classics in their simplicity and
clearneSS. He exercised excellent judgment
III MS appointments anu all IldlI6IS SUI
mitted to him were given the most careful
consideration. In 1881 he was urged to stand
as a candidate for the Senate to succeed
Mcdonald, but declared that the people had
elected him Governor, in the expectation
that he would perform the duties of that
office and not Immediately go after an
other.
NOMINATED GENERAL HARRISON.
At the close Of his term he retired in
the expectation of writing a history of
Indiana, and the next four years were de-
voted to the preparation of data for this
work. In 1888 he was made a delegate at
large to the Chicago convention and to him
was assigned the pleasing duty of plac-
ing General Harrison in nomination, a duty
he performed in an able and eloquent
many people TO again become a candidate
for Governor in that year, but some of
the avowed candidates had entered the race
after receiving the assurance that he would
not be a candidate and he would not per-
NIT the use Of his name. He went into
the campaign, however, with great VigOr
and was one of the powerful factors in
swinging Indiana back to the Republican
column.
Among the first appointments of General
Harrison was that of Governor Porter to
be minister to Italy. This proved accept
able to the Governor and during the period
leans riots brought up a delicate question
of diplomacy, which he handled with a skill
and dignity that contributed greatly TO an
settlement of the question and
called forth a letter of thanks from the
President. Before the close of his term he
and was importuned to permit the
use of his name for the gubernatorial nomi-
nation, but he declined, though he partici-
pated in the campaign. In 1893 he retired to
his home. in this city, and resumed work
on his history, which is still unfinished.