The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-03

From the beginning he placed his case on
high ground, and his appeal was to the
moral sense OF the Legislature and the peo-
pie. After being printed his letter was re-
ferred to a Joint committee of twenty-four,
with instructions to confer with him and
report. BY this time the Legislature was
divided into debt-payers and regulators.
Mr.. Butler had many conferences with the
committee and labored with members night
AID day. the Governor supporting him
heartily all the time. In one OF his letters
he wrote: "All eyes are now directed to the
result of the conference pending between
the State and its public creditors, the lat
ter represented. by me. The momentous
question of the public debt is to be settled,
and the foundations laid for the future
prosperity and greatness OF the State. The
theme Is a noble one and the occasion ex-
traordinary." Again, the eve of an
other conference, he wrote: at is pro-
foundry interesting, and 1 feel oppressed
with the weight and burden of 1t. On the
result depends the question whether the
State will or will not repudiate.'' Dec. %
he wrote:
My committee meets again this evening.
The Governor helped on this afternoon by
a message TO the Senate in reply to a
resolution. He and MIR. Bright go in for me
strong, head and shoulders, and now l
have Il strong team. indoors and out My
room is run down with people constantly,
and to-day 1 have done nothing but see
company and make one call on two ladies'
One of them is the wife of a leading Sena-
tor, whom I have not seen yet, but who
is dead against me. His wife L got all
right in an hours talk devoted exclusively
to the subject, and she goes in strong for
my plan. L made the call this morning and
this afternoon the senator gave vote In
my favor. So you see what good wife
can DO in an important affair. This morn
ing he voted against me.
The committee meetings continued, as
also open discussion of the matter in the
Legislature Dec. % Butler writes: II have
been under such high pressure, both mental
and physical, the last week that felt the
need OF the Sabbath very much. l was
assured last Sunday when a senator came
to see me and talk with me, and declined
talking with him about it, and he remarked
that he thought 1T was like lifting the
OK out of the gutter and that it was
work of necessity and mercy; and So in
truth it is" Jan. 4, 1876, writing after re-
turning from church, he says: Mr..
Beecher preached admirable sermon.
bearing on the great question pending be-
fore the Legislature, to a full house con-
tanning large number of members" Dur
ing the next week both the Wings and
Democrats held their State conventions, the
former declaring in favor of refunding the
debt and the latter straddling the ques-
ton. In the evening Governor Whitcomb
called a caucus of the Democratic senator's
and made strong plea for refunding.
Both the friends and opponents of the
measure continued to work night and day
and Sundays. One day after the Governor
had had long conference with Mr.. But
Ter he writes: 1.-The Governor seemed COM
pletely worn out and complained of indispo-
sition, and / sent out for bottle of cham
payne for him and gave him glass, which
he said tasted good, and revived him. told
him to take the bottle along to the Capitol,
which he did. You will laugh at this L am
sure. I could not help laughing myself"
funding bill finally passed the House by a
vote of 81 to SO and the Senate by 81 to 10.
Mr.. Butler writes: My labors have been
crowned with complete success. The pub
lie credit of Indiana Is restored and her
bondholders provided for" Two days later
he wrote: Il am happy to say to you that
the bill to redeem the credit of Indiana
and finish her great canal has this day re-
ceived the signature of the Governor. He
signed it in bed, in my presence, saying that
it was one of the most gratifying acts of
his life" The terms of settlement were not
as favorable as the bondholders were en-
titled to. but the passage of the bill was
a turning point In the history of the State
and did much towards establishing higher
standard of public credit in all of the
Western States. Under the terms of set
Element Mr.. Butler became one of the
trustees of the Wabash and Erie Canal. and
rendered faithful service in that capacity
for nearly a generation.