EX-SOLDIERS.
Mr. WILSON, of Kosciusko, offered the following resolution:
Whereas, The muster-in roll and the muster-in out roll of the Indiana soldiers of the Mexican and the Indiana soldiers of the late civil War, on file in the Adjutant General's office, have not been recorded in any book, but are being worn out by much handling; and
Whereas, The loss or destruction of this army roll would be a material loss to a large number of the people of this State; and Whereas. The same are liable to be burned or lost; threfore
Be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the Committee on Military Affairs confer with the Adjutant General and frame a bill to provide for the recording and safe keeping of said muster-in and master-out rolls and report the same to this House on or before the first day of February, 1883.
Mr. COPELAND moved to amend the resolution by appropriately inserting the following:
Whereas, The names of many members of the Indiana Legion have been, by accident or oversight, omitted from the pay-rolls, and have never received any compensation for their valuable services in repelling the Morgan and Kirby Smith raids.
Mr. JEWETT explained that inasmuch as the outlay that it would occasion would be considerable, he could not favor the resolution until some investigation could be made, and therefore moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. WILSON, of Kosciusko, said: I have been at the Adjutant General's office, and find that there are no muster-in and muster-out rolls of several regiments.
Mr. SMITH thought the muster rolls should be preserved, but was not in favor of any special bill that would occasion a large outlay of money in the end.
Mr. COPELAND said; I hope the resolution will be unanimously adopted. The papers containing the records of our soldiery should be sacredly page: 89[View Page 89] preserved. The members of the Indiana Legion whose names have been omitted from the pay-roll accidentally or intentionally, should have a practical recognition. In our part of The State during the time that hell-hound and traitor, John Morgan, was raiding and pillaging our towns and villages, and the Knights of the Golden Circle and the Sons of Liberty were plotting treason and secretly aiding Morgan and Kirby Smith, our citizens, regardless of party, joined the Indiana Legion to protect our people. I believe they will be remunerated in a substantial manner by this House.
Mr. HEFFREN (interrupting): May I ask the gentleman from Jefferson a question?
Mr. COPELAND: Certainly.
Mr. HEFFREN: Can you tell me whether or not John Overmeyer was a member of the Sons of Liberty at that time?
Mr. COPELAND; I take pleasure in answering the gentleman I heard one other gentleman make that fool charge [cries of "order," "order."]. He was not then or ac any other time a member of the vile Knights of the Golden Circle.
Mr. PATTEN: I am sorry that the gentleman from Jefferson [Mr. Copeland] should make a partisan fight on this measure or allude to parties. The gentleman from Jefferson is young yet.
Mr. COPELAND: I was not aware that any one had made or attempted to make a partisan allusion in this discussion. If there is any party on this floor that claims or backs John Morgan or sympathises with his treason, then I have made an allusion to party.
Mr. PATTEN thought that as there had been five copies of the muster-out roil made the Government had taken all necessary steps to preserve these records. He was not in favor of bringing up such questions, as he thought the House had "other fish to fry." He thought it was the duty of the Adjutant General to preserve the muster rolls. He did not wish to incur any unnecessary expense.
The motion to refer the resolution to the Committee on Military Affairs was agreed to-yeas, 47; nays, 28.
