Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-04-10
INDIANAPOLIS: April 9th, 1851.
SHELBYv1LLE. April ). 1851


GENTLEMEN:-In reply your questions to myself
and others, of date oath last month"; have to say, first
in reference TO the course proper 10 be pursued 10y the
member of the next Congress from This district in rea-
ton the series of known the compromise
sures, that two of said of such
to be repeaahe or amendable. refer to the act ad.
hitting California State and the establishing
the boundary between Texas and New Mexico. know
of power OF repeating the former and placing Cali.
ornia again out of the Union and the latter in the
nature of compact between the United States and the
State OF Texas, and cannot be changed without the
of both the parties The law giving territorial
governments to Utah and New Mexico cannot be re-
peaed, consistently with good faith towards those who
have settled In those territories and who look TO the
general government and her alone for the protection of
government and law l know of no general objection
being made in this district, to the law prohibiting the
slave trade in the District of Columbia Many conside.
rations in sustaining the law. think it should
stand.
The Constitutional obligation of Congress to enact
law securing the delivery OF the fugitive from service
labor" the party to whom the service is due,
not now called IN question, except by those who asserta
higher law" than the Constitution To discharge this
obligation, law has been passed known the fugi-
tive slave law" which of the compromise mea-
sures which YOU refer Its enactment seemed called
for by the necency of the old law and agtations
of the country growing thererom and if its provisions
found to accomplish the object of its enactment
justly the claimant and safely the fugitive: should
stand The pTopriey OF the details OF this law bet
ter be known when shall have been enforced and its
provisions received construction. Already many of the
objections violently urged against it, have been
removed by executive and judicial construction. If it
fully ascertaned that the law ought to he amended
would regard the coming years a very unia vor
able time to attempt the amendment. The country is
yet recovered from the excitement created ly the
slave question:, and the agitation of that question will
undoubtedly be continued until after the next presiden
tia election | will then say briefly in answer to your
first second and third questions that regard it as one
oil the highest duties of the member of the Con-
gress from this district to vote against all propositions
calculated promote the ag alton and excite
of the slave question: and by his and influence
to sustain the acts commonly called the compromise
measures For the sake of the Union patriotic Senators
and Congressman united 10 enact them and for the
high consideration their successors during these times
OF excitement and agitation should unite to maintain
them.
In your fourth question, have to saw that
would regard it as the duty Of the next member of
Congress from this district in case the Presidential
election should before the house. for that
who was the prominent and regular democratic
ddate before the people, and for whom Through the
democratic eecors the democracy of the district voted
To this would regard him instructed by the popular
VOTE But after necessarily leaving this candidate he
should support and vote for undoubted democrat who
who snstains the compromise measures, their gener
al intention and spirit"
In repy.to your fifth question: | have to say that
hold the democratic doctrine that it is in the
tutiona province oil the general government to enter
into general system of internal Improvement That
time ought any appropriations to be made for any
public work unless il be of national character; and
this time, when there is large public debt and the
nual expenditures OF the government geeaty in
creased appropriations ought to be made for any
work, unless of pressing necessity for the public good
And a western man repre- ought TO op-
pose all appropriations for public works, unless the
dealt equally and fairly by, than she has hereto
fore been by the other portions the Union and receives
such portion of the expenditure upon her great rivers as
her position in the Union entities hert to receive.
am very respectfully,
Your obeeient servant,
THOS. A. HENDRICKS.
MEssRs. DAVID W. ODELL, WILLIAM SHAFER
AND Frederick HENDRIX, Greenfield Ind.
GREENFIELD % March. 1851.
Messrs. ID. w. ODELL, WILLIAM SKATER, FREDER-
HENDRIX and others:
Gsntlemen-A friend handed me- this morning, the
State Sentinel of yesterday containing certain questions
propounded by You those whose Names it is under
Stood will be before the Democratic convention soon to
assemble for the nomination of candidate for Repre-
sentative in Congress in this District Being confined
he dirty (fhe trial of of honoicsdol