Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-16
The Hendricks Ovation-..Speeches of
Hon. m. M. Ray and Hon. Thomas
a Ira

| Hon. M. vi. Hay and Hon. Thomas
A. Hendricks.
At the Hendricks ovation in ShelbyvIle on
Thursday last, Hon. MARTIN NJ. RAY welcomed
the distinguished guest in the following appropri-
ate and eloquent address:
Ihave been selected, by the proper committee,
as the organ of the Democracy of Shelby county,
| to tender to you, at this stage OF festival pre-
pared in your honor by the Democratic ladies and
gentlemen of this town and county, hearty
welcome to their midst, crowned with those new
honors which you have so well earned, and in
which they so proudly rejoice.
/ This spontaneous gathering of your Democratic
i friends, from their farms, from the villages and
surrounding cities, / tender you as the highest
and sincerest tribute to your worth as a man, and
your claims a statesman, as well as an obla-
ton of present friendship and pledge of future
/ fidelity.
Shelby county claims you as one Other trusted
and honored sons. If she has sympathized with
youin times of defeat, if she has vindicated your
reputation from calumny, when assailed by NAL
ice, she is alive with sensibility and pride
for your present success, and With hope and jeal
Gus concern for your future fame
As joint representative of the sovereignty of
our proud State, and at a time when the most
momentous issues of peace and war depend upon
military conflict and patriotic counsel, you have
/
States by the united voice of the Democracy of
Indiana. They consider you n representative
man; and that in your hands the flag of the Re
/ public and the banner of Democracy shall wave
as living embems of eternal unity-the one over
a great. LIBERAL generous Commonwealth of De-
mocracy, and the other over fraternal people
and restored nationality They have given no
| heed TO the partisan clamor that roared along
| your pathway, against your patriotism and loyal
ty. The Democratic party of Shelby county is
loyal party, and this testimonial of honor is
reserved for their loyal Senator. They will stan1
/ by him and the Constitution long he
/ stands by the Constitution and the Union.
An ample field is now open to you for the ex-
ercise of the highest qualities of patriotism and
craftsmanship. The public who shall, at
this crisis forget SELF and rise to that high level
of moral courage and political philosophy, which
neither panders to the bad passions of men on the
one hand. nor worships at the shrine of power on
the other-fno the idol of the people, is at least
the hope of his country have vain words
of adulation on behalf Of this people, but they
| claim, as your life long friends, share of the
honors of the position to which you have been
| elevated position where, in the happier days
Of the republic the eloquence of Clay nnited
States in the fervor of patriotism, and the argu-
! ment of Webster bound them in the fetters OF
/ reverence for the Constitution and the Union.
They have faith that, the genius of history
shall unrol the chart of American destiny, and
] bleeding country shall challenge your wisdom
courage. prudence and humanity. that YOU will
have the wisdom to compass, the courage TO
| grappe with, the prudence to harmonic, and the
/ humanity TO sympathze with the sorrows and
/ griefs that this sad war has brought upon the
country
In presenting you to this people IN your new
relation of Senator, allow me % assure you that
we do not forget the perils and responsibilities of
that relation. and that when you come to deal
with the practical questions of and peace, hat
you will be AS ready to sustain legitimate war
to hail the first dawn of an honorable peace on
the basis of restored Union.
Fellow citizens. present to you your Senator
elect, with the confident assurance that you will
never have cause to regret the choice of the
Democratic Legislature, and that he will prove in
the future. as in The past. worthy of every trust
equal To every emergency, anG pledged foe to
every fanaticism, usurpation and corruption.
Mr.. HESpRrcKs. in response to the address of
come of his lifelong neshbors and friends of
Shelby county, spoke in substance follows:
Mr.. Hendricks took the stand amid the most
deafening APPLAUSE. the close of which he COM
menced by saving that he was gratfed at this
reception. by those who had known him from his
childhood, and that the welcome had been ex-
/
referred to the nonors Shelby county had con-
ferred upon him. at all times extending TO him
her confidence. The election to the United States
| Senate brings with IL weighty responsibilities
Can man now well and safely say what be will
do in twelve month from this timer What
will then be duty. no one, wiihOu, the gift of
prophesy, BOW say: but he felt sure that it,
in the exercise OF an honest judg gment. he dis
charged his duty as tie representative of Indiana
| according TO conscience. he would again he sus
tanned by the men of Shelby county, who will
regard his faults with indulgence, and his merits
with pariiaty. For himself he would only ask
that when censure fell upon him. as il must. they
| will hear him in his viudicdtion, and then judge
! as the right should require.
! He had not come this day To make an argu-
ment, to discuss the questions that now occu-
| py public attention. but Ia meet old and true
| Friends with them tn enioy the festivities of the
occasion; ret it might be proper to refer to some
subjects, about which he knew they had consulted
together at their homes.
Two years have brought upon our country a
reverse of her fortunes. We united, pros
porous and happy--a sectional policy and party
| triumphed. aud we are overcome by evils that
threaten our destruction. have 80 defense TO
make for the South in her present positon--am
no advocate OF her Ia fidelity to the
Union. the North could not organize herself into
sectional party, and upon sentiments o: hostility
|
ernment yet this WAS not sufficient cause for the
breaking up OF old relations. We were friends
TO the South, and although beaten in 1860, we
were ready. protected by the panopy of truth and
the Constitution. 20 fight OH for the constitutional
rights of every section. We Democrats have
cause of complaint The men of the South should
have stood by ~ ia the battle for the Constitu
| ton ami civil liberty. That battle should have
been fought within the Constitution and behind
established institutions
The war has progressed with varying results
What success has attended SouLein arms, and
| such disasters MS have overtsken Northern arms,
are properly chargeabe upon the President and
present Congress. Eighteen months since, the
! President, in his message, said that all the
States of the South. except, perhaps, South Caro-
| lima, there Il Union majority. DiVis and the
Confederate Congress had. tried to unite the
South. but could not ; he could rally army
only 800 600 strong. but when Mr. Lincoln and
! Congress adopted abolition as the purpose of the
war; in violation of the pledged faith given TO the
soldiers, the South became united and the North
| distracted. Had the President and Congress in
| good faith adhered to the assurance and pledge
given in the Crittenden resolutions, not dissent
ing voice would have been heard in the North,
while the Union men of the South would have
gained strength.
Should our Government 60 down in the vortex
of this revolution the responsibility is upon Abo-
| liuonism What has been the effect OF the Pres
| ideut's proclamation Perhaps not slave has
been made free by il. but il has caused divisions
in the North and has stripped the soldier of his
pride In the din Of the battle. when the mis-
sss of death are falling like rain drops, the sol
dier looks to bis flag. and the sentiment that il
is the emblem of the Union upon the Constitu