The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-03-06
From the Terre Haute Express.l
FACTS TO BE REMEMBERED.
Items from the Record OF Thomas A.
Hendricks.

We propose to refresh the recollec,
tons of our Democratic friends. b.
citing a few facts from the record o,
the gentleman in whose hands they
have placed their standard for the
campaign of 1868, and whose vauntec
popularity" and great effective
ness on the stump" are relied upon
to overcome the Republican majority
In Indiana and give her electoral vote
to Andy johnson, Geo. I'll PendletOn
HOratiO Seymour, Jefferson Davis, or
any other man among the list of Presi-
Dental candidates hoisted by the
various organs of the party.
l. We call attention to the fact that
Congress, In 1862, passed a law re-
curing all officers of the Government
to take what is called the iron
clad " oath, the substance of which
is, that the person taking it has not
been guilty of treason against the
United States.
2. Next in order we have the inter
esting and suggestive fact that Thomas
A. Hendricks, when he took his seat
in the Senate of the United States in
March, 1868, did not and would not
take this oath without making an ex-
PLANTATION. See Congressional Globe,
1928, part 2, page 1861.
3. Pursuing the record somewhat
further we find that in January, 1864,
Mr.. Hendricks resisted with all his
power motion to make it one of the
rules of the Senate that this oath
should be taken by every new Sena-
tor who might apply for admission as
a member.
4. 1t is a fact of equal pertinence
in this investigation that, in speech
then made in the Senate In opposi-
ton to the proposed rule. he used
this language:
When I took my seat in this
chamber as a Senator from the State
of Indiana, although / did not be-
lieve it would be rightfully required,
yet lest my course might be misun-
derstood by some, or misconstrued by
others, aud as there was nothing in
the oath to which | could not without
any reservation bind myself, I did
not contest the question, but volun-
tarily upon what I deemed a proper
explanation, complied with the re-
qurements of the act But, Sir,
where it is now sought by a rule of
the Senate proposed by the Senator
from Massachusetts, (Mr. Sumner) to
require the oath of all Senators who
may hereafter demand seats In this
body, will not give the proposition
my vote or support. Whoever comes
here being duLg elected and hGUinq The
qualifications prescribed by the Con-
stitutiOa has a right To has seat, and his
State may a0eH demand 1t for him.
The right of has State to be represented
By him IS conferred by the Constitution,
and cannot be denied or impaired bv
any rule Of thss body, or By any act of
1864, part LIST, page 278.
We respectfully ask any champion
of the Democratic nominee for guber-
Material and senatorial honors, to tell
us what this means if it does not
mean that Congress has no power to
prevent traitors from legislating for
loyal men.
5. The consistency of Mr. Hendricks
is very strikingly shown by the fact
that he now seeks to induce the peo-
pie to change the political complexion
Of both Houses of Congress by assur-
ing them that this oath which he de-
nounces as unconstitutional is a suf-
fcient safeguard against the admission
of rebels to Congress. See his speech
to the Sth of January Convention.
Let US suppose that the people, for
getting the treachery and duplicity of
his party, should take Mr.. Hendricks
at his word, and send a majority of
his political faith to Congress, how
long would it be until the iron clad
oath would be repealed, and such
men as Davis, Toombs and Stephens
be admitted to the Senate and House
to leglslate for Indiana and other
loyal States?