Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-08-05
Speech of Hon. t. A. Hendricks.
OF INDIANA,

Speech of Hon. T. A. Hendricks,
OF INDIANA,
In THE UNITED STATES SENATE, ON THE ATE
July, 1868, ON THE ISSUES OF THE PREsI
DENTAL CAMPAIGN.
Mr.. Hendricks-Mr. President, it WAS my
desire at this time to submit some rather ex-
tended remarks to the Senate upon the politi
cal questions now occupying public attention
but the condition of my health to-day will
only allow brief reference to them.
Ihave observed for some days past pur
pose on the part of Senators who represent
the majority to avoid the position of the de-
fensive, and to assume, if possible, that of the
offensive in this political contest. In my
Judgment that is neither practicable nor pos
sible on their part; it is not in the nature Of
the case. For eight years the Federal Gov
ernment and most OF the State governments
of the North have been controlled by the
party now in the majority in Congress, and ii
is not possible that that party can avoid re-
sponse to the people upon the questions that
attract public attention.
Waving an ioquiry into the conduct OF
that party daring the "ar, which they claim
it is not just to make and cohfining the in
quiry to the three years since the close of the
war and the return Of peace, there afe GER
tain important questions hat must be an
swered. And, first, the people will desire to
know very distinctly and emphalically what
has been done with the 81, 200, ,000, 900 that
have been collected from them under the in.
ternal revenue law and the tariff system since
the first day Of July, 1865. 1 know that
100000, 900 may be accounted. for at least
in part in the payment Of interest upon the
public debt. Then the people will want to
know how it is, independently of the in crest
upon the public debt, that it has taken $780,
100000 to- carry this governments +tbrougha q
period of three years, when in time ofpeace
it usedto require but from sixty to seventy
or eighty million dollars annually. The peo-
pie wills wish to know during this contest
whether this enormous sum of money, which
has put the citizens everywhere oyer the land
upon the observance Of the strictest economy
to respond to the demands of the Govern
nent, has been expanded in the promotion OF
the public welfare, or whether it has been ex'
pended in The promotion of the interests Of a
party; whether it has been expended to ex-
tend the enterprises of the country or to
maintain in the Southern States that system
of government which had gradually proceeded
from step to step in arraying one race against
another; whether it has been expended in
penninc acts of berevolence and kindness, Or
in maintaining political system by which the
colored people have been organized through
out the South into political party in other
words, whether this enormous sum that has
been wrung from the people has been expen,
ded for their benefit, for the promotion oi
their interests and their good, or for other
purposes; and DO arts of the orator or inge-
nuity of the sophst can avoid an,ansTer To
the grave and important inquiry.
Why is it, sir, that in o time of profound
peace it hos cost $780, 100000 year to sup
port an army Of 6fty-six thousand. Thepeo
ple especially will want an answer to tkai
question when you propose to elect to the
Presidency the head of that army, who for g
portion of that period was not only the Gen
eral of the army, but the Secretary of War
They want to know how it was that during
the administration of the department BY him
it cost at the rate of $4,000, OOOto support
the War Department and army, when it used
to cost but 81 O60, ,00C to the regiment. The
people will want to know why it is thatin 2
time of profound peace, when we have no war
except inconsiderabe strifcs on our borders
with the Indians, $95 600, 900 were expended
in the fiscal year before the last, to maintain
the army, Independent Of bounties, and thai
for the quarter when the candidate for ths
Presidency was the Secretary OF War, it cost
about thirty million dollars, or at the rate O.
Sl2O, ,00O, 600 per annum @2,000,000 10 the
regiment; $1,000 to the man. The people
will want the majority in Congress, when they
demand the continuance OF power beyond TIN;
period Ct eight years, to answer why it is
that so much money is drawn from them by
the extraordinary power Of taxation, that il
may thus 90 to support the most expensive
military system that has ever been known in
the world.
I might speak of some of these cxpendi.
lures. i mi sht spesk ef that, fayoritism in
\ small way which has slown itself in the pub
licatiou in the newspapers that are iayored by
special legislation in the District of Columbia
of notices for inconsiderable army supplies
upon the Rio Grande, and at the-distant forts
when il was impossible, from the date of the
publication that any man could receive infor'
nation by such publication which would en-,
able him to compete in, the bidding. might
spesk OF other expenditures of like sort, in
dicaiirg favoritism not worthy of any polit
cal party that cleims the confidence of the
country, but will not occupy SO much of.the
time OF the Senate.
The people will wish to know during thj:
contest Why it is tAat the Supreme Court la:
been denied the right to inquire into the con
stitutiooality of tile legislation of this Con
gress. The people know that the Supreme
Court was established as one of the securities
to their liberty, ,,as one of the props and pill
lars underneath their institutions. They wan
to know WHY this prop and pillar has beer
stricken down, ana for Yhat political and par
ty purpose it has been done. IF yopy ylegisla
ton Be constitutional, valid, and right, theI
the people viii wish 20 know Why Congress
should shield itself in its enactments from
that inquiry that the Constitution intended
should be had in regard to all legislation.
The people during this coatest!will wish tt
know yhyit isthat the executive department
has been stripped of tina. power which la
!. been. conferred uponit BY tke' Constitution
4 whit is that Congress bns assumed to itssel
a, - .,o no,uars which. fornearly c{phtyyeflfs