The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-07-30
SPEECH OF SENATOR HENDRICKS
Of Indiana,
IN THE UNITED STATES SEN.
ATE, JULY IA.
Senator IIondricks Snld.

'
at this time, TO submit some ra thel
extended remarks tO tho Senate
upon the political questions now
occupying public attention, but the
condition of my health to-day will
only allow Of q brief reference tC
them. have observed for n few
days past, n purpose on the part oi
Senators who represent majority
to avoid the position of the defen.
sive, and TO assume, lfpossib.o, that
OF the offensive in this political con.
test. In my judgment, that is Meth.
er practical nor possible on thuir
part. 1t Is not in the nature Of the
case. For eight years the Federal
Government ard most of tho State
governments ofthe North have been
controlled by the party now in tho
mWority in Congress, and it is not
impossible that that party can avoid
response to the people upon the
questions that attract public attenu
tion. Waving an inquiry into the
conduct OF that party during the
war, which they claim il is not Just
to make, ana confning tho inquiry
to the three years since the close of
tho war and tho return of peace,
there are certain important ques-
tons that must be answered. And
first, the people will desire to know
very distinctly and emphatically
what has boen done with the Sl,.
200, 900, 900 that have been collected
from them under tho internal reve-
nue. law and the tariff system, since
the first day of July, 1865. know
that $500, 900, 900 may be accounted
for, at least IN part, in the payment
Of interest upon tho public debt
Then the people Will want TO know
how It's, independently of tho in.
terest on the public debt, that it has
taken SSOO,000,O00 to carry on this
Government through n period OF
three years, when in timc Of peace
il used TO require but from sixty 20
seventy or eighty millions ofdollars
annually. The people will wish to
know during this contest whether
this enormous sum of money, which
has put the citizen everywhere over
tho land upon tho observance Of
the strictcst economy to respond to
the demands of the Government,
has leen expended in the promo.
tion OF the public welfare, or
whether it has been expended in the
promotion of the interests of q par
ty. Whether it has been expended
to extend the enterprise of the coun-
try, or to maintain IN the Southern
States that system of government
which has gradually proceeded from
step to step IN arrayIng one race
against another. Whether it has
been expended in genuine acts OF
benevolenc9 and Kindness, or in
maintaining political system by
which the colored people have been
organized throughout tie South in
to a political party. In other words
whether this enormous sum that
has been wrung from the people has
becn expended for their interests
and for their good, or for other pur.
poses. Aud no arts of tho orator or
ingenuity of tho sophist can avoid
an answer to that grave, direct and
important inquiry. Why IS it, sir,
tha; in time of profound peace 1t
has sost one hundred millions OF
dollars a year to support an army OF
10000 men? Tho people especially
VIII want an answer TO that Iuen-
ton when you propose to elect 10
the Presidency tho head OF that al =
my who for portion of that rcriod
Was not only the General Of the ar.
my, but The Secretary Of War;
They want to know how it was that
during the administration of the
department by him it cost ut tho
rate of one hundred and twenty
millions 10 support the War De-
partment and army, when II used TO
cost but q million of dollars to the
regiment. The people will want to
know why it is that IN a time of
profound peace, when we have no
war except inconsiderable striFes
on our borders with the Indians,
800, 1000, 900 were spent in tho fiscal
year before tho last TO maintain the
army, independent of bounties, and
that for the quarter when the can
didate for tho Presidency was the
Secretary Of War 1T cost about $50, p.