The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-03-05
Extract from an Grafton Delivered by the
HON. THOMAS A, HENDRICKS.
On t..e 2end orrebruary. 1855
IN PHILADELPHIA,


The Democratic Association Of |
Philadelphia invited Hon. Thomas
A. Hepdrieks, Of Indiana, to deliv-
or an oration, at its hall, on the
evening Of the 22nd list, in honor
OF the Father of his Country. SEN
otor Hendricks complied, snd was
by a large aadiease. Du-
ring the course Of his able address,
he drow the following vivid paral-
lell between tho craftsmanship Of
the early and the present days Of
the Republic:
To-day we celebrate the one hun
dred aud thirty and seventh ami.
vorsary Of Ina birth CWashlng.
ton's). Seventy years after bis
death, here in Philadelphia, the city
that wi messed so much Of his pub
Ing service, we do honor to his mom-
ory. And now, standing IN the
presence Of his august character,
and invoking the Inspiration Of his
palriotism, what lessons Of wisdom
may VIC learn from his precept and
example? or all our illustrious
dood, no a'ono has tho honored H..
tic Of Father Of hls Country. "
HE admouiuous como "to us from
the grave with potornai appeal '
From his youth ho was @ soiiisr;
and aftera LONG command ho be.
came first in woy, oai 40 some
periods OF great public anxiety be
was clothed with almost Jivla,0r.a'
power; yet, at nll times he nam
taiued the supremacy of tho civil
aUthoritv and preserved the peorlo
from military rule.
Whom he surrendered his COM
mltsion, the PresIden; Of Congress,
.il rccclying it, bore testimony "to
tho wisdom, and fortitudo with
which he had conducted tho great
military contest, Invariably regard
ing the rights Of tho civil power
through all disasters and changes
In his farewell address he said: "Ii
in the opinion Of the people the
distribution or modification Of the
constitutional powers be- IN any
particular wrong; lett be corrected
byan Nmendmont in the way which
the Constitution dosigna.es. Bat
lot thcro DO no change by usurpa 81
ton; for though this in onoinsJaucC
may be the instrument of good, #
is The customary weapon by which
FREQ governments are destroyed
Anxious about the great contest
/ the result on which was ~ Goc.lC
in history whether he and his asso
ciatss were rebels or patriots; em'
barrasscd by the inadcquncy Of hi,
forces and supplies; aud surroundcl
By loyalisJs, ready to commpnicat,
his movements TO the enemy, IN
was clothed by Congress with the
largest power yeti the midst o.
all vIcssitudes anl temptations, b,
iorb0re It's exercise except in thr
legitim ate prosecution of the war
He tore no robes from the shoulder
cf the judges he drove no jure
| from the courthouse; he supprcssc,
none Of tho ancient writs; he arrest
ed, imprisoned aud killed mono c
tho people under tho vicious pre-
texts Of military authority or ne
cessity, Under the banners Of hi
armies mono of the people did shiv
: er and crouch in terror5 of lun
geons, torture, illegal trials, bar
ishment and death but all, tn
rich and the poor, the strong an
the weak, alike felt over them tn
protecting shield Of thcir country
laws.
Tho land did not swarm wiz
pies uhd lrformors, and midnigh
assaults by lavless bands were no
made upon tho homes oC the pee
p. 'uttho house OF the iroema
then, as for a thousand years it ha
been, was HIS castle. As the year
and centuries and ages come rollin
by, the iamo cf Washington Wi
grow brighter, and his nanSmor
illustrious, because while he fougt
for tho rights Of the people, h
would not enslavo them, but di
preserve their liberties and main
tam their laws.
During the earlier progress
the late war, there sprung mp
= class Of men who, having obtaine
! much influence, resolved that, upo
the prosecution and resalts Of th
> war, they would establish a politi
: cal power which should permanent