The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-10-05
Hon, thomas A. Hendricks.


think, regarded by his party as one of
its shrewdest and most artful orators.
They claim for him candor and fair
ness in discussion, sud iusist that his
statements may always 81 IT, ed upon
implicitly as true. Dir. Hendricks
was q prominent aspirant for the nom
ination for President in 1868. but
was defeated by some of the Indiana
delegates, headed by the present pro-
prietor of the State Sentinel. in the
New York Convention. Follow
loving this notifying defeat, be was
beaten q second time. the same year, IN
his race for Governor These sue
cessive failures were not calculated In
the least to sweeteb his temper and it
is not surprising. therefore, that he in
dulges in remarks otherwise than
complimentary to the gentleman who
was preferred By the people to fill the
position to which he aspired. Pos
sibly Mr.. Hendricks will feel in
better humor this evening, and will
not charge his defeat to fraud. as he
has repeatedly done on other ocea'
sions. The charge is silly one, aud
displays i'll temper without any cor
responding good results.
As stated above, Mr. Hendricks is
regarded by his adherents as model
orator and politician. They claim
that he moves and has his being in an
atmosphere far above that in which
the political demagogue has his ex-
istencs. The gentleman may be en-
titled to this distinction. We hope
that his speech 10 our city this even
ing, will demonstrate that his friends
claim for him, in this respect, moth
ing which he has not fairly earned.
10 view Of his pretentions. and in or
der that the distinguished speaker
may not forfeit the good opinion Of
his most enthusiastic admirers, we
desire to direct his attention to few
points in his New Albany speech, de-
livered not long since, SO that he may
not repeat here the errors by which
some good Democrats in the Second
District were evidently deceived.
Mr.. Hendricks New Albany speech
was largely devoted to State finances.
1t was designed as an answer to the
speech of Governor Baker on that
subject. Its object seemed to be to
convince his Democratic followers,
LIST. That there was not much of a
State Debt when the Republicans
came into power. %. That the pay
ment of this debt has been accom-
plished by excessive and burdensome
taxation, and 81. That the debt hasn't
been paid at all. In the elaboration
of these points, the honorable gentle
man INDUCED freely in figures. We
copy one paragraph, under the Sec
Ond count, as a sample of his state
ments on the subject of taxation:
The last year of Wizards administra-
ton, the rate of taxation was fifteen cents
on the hundred dollars. Soon after that 1t
was increased to twenty cents on the hum
dred dollars: and soon again 1t was raised
to twenty-five cents on the hundred dol
lars. So, gentlemen, from the lest year of
Gov. Wizards administration the rate of
taxation has been increased from fifteen
cents to twenty-five cents on the hundred
dollars. While you consider, then, that
fold and that the rate has been increased
forty per cent, what is there IN their claim
of having paid OF the state DEBT?
Here is deliberate statement that
under a Democratic administration
the rate of taxation was fifteen cJnts
on the hundred dollars. which. under
a Republican, administration was in
creased to tl0enty.JfUe cents on the one
hundred dollarg-or nearly forty per
cent. Now, what is the truth on this
point? The truth is, that tn State tax
proper for the year 1856. (which was
collected and used in 1857. the first
year Of Governor Wizards term
t0as tl0e1ty cents on the one hundred
dollars. For the years 1857 and 1853
no tax was assessed. In 1859, the
State tax proper for 1859 and 1860
was fixed at twenty cents for 1859, and
fifteen cents for 1860.
The tax of 1860 was collected and
expended in 1861, and consequently
Morton had Is cent tax for the ex-
peuse5 of the first year of his admin
istration.
In 1861, the State tax proper for
1861 and 1862, was fixed at Is cents
on the 800.
In 1863, it was raised for 1863 and
1864, to 20 cents.
In 1865. it was raised for 1865 and
1866, to % cents.
In 1867, it was fixed for 1867 and
1868, at 20 cents; and in 1869, it was
reduced for 1869 and 1870, to Is cents.
aohere Il nOl0 stands.
Thus it will be seen that during
Gov. Wizards administration the
State tax was really t,oesaty cents on
the 800 instead of fifteen cents. as Mr..
Hendricks will have his hearers be-
lieve. Of course Mr.. Hendricks, be-
ing a high-minded and honorable
speaker. was mistaken on this point.
Now that we have called his attention
to the mistake, we presume he will
not repeat the erroneous statement
this evening.
Again, Mr.. Hendricks, in his New
Albany speech, as reported in the
Sentinel, says that the interest on the
State debt, during Morton and Ba.
ker's administration. was paid out of
the ten cent special State debt sink