The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-09-21
1HoMHs A. HENDRICKS.
Reasonable Utterances In l063-What
He Knows About Negro Soldiers.

Reasonable Utterances in lse3-What
He Knows About Negro Soldiers.
The following extracts are taken
from speech made by Hon. Tho.
A. Hendricks, in Shelbvville, on
the 5.h Of January, 1868, at a
banquet given at his old homo, in
honor Of his election to the United
States Senate. The resolutions
adopted on the occasion denounc-
ed the war as "unconstitutional,
tyrannical, and UNJUST" favored
the immediate cessation of hostili-
ties; protested against the draft,
because it took men from their
homes to fight in q war for the
freedom of the negro ;sand declared
that soldiers had deen induced to
volunteer by false representations.
To these resolutions Mr.. Hen
bricks spoke:
"The war has progressed with
varying results. What success has
attended Southern srms, and such
diasters as have overtaken X orth-
ern arms, are properly chargeable
upon the President and present
Congress. Eighteen months since
the President, in his message, said
that, in all the States of the South,
except, perhaps, South Carolina,
there vas Union majority. Davis
and the Confederate Congress had
tried to unite the South, but could
not; he could rally an army only
three hundred thousand strong
but when Mr.. Lincoln and Con-
gress adopted abolition as the pur-
pose of the war, In violation OF the
pledged faith given to the soldiers,
the South became united and the
North DISTRACTED. Had the Presi-
dent and Congress in good faith
adhered to the assurance and
pledge given in the Crittenden
resolutions, not dissenting voice
would have been heard in the
North, while the Uuion men of the
South would have gained strength.
| Should our government go down
in the vortex of this revolution, the
responsibility is upon abolition-
ism. What has been the effec. of
the Presidents proclamation Per
haps not one slave has been made
free by it; but it has caused divis-
ions in the North and has stripped
the soldier of his pride. In the
din of battle, when the missiles OF
death are falling like rain drops,
the soldier looks to his flag, and
the sentiment that it is the EN- blem
of the Union under the Constitu-
tion; that he fights to restore the
Union upon the basis of the Con
stitution. With the rights of the
State unimpaired, nerves him tc
meet the shock Of baltic. But in
stead Of that. proud sentiment
when he is male to feel that hs
fights to destroy established insti
tutions and 10 free the negro, hi:
soldierly pride is gone and hi:
victories are likely to go with it
The partisans of the administration
denounccy Democrats because they
demand that the Constitution shsl
be respected and maintained FoI
that we are charged with disloyal
ty and treason. Who are the Iowa
men The men who are faithful
to the Constitution. Who in tn
North are disloyal? The men whe
trample under foot the Constitu
ton and treat it as "covenan
with death and league with hell
He is not loyal man who make
the freedom of the negro para.
mont to the Union and Constitu
ticn. Our Union cannot be rt
stored with fraternal relation
among the people North and Sout
until abolition il buried, neve
again to be resurrected. wi
not discuss the conduct an
achievements of the Generals.
lack military knowledge to do tina
But it seems proper to say in thi
, behalf, that they have had no fa
trial. Interference by incompeter
men at Washington has disturbe
and frustrated their plans. On
: Brought failure if not defeat, whel
victory otherwise might have bet
: achieved; and the teachings of e,
: perience seem to be lost upon Il
: President and this Congress. tt
, last and GROWING act of infam
upon the part of this Congress
. to be the enactment of the law
!, organize one hundred and Gift
thousand negroes into regiment
. The bill has passed tho House ar
Q | believe will pass the Senate al
9 be approved by Mr.. Lincol
. Three Republican members vot