The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-02-08
GOV. HENDRICKS.
sis Great war-spsech as shelby
Vile, Ind., und., Feb. ., 1898.
From the Cincinnati Gazette.

From the Cincinnati Gazette
In the winter OF 1862-'63, Mr.. Hen
bricks was elected United States Sena-
tor from Indiana. The event was
deemed of sufficient Importance by q
nest OF the antiquated Butternuts who
inhabited the Southern portion OF the
State to merit a small celebration
The gathering took place, according TO
arrangement, at Shelbyville, on the 5th
of February. 1868. Although ostensi-
bly, an ovation TO a single man, it was
in reality bid Of defiance to the Cen
eral Government at one Of the most
critical periods Of the war. The Lin
coin haters were preseat in great num-
bers, and whooped and yelled their JEFF
Davis sentiments through the streets
with impatience until the hero of the
occasion appeared with his speech
The preliminaries had been so quietly
arranged that Mr. Hendricks fondly
hoped that he might meet the exigen-
cies OF the hour without exposure to
the world; but, one Of those strange
condolences that newspaper managers
sometimes provide for, a Gazette re-
porter was present, and took verba-
tim report OF the speech. After get
ting of the stereotyphed charges Of
Peace-Democrats, at that time, that the
North had provoked the war. the ora
tor began to. warm up his Copperhead
audience with sentiments like the fol-
lowing:
al say unto you. gentlemen, il the
President of the United States, in the
language Of the Crittenden resolutions,
had held up the banner of this country
for the constitution and a restored
Union, that all States shall remain un-
der that constitution, with every right
secured and unimpaired, there would
not have been dissentient voice in
all the North. But the President can
not change the purpose OF the war as
originally declared, and make it an
abolition war, and then hold the peo-
pie Of the North a unit.
We have some dissension in the
North; We have somo men who are not
true to their country. They are the
mon who say that the constitution Of
Washington sis covenant with hell
and league with death" They are
the foes of their country and their
country's good. The disasters that
are upon us now are owing to the in
huence of these men with the Presi-
dent of tho United States. III Congress
would take bundle of switches and
switch them all ont of the White House
it would be we'll for the people but
until that is done it will not be we'll.
You may hear prayers in our churches;
your sons may go out to the battle
field; but our country il not to be re-
stored as it was until Abolitionism is
buried, never to be resurrected. =
Cheers.
Gentlemen, what is the effect upon
you at home when you see the purpose
Of this war changed from contest for
the Union and Constitution to a con-
test to free the negroes What is the
effect upon your manly pride. What
10 the effect upon the army in the field?
/ think i can comprehend something Of
the honor, something OF the pride, the
soldier feels as he stands upon the
field, and the missiles Of death are fly
ing around him. In the midst of that
trying scene, testing all the high quail
tiles of soldier, when he looks up 10
that flag and thinks il the emblem OF
the United States under the Constitu.
tion, when he is fighting the battles OF
that flag, he feels that he is fighting a
glorious war, and he can do his duty
faithfully. But, when the proclama.
ton of Jan. !, 1863, is issued, and he is
told that he shall make it his business
to fight to make negroes free, where
has the pride OF the soldier gone? Can
he fight such battle as that. He can
not do il.
Mr.. Hendricks next relieved his mind
on the Negro Enlistment bill Che had
not yet discovered the presence OF the
reporter). He said:
The crowning act of injustice has
been completed. They have passed a
bill in the House OF Representative to
arm an army OF negroes Let me tell
you, gentlemen, that every Democrat
in that House voted against the bill,
and every Republican voted forit. with
three exceptions; and, il had it in my
power, would set the names of these
three men in gold. A hundred aud fif
ty thousand negroes What does il
mean? Does it mean that 10000, 200
of white men OF the North are not
courageous, bold powerful enough to
contend with the men OF the South
and, therefore, the government must
invoke the aid OF the negro? Does il
mean that? / understand that the
pretence is raised that negroes shall
light down where il is not healthy fol
white men to fight. Laughter. Thii
pretence, gentlemen, il q sham. Voic'
"Kill all the niggsrs !"
Gentlemen, every man who voted fol
that bill, and the President when ht
shall have signed it. will have offered |
direct insult to every white man anC
woman in the United States Applause
an insult that every proud man viii
resent.
L want to see il the President will
send Indiana troops into battle, de
pending upon support from negro reg
iments. IL he does, when your son
60 into battle, and the negroes Civ
way, as they will, leaving them to sus
tain the honor Of the field. then tn
blood OF every Indianian who is slaugh
tered is upon that Congress who pass
ed that bill and upon the Presider
who signed il.
wish to say that, as Democrats an
Conservative citizens, we will stand b.
citizens and good order; we will Civ
our influence in favor of the law.
know that in some of your neighbol
hoods, you are exasperated by seein
young men who have taken Frenc
leave from the army taken back. The
should not have done so. Before vol
unteering they should have though
we'll OF the matter. At that time i di
not advise any one to enlist, because
was not going myself, and 1 would nc
recommend any one to do . thing
would not do myself. While / did NJ
recommend any one to enlist, L say,
all to-day who have enlisted that the
ought TO stand by their country an
colors; and il any young men have le
their companies to come home withou
authority, they have done un unfortul
ate thing, because they have not acte
: in accordance with law. So that 70
, cannot fight the battle at issue in yot
, neiehborhoods. You must act in ~
cordance with law. II anybody, HOY
ever, comes into your neighborhoo'
, without law, and proposes to take an,
l body away by force, that is matte
, without law, and you had best atten
to that gentleman at once. Shouts
"wen attend to them, cid fellow. Y
3 Again, on the subject OF n compr
, misc and Mr. Lincoln's EmancipatiC
!. Proclamation, the new Senator said
!. What the next two years will bril-
o about, do not know There Is OF
= course for us TO pursue, and that is
q do our duty. I have hopes that th
' war will not last very much longs
= and that there will be some adiustme
consistent with the honor OF the SO
ernment and the Union OF the State