Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-29
Hendricks in 1864.

In one of Senator Morton's speeches in
Indiana he spoke of the Democratic res
olution of 1864 declaring the war for
the Union failure, and stated that both
Tilden and Hendricks were at that con
ventiou. Gov. Hendricks, few days
later, replied to this statement by declar-
ing: 1. That the resolution of the Dem
ocratic Convention of 1864 did not bear
the construction placed on it; 2. That
Tilden's friends had explained that he
had opposed the resolution in com
mittee; and 3. $50 far as / am con-
cerned, it is simply a lie made out of
the whole cloth, for was not a member
of the convention at ALL"
This is altogether too weak to COM
mand respect. While Tilden was a
member of the convention and of the
committee which reported the resolu-
tion, Hendricks was an attendant upon
the convention, and one of its honored
guests. His acquiescence in the action
of the convention was not merely as
centing; he indorsed the proceedings as
fully as If he had been a member. A
grand ratification meeting was held in
the Chicago Court House Square the
night the convention adjourned, Aug.
81, and Hendricks made speech at that
meeting, which was reported and pub
lished in the Chicago Tribune Sept. l.,
1854, and here is portion of what he
said:
There is another issue to decide. We must
elect whether we will be ruled by the law or
by one man. By the power OF the law we
are all equal. But the law has been set aside
and we are now an cnslaved people-subjcct
to the will of one man. He felt saDguine
that the ticket nominated to-day will be sue.
cessful. The convention which
has Just been held has produced new era
in the life of the country. Democracy, which
so long has been dead, is once more resur-
rected and placed triumphantly before the
world. 1t has achieved a glorious triumph,
than which none has been so useful, so
powerful. The triumph is already COM
plete, and is only to be ratified in
| The resurrection, he hoped, had not
been effected too late in the day. He trusted
! life still remained in the masses, and
that they have not been sunk SO low
by the four years of depotism but that
! they could rise to crush out dbOlitioHisni
out of political eriStence. For the last few
| years we, as nation, have been oppressed,
and have suffered, il ever a nation could
suffer. Let the masses remember the injuries
achich had been inflicted upon them, and rise in
their might. Be hopeful, be invincible, be
| irrepressible, be energetic, be faithful, be un-
terrified, and victory is certain.
! Fresh from the hall of the convention
where the resolution declaring the war to
have been failure had just been adopted,
Mr.. Hendricks congratulated the Democ-
racy upon the platform which had been
adopted, and in ratifying" the,proceed
| -, no Il ~ { n
new era in the life of the country"-an
era of armistice and peace, in place OF
the war which had proved failure. The
Democracy, which had been dead, had
been, by the resolutions of the conven.
tion in favor of suspension of hostili.
ties and immediate peace, resurrected
and placed triumphantly before the
world" With a knowledge of this
speech, Mr.. Hendricks denial that he
was at the Chicago Convention and
his declaration that the statement
that he was there was "a lie," is
petty quibble, and attempted escape
from damaging fact, and is something
altogether unworthy of a gentleman and
! o man Of truth. The reference to Mr.
Lincoln, who at that time was struggling
under national embarrassments and vicis
! STUDIES of the most extraordinary eharac
ter, was undignifed, and yet it wa:
prophetic. His appeal to the people tc
"hurl the old tyrant at Washington Out
of political existence" was rejected by
the people, but some months later, wher
the war had proved success, and the
rebel armies we're captives, the hurting
of Mr.. Lincoln out of existence was put
in execution by the hand of the assassin
There can be no question that in 1864
Hendricks was in full sympathy with the
reasonable spirit which was conspicuous
in the whole proceedings of the conven.
tion.-ChicdgO Tribune.