Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-07-15
THOMAS ANDREW HENDRICKS,
The Democratic Nominee for the
Vice Presidency Of the United States.
New York World.l

Inc Uem0cfatiC NOlHln06 IOT III
Vice Presidency of the United States
New York world.l
| Gov. Hendricks, of Indiana, wal
born in Mnskingum county, Ohio
September z, 1919. His father re
moved to Shelby county, when tht
| subject of this sketch was only three
years old. The fact that he was borr
in a neighboring State has not affected
his popularity in Indiana, since many
of the people are of the same stock
and Mr.. Hendricks, growing up from
childhood with the younger cefnmon-
wealth, became identified with all its
interests-its prosperity and preiudi.
ces. His youth was not a season o1
hardship and he received a liberal ed
ucation, graduating at Hanover Col
lege in 1841. He then studied law al
Chambersburg, Pa, and was admitted
to the bar at that place in 1843. He
returned to Indiana Immediately after
and entered upon the practice of his
profession.
In 1848 Mr.. Hendricks was chosen
a member of the State Legislature, and
In 1850 he served In the State consti-
tutional convention. During the next
five years he represented the Indian
apolis district in Congress, and for
four years afterwards was commission
er of the General Land Office. In the
memorable campaign of 1860 he ran
for governor against Henry s. Lane,
and was defeated. Lane was. chosen
United States Senator Immediately
after his Inauguration, and Oliver P.
Morton succeeded to the governor
ship. In the election of 1862 there
was political revulsion, and Indiana
elected a Democratic Legislature.
Mr.. Hendricks was then chosen sena-
tor for the term ending in March, 1869.
He served in the Committee on Claims.
Public Buildings and Grounds, the
Judiciary, Public Lands, and Naval
Affairs. This was period during
which the Democratic party in the
Senate wos represented by weak
minority. Nothing was possible save
an able protest against the various re-
construction measures adopted, and
this was to be made in the face of
strong popular prejudice throughout
the country as we'll as strong opposi-
tion in the Senate Chamber.
Exalting the freedmen into gov
erning class and disfranchising their
masters he held to be as evil a system
as slavery. His arguments on the
great questions of that day have been
adopted as the authoritative statement
of Democratic opinion in the summa-
ries of congressional debates. In the
memorable episode of the president s
impeachment he played an important
part and added greatly to his reputa-
tion as an able lawyer.
It is sufficient proof of the ability
and success of Mr.. Hendricks in the
Senate that toward the close of sin
gle term he had placed himself among
the foremost men of his party and be-
come prominent candidate for the
presidency. In the convention of
1868 he was brought forward, and at
one time led all other candidates, re-
ceiving the solid vote of New York
and the Northwest. Ohio, however,
which had been compelled to abandon
its own candidate, was determined to
defeat all other Western men, and the
delegates from that State threw their
votes for Horatio Seymour persistent,
and finally produced stampede Of the
whole convention to his support. His
nomination at that time was unfortu-
nate. For years the friends of Cover
nor Hendricks cherished feeling of
bitter animosity toward their Ohio
neighbors, and to this day have not
quite forgiven sundry New York poll
ticians, who, they imagine, secretly
aided and abetted the smaneuyer of
Pendleton's supporters to secure the
nomination of Seymour. They have
always held that the nomination of
their own favorite would have turned
the political tide. This is mere non
sense, and they ought to be thankful
rather than chagrined that he was not
made the candidate of the convention.
This question was virtually decided IN
that year, where he ran for governor
the second time and was a second
time defeated. His opponent was
Gov. Conrad Baker, and so close was
the contest that Mr.. Hendricks only
fell 96l votes behind. No one famil-
lar with the politics of the State ever
supposed, however, that Bakers ma
jority was an honest one.
After his retirement from the Sen
ate IN 1869, Mr.. Hendricks returned
to the practice of his profession at In
dianapolis.
The unfortunate nomination of
Greeley in 1872, and the fusion with
the so-called Liberal Republicans,
postponed the day of ambition, and
Mr.. Hendricks, acquiescing in what
appeared to be the popular will, gave
in his hearty approval to the new de-
parture. He was not allowed to re-
main idle during the canvass. Against
his earnest protest he was again NOM
mated for the governorship, The
campaign was bitter one, and almost
disastrous to the Democracy through
out the country. The result in Indi-
ana was bad, but far better than in
most other localities. The Republi-
cans carried the Legislature and
elected all of their State ticket except
the governor and superintendent of
public instruction. The majorities
we're very small, but they were en-
ough. The personal popularity of
Governor Hendricks carried him
through.
With these circumstances In his Ia
vor, Gov. Hendricks won by majority
of ,148. The result was not known
for three or four days, as the election
precincts in the State are very large,
and when the ticket is long returns
are delayed, even when there is an
honest effort to forward them. Some
times they are delayed for fraudulent
purposes. At the Democratic head
quarters the politicians sat counting
up majorities and making estimates
hour after hour, and even the most
experienced arithmetic men were puz-
zled. Joe Bingham, the editor Of the
indianapolis Sentinel, was the only
one who predicted the actual result
from the beginning, and stuck to his
opinion. During the long suspense
Mr.. Hendricks listened to an anxious
friends estimate, based on the very
latest returns, and throwing him out
by half dozen votes, and said with a
laugh, Il wonder if l am always to
just miss being governor of Indiana. y
The fact that Republican lieutenant
governor would succeed him in case
of vacancy kept Mr.. Hendricks from
any thought of the senatorship two
years afterwards, and chains him to
his post until the end of his term. In
general terms it may be said of his
administration that it has been able
conscientious, high minded. He has
aimed fairly to do his duty, and his
| official conduct can not he criticised