The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-11-05
6PEECEE OF
Hon. THOMAS A. HENDRICKS,
Delivered before the Hendricks Club at
Indianapolis, Wednesday Evening,
October 30, 1879.

FELLow-CtrIzENs AND MEMBERS OF THE
HENDRIcKs CLUB-You do me very. great
honor in the name you have assumed. You
have done me honor in the invitation to APP
pear before you. thank you very cordially
and an sincerely, and l regret that my engage
should have been glad To have made, and that
was due as much to you rs to myself. did
not become dfsengaged until after 5
O'Clock this evening, and what /
have done in the way of preparation has
been since that time. [ understand that the
Republicans are very much elated over the
elections OF this year. ] hardly know why
they are so elated. except that they were in
dreadful fear of serious defeat. In the state of
Maine they had a favorable result, as they
claimed That state gave Grant a majority of
for the Democrats s-,d Nationals outnumberr
them to-day. In California they have elected
their State ticket, and that is what they cali q
victory, when the fact is that the distraction
and trouble arising out of the Chinese ques-
tion was so great that that question broke
down all political lines and divisions.
in the Republican State of
Ohio. I don't understand the demonstra-
tionS Ofjoy they have made over that Stale,
1t is a state that is uniformly Republican.
sometimes Democratic, sometimes very
"a State that they ought to carry, and with
out which they could not have expected any
as enthusiastically as an old Indian does over
an unexpected success on the war path. They
did not expect to carry Ohio. but their success
in that State proved greater than any one bad
estimated. [ confess l did not think they
would have had the majority they did
have After witnessing the enthusiasIn
OF the Democrats of that State I had great
hopes OF our success. But, gentlemen, we
must understand these things just as they are
Republican this year. This is the whole Of it.
1t was carried by larger majority han some
years before. That is he way it stands. Shall
we be discouraged? VIII -~u Democrats that
have never ALTERED, Eeve. failed, De discour-
aged at this result? Look back seven years.
Seven years ago the only
Democratic governor elected In any
Northern State. Applause-l Not another
States had Democratic governor. We did
not stop. We were not discouraged in 1851,
xhen this state was Republican by q 900 ma
fority. We never stopped, never hesitateti,
but at every election from that time until now
was $4,000, in round numbers. against Us; bot
We reduced 1t, and reduced il again and again.
Every year the Dem ocTats withstood the oppo-
nents and Perfected their organization.
Every Democrat was in line. and
at at the close Of each campaign our
than at the commencement of the contest [
say to you now that have fear for Indi-
ana. have never undertaken to speak OF
any other State bat b siieve do understand
the Democratic courage and spirit OF the State
of indiana don't fear for this State except
a voice. I'VE won't stand that."l say IL Is
The deliberate purpose of the Republicans 10
State of indiana. TGey can have carry cone ONE
tested 1t year after year under
the great leader, Governor Morton, and
since his death under their present leader
General Harrison. But they can't make au
impression upon the Democratic sentiment
the Democratic phalanx OF this State. Now
their purpose is TO overcome the m -joiity by
the importation of coiored men from the
Southern States. IA voice-"They never can ~
No, they never can. Appiause.J But of the
purpose you may be advised. They have their
organization. 1t has Its cen'er in Washington
City. With the machinery OF the society
known as the Emigration Aid association
they have provided for carrying out this pur-
Ppse-'he Importation or voters fnto the stste
care to take thea into tie
state of Ohio how. They think they nre
pretty safe IN that State. so they are turning
their entire attention to cur State. " sn
that may succeed in imprf ssing you with an
intelligent understanding OF This subject. the
people of Indiana win not object to the emf
grafton OF alIsclasses of people who come here
and their families. There Is no opposition to
that But when it comes TO these colored
people being brought in here SIMPLY to swell.
basis of Republican representation in
Congress, the pol tical Organization that does
man in Indiana Labor eEligrates &C cordir (
to natural influences. Wherever Is boz Is de
sired, 1t is apt TO go But where the IseoriDg
populaticnss swonenbeyend the necessities,
aud such ), plan as IS now proposed is carried
out, the effectis to cheaper labor. It is an
outrage upon the labor OF the State, which is
sure to be greatly cheapened therebg-. I'm
derstaDd this-ight from the start, we Svil not
be taken asleep at all on this subject. We
battle 10 make as this mighty party
i mas ove ever one a nf the IN old the past
question of perpetuity OF The Gov
ernment. We. DemOcrats-stand by the Union
powers which the constitution delegates; by
the states, with all the rights aud covers
siment. We believe s in it, dh' b sen,
n, doubt about .it-thas we propose te stand
Government ever established on earth. Have
you ever heard, during the progress~of the
war, where appeals were made 10 citizens to
volunteer, that this sentiment was not ex-
pressed? You Were invited 10 go to 10
preserve the best Government liz the
world. That Government received the sane
ton anu blessing OF the great men who
tabished it and maintained 1t, ana In the
war whatever Yes done was that this Govern
ment should be preserved. aud all the Fights
or the nation and of the State maintained
without Injury We now hear ii said that for
certain reasons there must be q strongarSioy-
eminent. What uoes that mean 1t means that
the powers reserved TO the State under the
constitution are &c be taken, one by one,srom
the States and 1urned over TO the Govern
ment OF rhs United Ststes- l. does
not mean that the Govern;ne al viii protect
The people better in their lives ano fsmi-
lies and rights In that respect
have the strongest Government In the world.
We have Government whose power and
right comes from a. population which is now
more than i5,oOo,e9l; government that reefs
upon the consent of the governed and has its
eOwer direct from the people themselves. 1t
does not depend upon a standing army. 1t
uOeS 1ob ut pcDu uE>Si tic puysicdl IOfce We
can bring to bear In maintaining and protect
ing the rights of the people. TheGovernment
OF the United States is not Government e.
physical force, but is maintained by The senti-
ment OF the people as expressed blythe consti-
tuition and laws. II IS because this is Gov
ernss,ent which derives it's powers from
the consent of the governed, that II isi
the strongeEt Government in the world,
Our Government is syycrn to protect every
man. IT. Is rot sworn To make a feG ,promf-
nentGnd great. It is sworn TO take the poorest
of men and maze him In the eye ofsthe law,
and In the presence oftheiaw the eqSal of the
richest man. 1t Is sworn 10 take the weak
man sud make him, in respect to legal equal
ity, the strongest man. 1t is sworn 80 take
the NEST unporular man. end in respect TO
his legal rights, make him the equal ct the
greatest favorite in the land. In that respect
ours DIS the strongest GoverE.snent
IN the world, and worship It next
to my God. lAnplause Macy want the
man on horsebacE represent the inssstu-
tions of our country. They want the very
reverse of that wsaich take 1t, our fnstftu-
tons rest upon. the consent CT the people
they would reverse the idea and establish the
idea of physical force L want no man ga
horseback as tue representative OF our inststz-
tiens. lChee=s and spplause.l when l was
abroad, two years ago, saw at one OF the rail-