The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-02-28
The Governorship.
Madison s.sr.1


Nearly. if not all, the counties of the
State have held Republican conventions
and nominated delegations to the State
convention. 1t is time to discuss the
claims and merits of the various candi.
dates offering themselves for nomination.
Indiana is to be the battlefield during the
next contest, and we can afford to make
no mistakes. The Republican party wants
a leader; 8 broad minded, big Drained,
fearless man. One who will know his
duty, and knowing dare perform In stat
ing our choice and reason for it, we desire
to indulge in no flower of rhetoric or
sophomore fight Of word painting We
want to talk factSapd look events squarely
in the face. Indiana must be carried this
year by the Republicans to insure the
perpetuity of the Republican party, and
it may be, the continuance of the Nation.
Therefore, our standard bearer must be a
man OF iron will, of uncommon intelli
gence, the most perfect patriotism and of
sterling, irreproachable honesty. The man
possessing, in our judgment, all these attri-
butes in greater degree than any other
gentleman whose name has been men
toned as candidate for governor is Gen
eral Abel ID. Streight. We have nothing
to say in disparagement of the other dis
tinguished gentlemen whose names have
boon so honorably mentioned in connec
ton with the governorship. They are
worthy and well qualified, and any one of
them will meet our most loyal support if
nominated. But A. D Streight we know.
Weeks and months, and we almost might
say years, of close confinement in Libby
prison gave us every opportunity of study
ing and knowing the man. There is not a
little trait in the mans character. In the
prison he was like the shadow of some
great rock in the desert. Men in
stinctly gathered around him. He
was their councillor, their Afriend.
their champion. In him they reposed all
confidence, entrusting to him their money
and laying before him their grievances,
their plans and sharing with him their
every thought. 1t was Streight who def
antly wrote to the rebel Secretary of War
and compelled an increase of rations and
more humane treatment. The rebels feared
Streight while they hated him. In hatred
and defiance they had no advantage of him.
The authorities at Richmond would have
gladly consented to the escape of all the
prisoners who secured their freedom from
Libby prison through that now historic
tunnel-the organization of which is much
due to Streight-if they could have retak-
en- him, and once recaptured, his life would
have paid the forfeit OF his daring and his
patriotism. A volume could be written
about the capture, imprisonment and re-
markable escape of Gen. Streight, but all
that is history now. We only allude to il
to show his perfect manhood, and the high
estimation in which thousand officers,
his fellow prisoners, held nina. ANY mar
rowness of mind or littleness of disposi.
ton is surely developed. if it exists, by con-
tinued confinement. There is not an off,
Ger or soldier with whom A. ID. Streight
was imprisoned or with whom he served,
who will not to-day stand by him and
follow where he leads.
He helped rock the cradle of the Repub-
lican party at its birth. When the war
clouds gathered and the approach of the
storm was heard, Streight never
faltered. When men-and Republicans
were advocating the liberation of peaceful
secession and the dissolution of the Union,
this man realized the full height of the
and wrote and published an
able work advocating war. He went to
Springfield and saw Mr.. Lincoln and en-
couraged him by his patriotism and his
tirmness. When the storm of war burst
upon our peaceful country, he realized
full we'll it's meaning and extent; put
his house in order, raised a regiment
and took the field. HIS career as a
soldier is as bright and unsullied as that
of any Indianian, and where stood
r.
old HOosier State sent into the field?
A. D. Streight stands proudly before the
people of this State with a character as
clear as crystal. His sturdy honesty
makes him the enemy OF rings and cliques,
and like old Andy Jackson, he would
break and trample upon them. He has no
act in his life to defend. He will come
before the people mailed in a record so
perfect that the curningist shaft of malice co
or hatred can find no vulnerable spot.
There will be no explaining, apologizing
or defending Of him on the stump. Heis
a bold and fearless speaker, an active
and magnificent organizer and
man OF wealth and intelligence The emer-
gency made Oliver p. Morton. We dare
to say that other men in Indiana. had the
occasion found them, would have been the
equal of Indiana's great war governor.
We have no hesitancy in saying that the
lamented Senator from this county, the
Hon. David G. Branham, would in all re-
spects have been Morton's equal, and in
many things been his superior Such
man is A. ID. Streight. Splendid in ply
sique, grand in patriotism, perfect in hon
esty and without superior in the lists of
capability, We are free to say that in any
emergency he will arise to the full heighth
of the occasion as Morton did.
The men and the times demand soldier.
The future is ominous. Portents point to
troublesome times Give us positive.
fearless man at the helm The soldiers
are enthusiastic for Gen. StIeIght, already
more counties in the State have instructed
for him than for any other candidate, and
We hope for his unanimous nomination at
the State convention, and enthusiastic
election at the polls next October.