National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-29
A DUBIOUS POLITICAL RECORD
Thomas A. Hendricks During the War and AZ
tcrward-A Sympathiser with Trcason-ilis
Utterances at Home aud in tho Senats--A
Record tho Democrats would Like TO Forget.


mated any bcuohclal measure, and his namo
is not connected with any useful OF progressive
legislation, except In opposition. He nevor at
tackled or condemned an abuse In his own
party. He was the alologist and supporter OF
slavery as long as 1t existed. lie voted to re-
peal tho Missouri cOmpromiso In order that
slavery might no extended, and for that vote
was rewarded by President Buchanan with the
office of commissioner of the general land Of
flee. AS n member of the constitutional con
vcntion he assisted IN framing aud advocated
and defended the provision in the Indiana
constitution which prohibited fTUe negroes
nom coming into or settling In the state.
While In the senate Mr.. Hendricks
voted uniformly against the colored race,
against emancipation IN the District
OF Columbia, against the right OF col
orcd people to ride In street cars, against
their employment as soldiers, and against
their right 20 testify In courts of justice. lie
opposed the thirteenth fourteenth, and If
teenth amendments TO tho constitution. In
the senate on Feb. l6, 1866, he declared: 1--WE
do not let thom thc colorcd peoplel vote, and
unless you compel US to do 1t we propose never
to do It," And again he said: But, Mr.. Pred-
dent, we do not want TO mako the oolorcd pco-
pie voters. We are not Of tho same race; we
one political community" He opposed tho
repeal of the fugitive slave law. and de-
nouncod tho emancipation proclamation rs
revolutionary.
Mr.. Hcndrickss war records one OF deter
mined and consistent opposition to the war
and to the right of the government to suppress
| the rebellion by arms Ills sympathies were
with the south, and he went as far in express
ing them as considerations Of policy and pcr-
sonol safety would permit. When the war
broke out Mr.. Hendricks was u member Of the
| First Presbyterian church congregation at
| indianapolis, but when the pastor preached q
sermon declaring 1t to be the duty Of all Chris
| tlan people TO sustain tho government III tho
| enforcement Of the laws aud the suppression
of the rebellion, Mr.. Hendricks with several
others of his way ofthinking, left that church
and assisted in founding another on different
basis.
In speech delivered on January s, 1862, be-
fore democratic convention In indianapolis,
he denounced tho administration for beginning
war against the south, and declared that,
speaking as sectional man, If the war
should have the effect TO abolish the northern
market in the south, then he would advise tho
northwest to lookout for itself. In another
| speech, still dwelling on the wrongs OF the
south, he declared that the old union OF the
states could only be restored by permitting the
democratic party TO resume control of the gov
crnmcnt and allowing the southern states to
dictate the terms of union. 'If" said Mr..
Hendricks, this Is rendered impossible by the
folly or wickedncss of the party IN power, then
The mighty northoes, must take care Of herscy and
her otc interests aud not di'o,c 1e arts aud nCSSe
Of Ne,c EaDidad and he eastern t,ta Of poCer, com
| I, af her
| mercc ard trade"
| This expression was universally understood
at the time as an open approval of tho sch eme
ofa disloyal organization in Indiana for the
establishment OF an Independent northwest
ern confederacy It was widely quoted in the
| south us evidence of the weakness of Mr.. Lin
coins administration In the north, and as
proof of the aid and support which the south
ern states might soon expect to receive in the
| northwest under the leadership of Mr.. Hend-
ricks and other democrats
Ina speech delivered ut Shelbyville, IN
diana, In February, 1868, after denouncing tho
emancipation proclamation and the arming of
the negroes, Mr.. Hendricks said although l
make no appeals to men to volunteer, US
| would not say 20 when was not going my
| self, yot must say to those who have volun-
tarily enlisted, you cannot relieve yourselves
by u breach ofIaw and you ought not to in.
volve your friends in acts of violence which
must bring trouble upon them" He has
since pointed with pride to this uttcrance as
proof that ho did not favor desertions from
the army nor approve the numbering of en-
rolling officers, Of which there had recently
boon sn,un n.tsraus instances In IN
diana, by members of a treasonablo
democratic organization known as the
"Knights of the Golden Circle" In the same
speech delivered two years before the close oi
the war, Mr.. Hendricks said "At any moment
] am ready for compromise and adjustment
upon the basis of n restored union-to give the
south all rights under the constitution, aud
such guarantees as may make their right'
secure" In tho campaign which preceded
his election as senator Mr.. Hendricks was
posted 10 speak ut Seymour, Ind, on Sept. II
The handbill announcing the fact called
upon 'all who were in favor of peace, all whC
desired TO be free from the death grip of thli
wicked, tyrannical, and imbecile administra
tion, Its arbitrary and illegal arrests and IL
draft and conscription laws TO come out and
hear this advocate of peace and reunion"
During the war one Charles w. Hall, proml
nent democrat living in Indianapolis, became
a government contractor, and furnished
large number of horses ind mules 10 the gov
eihuen' N'v, "nIle !" "aa ui''ureieu wa
he hau con Ioea nn' s,u,s ,,. i"uu' , .o w.as ~ y.
iesveo sie svnu s'a aoS Su,,sy' unu .,Sa se ", !.
pay = Aiio vi StVyo' 49, auu 20 mp % o..
sion.ns , Az ,n1 NY, S.o ,.so' pU nn M. @ o, na'
uiiens WI, lie aui .e =, UnSo aa
,1ueu W ,un a'iu s"e. - az,
iaii paiIoneu ono ",ei - .nis no nsa go, @
uppoil,eu !" pos,''oH IN ,ne ueasmy u.pa,. a.a,
0 inen' IN nashinston' auu suDs,4ueny na'
, 10, - a'.,a,,, 49,. -, r,u,,,oh ~
'no nom , ia -, uua.om no'u' .,o'' "''A ~
as nn,.sr,.,,S ,a. ,I,a nto,a u,a S.' ., por.
~, ~ 80 o,rot,,oa n'. p.oaisa.. ~,
n,or VIZ VS. va "p -, ~ os,oans 'o ~.
Z son oon'o.o, o y, ,s su',o =" % ,v" oiiol' ".
| JODnson Hist uoniiultcu ruller ior Coinuit