Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-01
The Speech Of Mr. Hendricks.


Convention rs q candidate for vicc-Prcsi-
dent Of the United States Is not as good as
Mr.. CIEyELASD's, we think. II was hard
liz equal 10 the occasion, whereas Mr..
C.EyEIASp's was. But there Is in the ma
ture OF things very good reason why Mr..
HESpmcKs's speech should fall short OF
Mr.. (LKvELASD's In respect OF rich rheto-
ric and popular sentences. The Office OF
President OF the United States is the high
est in the world. The Office OF Vice-PreSi-
dent Of the United states is only important
potentialiy-in posse, not In eSSe.
The following extract Is from Mr.. HEN
pMcKs's speech:
alt might be, gentlemen, that upon an
other occasion responsibility would attach
10 this Office. II might occur that under
ci,c, instances OF some difliculty-l don't
think II will be the next election, but II
may occur under circumstances OF some
dificuIty-thc President OF the Senate will
have TO take his part In counting the cleo
foral vote; and allow me 20 say that that
duty il moi 10 be discharged IN obedience
10 any set OF men. or OF any party, but IN
obedience to higher authority. ZAP
plause.)"
This language needs explanation. We
presume that Mr.. HENDRICKS meant to say
that as the presiding officer Of the Senate he
would not consult party interests, nor any
interests other than those Of the whole poo
pie, If he should ever be called upon to
"iake part in counting the electoral vote"
Observe, he does not say "sount," but
stake part In counting" He used the pro-
Der phrase. In 1877. when Mr.. HEN
bricks was thought TO be in danger OF
being counted out by the President Of the
Senate, II was the almost unanimous opin-
ion OF the Democratic senators, and the
opinio, also OF several OF the Republican
senators. that The President OF the Senate
had 10 do with counting the vote nothing
that authorized biD 10 decide as between
two sets OF returns from the same State. IL
was 10 avoid the troubles which would
have resulted from this unauthorized eXer-
else Of rover by the President or the Sc
Iaie that the Electoral Commission bill was
framed and passed. Never can we forget
the powerful argument OF Mr.. CoNKIJNG
denying the power In question TO the Pre-
sidcnt Of the Senate. nor the happy manner
in which he illustrated one Of his points.
The Constitution provides as follows:
1.-The President Of the Senate shall In the
presence OF the Senate aud House OF Re-
representatives. open all the certificates, and
the votes shall then be counted"
As Mr.. C0NKLISo showed, this language
does In effect deny to the President Of the
Senate the very power which II was sup
posed the then President OF the Senate
claimed. For, said Mr.. CoSKLISG, IL the
trainers OF the Constitution had intended
TO confer the power claimed upon that off,
Ger, the words "the votes shall then be
counted " would never have appeared In
the Constitution, but the sentence would
have closed with the words, "and count
the votes" or, as Mr.. COSKLING so felici
tously Illustrated his point, the Constitu-
ton marches with the President OF the
Senate TO the word certificates" and
then "tlrns its bach upon him" We
choose to understand Mr.. HENDRICKS as
concurring in opinion with Mr.. CoNKLIsG
upon this point, now AS he did, we doubt
not. eight years ago.
Mr. HENDRICKS made the following sig.
nifcant remarks:
" Gentlemen, you have referred to tho
fact that am honored by this nomination
In very special degree. accept the
suggestion that in this candidacy l will
represent the right Of the people TO choose
their own rulers; that right that is above
all, that lies beneath all, for II the people
are denied the right TO choose their own
officers, according to their own judgment,
what shall become OF the rights OF the peo-
pie at alp What shall become Of free gov
eminent IL the people select not their Off.
cerss Shall they control the laws, their
administration. and their execution; so
that In suggesting that in this candidacy ]
represent that right OF the people, as you
have suggested, great honor has devolved
upon me ty the confidence Of the Conyen-
ton -
"Tbe right Of the people TO choose their
own rulers" IL indeed the one overriding
question to be decided next November.
Mr.. HESDRIcKs represents the people In this
matter. In peculiar sense he stands for
their right to choose their own rulers, since
he was their chosen Vice-Presldent. In 1876,
hut was defrauded out Of the Office. The
wrong done 10 him personally need not be
taken into the account. The burning
shame Is the wrong done to the people
themselves. and the reproach thereby
brought upon popular government. For,
say the monarch,sts, what Is your
boosted government by the people worth
when tricksters are allowed 10 cheat the
voters out OF the ruler Of their choice, and
the voters subjected 10 the humiliation Of
being ruled by men whom they had reject
edi This point cannot be too strenuously
insisted upon-that the Republican lead.
err must be obliged to pledge themselves
in advance not to try to carry any southern
State by the employment OF the military,
nor by using Government money, nor
by surrounding the ballot-boxes with Fed. |
eral deputy-marshals and supervisors OF |
elections, nor by coucting for BLAINE the |
vote Of any State that shall have voted for
CLEVELAND. Let us settle this one question
this year. That will be glory enough for
one presidential campaign. Let us put the
Government upon the track which Il left in
1877. Afterwards questions Of less i'm.
portsnce can be settled. The people who
unite this year TO transmit free govern
ment 10 posterity may next year divide into
two or more parties upon any issue that
may arise.
The General Assembly.
Several interesting questions have been