Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-08-07
HENDRICKS INFORMED
He Accepts for the Sake Of the Fraud
0f'76.
Hendricks, speech.

The committee appointed by the
chicago convention to notify Mr.. Hen
bricks OF his nomination for the vice
presidency waited upon that gentleman
in Saratoga, July 80. The address pre-
sented to Mr.. Hendricks expresses the
same sentiments as the one to Mr.. Cleve-
land the day before. The address of
Hon. w. +. Villas the chairman of the
national convention was eloquent and
impressive, and referred gracefully TO the
distinguished services of Mr.. Hendricks.
10 these addresses Mr.. Hendricks re-
piled Lriehy as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF
THE COMMITTEE:
cannot realize that man should
ever stand in the presence of commit
tee representing a more august body of
men than that which you represent. In
the language oe another, "the conven-
ton was large in number, august in
character and patriotic in sentiment"
and, may add, that that was so be-
cause of the power AMI the grandness
and the virtues of the party which it rep
resented and which was in itself very
great convention. The delegates come
from all the states aud territories, and
| believe, too, from the District of Co
lumbia. They come clothed with
the authority and sovereignty of the
people; clothed with authority to ex-
press Judgment and opinion upon all
those questions which are not settled by
constitutional laws, and they purpose
passing upon these questions and select
ing ticket for the people. That con-
vention assemblies they decided upon
the principles that they would adopt as
their platform; they selected candidates
that they would propose to the party
for their support, and that conventions
work was then done.
have not reached the period when
it Is proper for me to consider the
strength and force of the statements
made in the platform. 1t is enough for
me TO know that it comes at your hands,
addressed by patriotic devotion to the
democratic party Applause | ap-
prec!ate the honor that is done me.
need not question that, but at the same
time that l accept the honor from you
and from the convention feel that the
duties and responsibilities of the office
rest upon me also,
| know that sometimes il is under
stood that this particular office, that OF
vice president, does not involve much
responsibility, and as a general thing
! that is so; but sometimes it comes 10
represent very great responsibility; and
it will be so in the near future; for al
! the present time the senate of the United
States stands almost equally divided
between the two great parties. and il
may be that these two great partie:
shall so exactly differ that the vice
president Of the United States snail
have to decide upon questions of law by
the exercise of the casting vote. The
responsibility would then be very great
1t would not be the responsibility oil
representing a state or district. II
would be the responsibility of repre-
senting the whole country and the ap
plication would be to the judgment OF
the whole country, and tho vote wher
thus cast should be- in obedience to the
| just expectations and requirements OF
the people of the United States.
1t might be, gentlemen, that upon
another occasion grave responsibility
would attach to this office. II may
come under circumstances of some
difficulty do not thipk that
it will at The next election =
but il may occur under
circumstances of some difficulty. The
president of the senate may have to
take his part in the counting of the cleo.
toral votes, and allow me TO say tina,
that duty is not to be discharged in
obedience to any set of men or party,
but in obedience TO the highes. authori.
ty. Applause.
You have heard of the fac. that am
honored by this nomination in very
special degree. accept the suggestion
you have suggested that in this candi-
dacy will represent the right of the peo-
pie TO choose their own rulers, that
right that is above ALL for if the people
are denied the right to choose their
own officers according to their own
judgment, what shall become of the
rights Of the people at all? What shall
become OF free government if the peo-
pie elect not their own officers? How
shall they control the laws-their adj
ministration and their execution? So
that in suggesting that in this candi-
dacy represent that right of the peo-
pie, you have suggested great honor
as devolving upon me by the conf
dence of the convention. AS soon as il
may DO convenient anG possible for me
to do SO, will address you more for
mally in reply to the letter which you
have given me.
l thank you gentlemen cordially.