The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-10
mot INoLUDINa THE War PERIOD

mot INCLUDING THE WAR PERIOD
In his speech at Muncie Mr.. Hendricks, in
reviewing the public services of the Repub-
Ican party since it came into power, said he
did mot choose to include in that period the
period of the war" And why not prayR
The Republican party is willing to compare
men and measures from March 4, 1861, to
September 9, 1884. At any and all points it
is anxious to afford the fullest, freest com
parison. What is there in the history of the
period during the war that Mr.. Hendricks
does not care to discuss9 Is it the fact that
there was a Democratic secret reasonable or
ganization in Indiana known as the Sons Of
Libertyf Is it that the Democratic party, as
political organization, was the ally of seces-
sion, the school of treason, and bent on the
destruction of the Union9 Is it that pc
rusal of the history Of those years would re-
veal the fact that Daniel w. Voorhees, re-
garded Union soldiers as t1incoln dogs" and
advised them to get collars bearing that title9
Is it that Indiana was honeycombed
with Democratic organizations plotting
civil war to be inaugurated right
here in Indianapolis9 Is it that
Mr.. Hendricks favored the establishment of a
Northwest Confederacy, 50 that the South
might withdraw from the Eastern States and
perpetuate the infamy of human slavery Is
it because history would show that Demo
cratic Indiana Legislature refused to confer
the right of suffrage upon the soldiers in the
feldG Is it because thousands of letters were
written by Indiana Democrats to soldiers in
the army, urging themto DESERT Isit because
it will be remembered that Indiana Democrats
contributing for,the relief of soldiers families
at home, by the infamous Islander that they
were living better than they had ever done,
and by foul imputations on the chastity Of
soldiers wivesf Is it because Democrats like
Voorhees, declared against voting another
man or another dollar for the prosecution of
the war9 Or, is it because Thomas A. Hen
bricks, in those trying times could not
advise anybody to enlist because he himself
would not enlistg Is it because the record
shows that Thomas A. Hendricks twice
voted against the draft act necessary
to fill up the shattered regiments, and also
voted against the supplement to the enroll
ment act, passed in July, 1861 Is it because
in that year Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks
made bitter attack on Abraham Lincolnf Is
it because the record shows that he never ia
vored war measure, and bitterly opposed the
employmentso Of colored troopsf Is it because
he, as a Democrat, fought tho constitutional
amendment abolishing slaveryf Is it because
the record shows that he was one Of the five
Democrats in the Senate who voted against
the tariff act Of 18649 Is it because
Democrats offered resolutions in both
branches of the Indiana Legislature
declaring the war for the Union
failure, and advocating compromise? Is it
because the national party, in convention at
Chicago, declared the war failure Mr.. Hem
bricks being in the city when this infamous
Islander on our armies was passed. Is it be-
cause the Democratic party of Indiana, in ev-
cry county in which it had majority, passed
resolutions Of sympathy and encouragement
for the SOUTH Is it because thirty two prom
inent Indiana Democrats, among them Hon.
Joseph E. Mcdonald, wrote letter Of sympa-
thy to Vallandigham when in exile for his
treason9 What is there in the period Of the
war that Mr.. Hendricks does not like to CON
slider, now that twenty years have passed.
What but Democratic record Of
treason and hostility to every measure
intended to strengthen the government and to
sustain the Union soldiers in the feldf Mr..
Hendricks is right in not choosing to con
slider that period. No Democrat chooses to
do 50. The period from the midsummer Of
1860 to the surrender at Appoinattox is not
dwelt on in Democratic meetings, for the man
who is not heartily ashamed Of having been q
Democrat at any time between those two:
dates has no conception Of what shame is. If
50 be that Mr.. Hendricks has at last come to
realization Of how infamous the Democratic
party was during the war, he is to be con-
graduated.
IT is true that Hon. W. H. Calkins, in his
meeting with Colonel Gray to arrange terms
for joint discussion, suggested one meeting