Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-12-11
AFTER THE RATTLE.
Mr.. Hendricks Tells of his War Rec
ord.
And Forcibly Answer Charges of Uu,
patriotism Made Against Him
Remarks to a Delegation of
War Veterans.

INDIANAPOLIS, December "a dele.
cation representing the Marion county
Democratic Soldiers and Sailors Asso-
cigtion, called on Vice Prekident-elect
Hendricks last evening and rendered
their congratulations on the result of
the recent election. In response, ad-
dressing the spokesman of the party,
Mr.. Hendricks said:
~ am very much gratified that you
have been made the medium by your
comrades of expressing to me the senti-
ments of your own speech, and of the
address of your association. You would
distrust my sincerity did say that /
am not grateful for the honor you have
done me, and the congratulations from
you and your comrades are specially
gratifying when / consider the fact that
you and | shared, in the contest of last
summer, the greatest political contest
our country has even known. With
success we have come from that field of
contest, sharing in its responsibilities
and its glories. You have referred to
one characteristic of the contest which
| hope never to see repeated in our
country. The personal attacks and
ISLANDERS that have beer. INDUCED in are
unworthy of American politics. Ihave
not troubled to answer the misrepre-
sentations to which / have been sub
jected. Four times these fabrications
have been before the people of Indiana,
and four times have they given them
the lie. AS to these fabricatiOns, / have
not turned to the right nor the left, and
will now but briefly repeat them. Dur
ing the first month of the war / found
it necessary to correct one of the mis-
representations that time, and used the
following language: "Since the war
commenced / have uniformly said that
the authority of the United States is
not questioned in Indiana, and l regard
it as the duty of the citizens of Indiana
to respect and maintain that authority,
and to give to the government hearty
and honest support in the prosecution
of the war, until in the providence of
God, it may be brought to an honorable
conclusion, and the blessings of peace
shall be restored to our country, post
poning until that time all controversies
in relation to the causes and RESPONSE
bilities of the war. No man will feel
deeper solicitude in the welfare and
proud bearing of the Indiana soldiery
in the conflict of arms to which they are
called than myself" The sentiments
thus expressed guided my conduct
throughout the war. One of the politi-
cal leaders of the times hascharged that
I failed in my duty in opposing the
law for draft. TO the opposition to the
draft plead guilty. I found army vol
untecrs encouraged by suitable boun-
ties, and during the first month of my
service in the Uuited States Senate I
said: Tdesire to express the opinion that
Congress ought to encourage volunteer
ing rather than rely upon what of nec-
essity must be an unpopular measure
of the government, the draft did
not regard the draft as reliable support
for the army. Prior to that time 1885,
600 men had been drafted, 5000 entered
the service under the draft, 10000 sub
stitutes were furnished, and 10000
were induced to volunteer by bounties
which the combinations enabled the
department to pay. A draft of 125, 900
resulted in $4,000 soldiers in the field.
l believed then, and have believed ever
since, that the volunteers, encouraged
by suitable bounties, relieving them
from anXieties about provision for their
homes, was the best assurance of sup
port to the army. The same politician
to whom / have referred, speaking of
myself said: He did not vote in favor
of any measure that looked to carrying
on the war; I will refer but to two
acts in the Senate in answer. On the
23d of April, 1854, I offered an amend
ment to the army appropriation to in
crease the pay of soldiers and non-com-
missioned officers reasonably in proper
ton to the. then deprecated condition
of the currency; l thought that the pro-
portion was an encouragement to the
army and to enlistments. My colleague,
Colonel Lane, voted with me on that
subject. On the same day I voted for
the great appropriation bill for the
army for the coming year. 1 believe it
was the largest appropriation bill ever
passed in this. five hundred
and thirty millions, I believe it was,
and it was this appropriation that car
ried the army to the close of the war
under which many battles were fought,
under which Sherman marched to the
sea and the surrender was made to
Grant"
Mr.. Hendricks closed by returning
thanks for thanks. The delegation
then shook hands with the Vice Presi-
dent-elect and social courtesies were
exchanged.
BuckIin's Arnica Salve.