Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-11-27

Vice-President Hendricks's political po-
siticn at the time of his death was his
opposition to the progress of what is called
civil service REFORM and the motive which
led him to take this position and make
himself the rallying point CT all the Demo-
cratic opposition to President Cleveland's
reform policy lie indicated, we believe, by
this analysis. 1t sprang from what he un.
derstood to be the average sense OF the
people. He did not believe that they
wished Tor anything of the kind. He com
WINGED himself that they wish the 'spoils
system to be continued, and therefore he
was q champion OF its continuance. If he
had been convinced that the popular sense
is the other way so, also, would have been
his conduct. II remains to be proved
whether bis understanding of the peoples
wish is accurate. Our " convictions
are that it is not so, but that he wal hon.
est and sincere in h,s championship of the
pernicious system which President Cleve-
land is pledged to abolish ought not to be
doubted for a moment However violent
the a~ntagonism Mr.. Hendricks encoun-
tered in a long life full of bitter contro-
~versies, those noble qualities, honesty and
sincerity, never have beer deliberately de-
MED to him by adversary.
The Times says editorially: "Mr. Hen.
bricks was a type of the sincere and earn
est partisan Democrat, of upright personal
character and considerable ability, whose
sympathies were too narrow and his views
too restricted to permit him to occupy
the place in political history to which he
aspired. He is said to have replied, after
the Presidential canvass of 1850, and
when he was recovering from a severe ILL
ness, to the question whether he was out
politics, that he would never be out of
politics till he was in his grave. and the
remark was characteristic. . He
was, moreover, not a progressive Demo
crat, and it was we'll known that he had
little liking for the principles represented
by the head of the ticket on which he
was elected. But his partisanship never
took him to a point where his probity was
in doubt or his entire fidelity to conscience
Questioned"
The Sun, in a lengthy editorial this
morning, said. "Mr. Hendricks has been
conspicuous as a public man for more than
tnlrty-hve years; adopting the Democratic
.ai,n at h beginning Of his career, he
was faithful to it to the last. There was no
e~ccentricity and no compromise in his po-
litical ideas. The doctrines of Jefferson
and jackson were his doctrines, and he
held fast to the traditional craftsmanship
of his party. He belonged to the people,
and knew nothing Of that pharisaic and
federalist pretension which holds them in
distrust and contempt Il. His political
speeches were filed with this spirit, and,
like his forensic arguments, commanded
respect by their breadth, elevation, vigor
of reasoning and catholic comprehensive
ness. In social life Mr.. Hendricks was
dignified, kindly, cordial, unaffected and
generous. His sympathies were never de-
MED to any deserving cause, or to any
young man ambitious of usefulness and
honor. Happy in his home, beloved by
his fellow-citizsns, his life was enviabls;
and though he did not fulfil all the days
that his friends wished and hoped for him,
his death; too, was enviable. He rests
from his labors, aud the sorrow and affec-
tionate esteem:of the whole country follow
him to the tomb"