The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-23
presentation, and DO not wonder that he has
declined il. He could do nothing else. The
thing was too manifest"
HovEY's RECORD.
An Incident Illustrative of His Zeal In Be-
half of the Worlxipgmen.

An Incident Illustrative of His Zeal in Be-
half of the woridDgmen.
epecial to the Indianapolis Journal
WAsHINGToN, Aug. %. - General Hovey's
record has many features which recommend him
to the support of the lsborine-men and wsge-
earners generally. When he voted for Thebe.
who contested Speaker Carlisle's seat in the
House, he was simply following up line OF
action which was only small portion of his life
work. To-day the Journal correspondent learned
from an Indianian an act of General Hoveys
soon after the close of the Mexican war, which
shows that he was the friend OF the laboser long
before he had any idea of running for Governor
or. in fact, any Office At the time mentioned
General Hovey was quite young lawyAr. and
resided, as at present at Mount Vernon. A
wealthy old citizen named William Mcclure
died at New Harmony, leaving q will. which
gave to the poor people desiring literature
and an education ell Of his possessions.
and was mostly in lands The will provided
that the money should be expended in libraries
for men who labored with their hands, and it di-
rected that expenditures. DOT exceeding 5000 In
each instance, should be made on libraries in
any community where oetermination Was
shown to accumulate library by personal effort
OF those directly intere9ed. The expenditure
could be made in every instance where the
laborers had collected fifty volumes. Very soon
after the contents of tho will became known, the
relatives of the deceased philanthropist an
nounced that they would contest the will, and
immediately went to law. General Hovey was
heartily in sympathy with the philsnthropic
work proposed by Mr. Msclure, aud he at once
took charge Of the case, representing the valid
ity of the will and the laborinE people interest
ed. There were number OF suits In the lower
courts, and finally General HoHey was COM
PEELED TO take the case to the SuVfene Court In
order to maintain the provisions OF the will. He
was sustained in the court above. and then FOL
lowed over fifty suits for the sales of the lands
With his customary tenacty General H0vey
won every case. and succeeded in securing over
sl50.000 in cash from the estate. All OF this he
judisiously and carefully expended for books. as
provided Dy the will. and there are to-day scores
Uf libraries IN southv estern Indiana which were
established with this money. and hundreds or
thousands Of people-for a generation has exist
Cd since the libraries were established-have
read these books. and have enjoyed tns
rasults Of them. The suits brought In contest
OF the will are to be found in the Fifth Indi-
ara Reports, and are. OF course, accessible for
veritcstion and information to any one desir-
ing TO look them up
A gentleman who lived in tho immediate
vicinity Of General Hovey during the long
period covering these contests in the courts.
and the establishment of the libraries, says
the earnestness evinced by the General in his
work ELECTED the admiration and the gratitude
of everybody. He was very enthusiastic in
his work, aud took great pride in carrying ont
the letter Of tbs will, and seeing the benefits it
brought about He says. further. that in that
early dav the benefcaries OF this WILL aud. in
fact, every one who Was coDversant with the
merits OF the case and the part General Hovey
took. were solid in their support for him. II
will thus be seen that when General hovey
advocated on behalf Of the laboring people Of
the Sixth Kentucky district an investigation
Into the election Of Speaker Carlisle at the
beginning OF this Congress-, he was only fol-
lowing up the line be started upon when he
was very young man.