New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-01
an INDJANA LEADER.
A SKETCH OF GENERAL A. p HOVEY.
THE DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF THE REPUBLi-
CAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR.

1 THE DISTINGUISH tAhfLth VI lhb ma
CAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR.
Indianapolis Sept. 80 (spcclaD-General Alvin p.
Uovcy who has been selected TO lead the INDIANA ho
pubcans in their state campaign is in no sense As
has been claimed by some Democratic papers a
politlcal accident or compromise candidate
That he did not seek the Office IS well known, and he
/ even refused TO allow his name TO be used by his
| friends as a possible candidate But his unanimous
selection and the enthusiasm that greeted 1t lett 10
doubt as TO his duty and he has assumed IL win
purpose and vigOr characteristic of the Old days
when with his friends and nerhbors he marched 10
the front at the outbreak Of the Rebellion No Sc
| lection more dshcartcning TO the Democracy could
have been made. General Hovey IS lawyer with
| a widespread reputation throughout the State. HIS
military record covers the years from 1861 TO 1865
and IS more than usually brilliant Just now, as 10
well brown he Is serving his first term in Congress
He is a man. though self-educated. OF good intel
lectual attachments and of some literary rcpu'a'oh'
this latter founded upon letters and articles written
for newspapers and magazines.
General Hovey began life a poor boy. He was
born. one Of family Of seven Children in September
1891 near Mt Vernon, this State, which has since
been his home His education began. as did that Of
most Western boys with tho solitary spelling book
conned I'm the hours stolen from manual labor. At
! thirteen he was assistant to his brother as brick
| layer At seventeen, by hard work and dilsent
! study Of such books as he could command he was
! made teacher OF the town school. While teaching
school his ambition broadcned. and borrowing copy
of Blackstone, with his customary application he
began the study Of law. This he continued with his
school studies but before he reached his majority he
had gained admlttancc TO the bar Within three or
four years his legal business exceeded that of any
| other member of IL, and he was
soon admitted to practice before the
State Supreme Bench. At this time he Democrat
and as such was selected delegate TO the State
| Constitutional Convention in 1850. After taking a
! prominent part there he was elected judge Of his
judicial district and acted such until 1884, when
he was urged for the Congressional nomination, but
was defeated under the old two-hird rule. He was
next made Dlstrct-Atforncy for the State by Presi-
dent Pierce and I'm 1865 he chairman of tho
Democratic Convention. For his support OF stephen
| A. Douglass President Buchanan removed him from
| the post Of Dstlict-Atorney and put in d. W.
Voorhees,.
At the close Of the war, in which he took promi-
nen and honorable part, he became Minister TO Peru
There he remained until 1870 when he returned TO
Mt Vernon In 1856 the Republicans of his district
nominated and elected him Congressman by majority
of nearly 800 In district that had for four years
| been carried by tho Democrats.
| As a Congressman General Hovey has a record
Of which he and his constituents have reason 10 be
proud One Of tho frs; measures he proposed, and
which he aftcrWalf Succeeded IN having p3Sstu, was
an act appropraiing 100000 for Marine Hospital
at Evansville. Among the other bills he introduced
/ was one providing for a pension of SIS a month for
life to every honorably discharged soldier, sailor or
officer who served In the Army OF the United States
! not less than sixty days between 1881 and 1865.
Another granted 100 acres OF land to those engaged
In military or naval services during the Rebellion, and
still another meant TO "equalize the payment OF
the officers soldiers and sailors OF the United states
! In the Rebellion who paid in The currency
commonly called .grcenbacks'n The speeches he
made in advocacy Of these measures were s'rikiAs
| and e!oluent arsgnments Of tho Democratic House
and It's ndispostlOn to consider pension measures
On the outbreak OF The Rebellion Governor Nor:
ton mad issued TO Hovey the commission of Colonel OF
To- St. Louis. From that time he constantly
at the front lie soon promoted to the rank
Of brsadergensIra a ens ' fS r sGe
him. At shiloh his command I,a, HE was was
brigades lost together l.e02 men. After Corntl
Colonel Hovey established himself in Memphis. where
phis he was ordered Into Arkansas and for seven
Eastern Arkansas with 10000 men under lin. After
the fan Of Vicksburg General Hoveys wife died and
he home Grant again requested his SERVICES and
no brought 10000 Indiana troops into the held AND
was with Sherman on his march 10 Atlanta ana the
sea. AT the close OF this campaign General iioVcN
went 10 Washington, where he first learned that he
had been made brcadief-general nearly TWO years
before. Going homo he made another enlistment, and
undertook his famous KENTUCKY ralu. SuDsequehtIS
he placed In command al Indianapolis, Whcfe ne
was at the close OF the war.
No notice Of General IIovey would be complete
without mention of his conviction of the leaders Of
the Indiana Knights OF the Golden Circle. THESE
rccre numerous, and at Governor MortOn's request
General Iovey undertook their capture. The result
was the arrest and trial Of several under strict mill
tary law They were found guilty. and preparations
were made for their execution, when President LIN
coin cOmmuted their sentence 10 Imprisonment As
result Of these heroic measures. General Hovey wa
for long time peril Of his life. and while he was IN
Peru he forced 10 return home TO defend himself
I'm suit brought BY two Of the convicted consprators
in this trial he ably defended by General Harri-
/ son and obtained what was practically victory.