The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-23
THEY PLAYED AND LOST.
The Attempt of Indiana Democrats to Nomi'
nate Hendricks for Yresidenf.

The Attempt of Indiana Democrats to Nomi-
nate Hendricks for President.
o. o. SIS West Baden Letter in Louisville Courier
Journal
bricks recalls to my memory an unwritten
political chapter. Something occurred here
IN the summer of 1879 that did more to de-
feat the permanent restoration of the Demo
cratic party to power than any one thing
of the most intimate friends of
the late Mr.. Hendricks, closely allied
with his political fortunes, met here
and at French Lick. l never knew whether
the meeting was prearranged or accidental.
l only know that large number of the
best friends of the popular and distin-
guished Democrat We're here in close and
constant caucus. l was here at the time,
and, though a friend of Mr.. Hendricks,
was not admitted into full membership by
Journal, which was then advocating
the nomination of the 'Old ticket
While some few of Mr.. Hendricks
friends favored that programme, a very
large large majority opposed IT. Among the ma
the party, who controlled its State organ
lzation and machinery and shaped party
action. l could give the names of many of
them were 1T necessary, which it is not.
satisfy their curiosity by referring to the
Lick.
The question agitated among the Demo-
cratic politicians present was: "Should Mr..
Hendricks again run with Mr.. Tildenf"
1t was a serious and important question
to be decided. for it was well understood
that If Mr.. Hendricks consented to again
run with the great New York Democrat,
the Democratic national convention of 1880
would simply be a grand Democratic jubi-
lee and ratification meeting. Mr.. Hem
bricks at this time had not positively de-
clined to make the race, but it was gener-
ally well understood that he did not care to
Voorhees,, that IF my friends and the boys
want me to run again will ask them and
let me know"
Unfortunately, perhaps, for us all, in
Guiding Mr.. Hendricks, Senator. Voorhees,
friends of the dead Vice-president were
opposed to the old ticket. Why l could
never unerstand, for it was the only step
ping.stOne Mr. Hendricks had to the White
House. 1t was. dollars to cents that the
old ticket would be reelected. and that
Mr.. Tildon would retire in 1884, and that
Mr.. Hendricks would succeed him. Yet the
friends of Mr.. Hendricks who met here
In such large numbers in 1879 took up the
notion that when the convention met and
satisfied itself that Mr.. Hendricks would
not run for Vice-president it would NOM
for them to think so, but they did,
and, with that idea glued in their
heads. they decided here at West Baden,
one year previous to the Cincinnati
convention, that Mr.. Hendricks should
not take the second place on the
ticket-that he must be first or nothing
1t was nothing. The convention came off,
1t was q snowy dress parade affair. There
was no heart or sentiment in the gathering
The fraud of 1877 was condoned. A soldier
and a millionaire were put on the ticket.
The soldier funked on the tariff question
and the millionaire flunked on his promise
a crushing defeat, as it deserved, and the
people were again cheated out of an honest
government.
Mr.. Tilden would have again run for
President in 1880 had Mr.. Hendricks stood
with him. He told me so at Graystone a
year before he died. Had he run it would
have been a walk-over for the Democracy,
for there were thousands of honest men all
over The country anxiously waiting the OPP
portunity to rebuke the steal of the presi-
dency the four years previous. Had the
old ticket been renominated in 1880, as it
should have been, the Democratic party
would be in power to-day, and the robbery
of the people would have long since ceased.