Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-03

by big delegation from the Iroquois
Club. Five hundred members of the Duck
worth Club from Cincinnati next put in
an appearance. About every civil and
military organization in Indiana and
many from Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and
Missouri were represented.
The parade moved about ten o'clock.
At the monument the exercises consist
ed Of a welcoming address by Governor
Hovey, music by chorus of 500 school
children, invocation by Rev. J. S.
Jenckes an historical statement
by President Rand, unvailing of
the monument by Mrs. Hendricks, ded-
icatory ode by James Whitcomb Riley,
an address by Senator Turpie and bene-
diction by Bishop Chatard
Senator Turp;e's grafton was the
feature of the occasion.
The speaker gave running review of
Mr.. Hendricks life. Concerning Mr..
Hendricks position during the civil
war, the speaker sad:
His Judgment on the questions of
that perilous time was prompt, decided.
As early as April, 1851, in the first
month of the war; in a letter
to some of his old constituents of
Shelby County he wrote and pub
Hshed these words: Since the war
commenced l have uniformly said
that regard it as the duty of the citi
zens of Indiana to respect and maintain
the authority of the General Govern
ment and to give an honest and earnest
support to the prosecution of the war
until in the providence of God it may be
brought to an honorable conclusion and
the blessings of peace be restored to our
country, postponing until that time all
controversy relating to the causes and
responsibility therefor.
"Of the same tenor were his numer-
Gus addresses to the people in the polit-
ioal campaign of 1852, which immedi-
ately preceded his election in the SEN
ate of the United States. He entered
upon his duties as a Sena tor from Indi-
ana March 4, 1863 and served as such
for term of six years, during which
time he constantly acted and voted in
aid of the Government in every measure
looking to the suppression of armed in
though he always reserved the right as
Senator to freely discuss the civil policy
of the administration. At the conclusion
of the civil war, in that day which saw
the surrender of the Confederate army,
there came the question as to what dis
position should be made of the States
whose people had taken part in the in
surrection designed to subvert the Gov
ernment. In this crisis of deliberation
he stood upon his side almost alone.
With the immovable calm and quiet
which sustain high spirit upon great
occasions, at very early period in the
debate upon the bill for the establish
ment of military governments in the
Southern States he took his posi-
ton. He said: Il desire this to
be a Union in form under the Con-
stitution, and in fact by the harmony
of the people of the North and South. l
deny that at the close of the war there
were no State Governments in the
South. The constitution of a State,
when it has once been admitted, be-
comes a part of the National compact
/ deny that the people of that State
have the right to destroy its govern
ment and thus cease to be within the
Union. I deny that convention, a
Legislature or any other assembly what
ever can voluntarily terminate the ex.
istence of their State government and
thus cut off their connection with the
Federal Union.
SIN the course so taken, of a regular
and legitimate reconstruction of the
nnion of the States. few followed him.
This doctrine, from the very day and
hour of its ute rance, was rejected with
every epitaph of reproach and contume
ly 1t was beaten, submerged by large
ma ajorities in both houses of Congress,
decrted as an unconditional surrender
70 the enemy. In the pelting storm of
opposition and distraction its author
and sdvocate remained unmoved; not
only waiting, but lsboring with all dill
gence for that reversal of opinion among
his countrymen, which. after years
OF toll and strife, came at last Hen
bricks lived to see these principles,
once so much denounced, universally
approved, to see this policy of recon
1EAsHQp. a1opted as the basis Of ell !