The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-02
THE ADDRESS.

The speaker gave running review of
Mr.. Hendricks life. Concerning Mr.. Hen
bricks position the late civil war, the
| speaker said: His judgment upon ques-
tlons of that perilous time was promt and
decided. As early as April, 1861, in the
hrst month of the war, IN letter to some
of his constituents of Shelby county, he
wrote and published these words: Since
the war commenced l have uniformly said
that | regarded it the duty of the citizens
OF Indiana to respect and maintain the
authority of the general government
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 relative to the causes and
responsibility therefor" In the same
tenor were his numerous addresses to the
people in the political campaign of 1852
which Immediately preceded his election
to the senate of the United States. He
entered upon his duties as senator from
the state of Indiana on the 4th of March,
1862 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 insurrection against its authority,
although 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 disposition
should be made of the states whose people
had taken part in the insurrection design
ed to subyert the government. In this
crisis of deliberation he stood upon his
side almost alone. With the lmmOvable
calm and quiet which sustain high spirit
upon great occasions at very early period
in the debate upon the bill for the estab-
ishment of military governments in the
southern states he took his position.
In this course so taken, of a regular and
legitimate reconstruction of the union of
the states few followed him. This doc
trine from the very day and hour of its ut
terance was rejected with every epithet of
reproach and contumely. 1t was beaten,
submerged by large majorities in both
houses of congress. decried as an uncondi-
tional surrender to the enemy. In the
pelting storm of opposition and detraction,
its author and advocate remained unmov-
ed: not only waiting but laboring with all
diligence for that reversal OF opinion
among his countrymen, which after years
of toll and strife came at last. Hendricks
lived to see these principles, once so much
denounced, universally approved; TO
see this policy of reconstruction
adopted as the basis of all legislation upon
the subject; ultimately to behold these
tenetS sanctioned and declared to be the
law of the land, by its highest tribunal,
the supreme court of the United States.
Thus taught the lesson of those days neuer
to be forgotten that war had been waged
for the preservation of the union, not for
the destruction of states. Amid the clang-
or of arms, the shoutings and thunderings
of embattled hosts, scarcely died away, he
was pre-eminently the publicist of that
mOmentOus and perplexing period.
The speaker sketched Mr.. Hendrick's S ca
reer after leaving the senate as governor
of Indiana and vice president of the Unit
ed States and closed with glowing eulo-
gioum.
At the conclusion of Senator Turpie's
address, brief speeches were made by Gov
ernor Hill, Francis and Campbell, and
after benediction by Bishop Chatard, the
assemblage dispersed.
Letters of regret were received from
President Harrison, General Sherman and
and eX-Prerident Cleveland.