Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-07-10

I,OA III
the lands he titled. builder also of the house
he first lived n,while the son, afterward the
Vice-Pres dent OF this great Nation, had.
when grown to sufficient age, taken part in
the labors of the field and house hold.
Many years afterwaId, in the meridian of
his career, he pleasantly recalled the time
when he used to see the miller all white
with dust standing in the door of his mill,
while as a boy he waited patiently until the
sack with grist in it was adjusted TO the
horses back for his homeward ride.
The orator referred to the first appear
ance of the deceased statesman in pub
lie life rs a Representative from the County
of Shelby in tile General Assembly, and in
which capacity he left upon the minds OF
his colleagues such an opinion OF his abIli-
ties laid the foundation for that respect
and esteem in which he always continued
to be held by them and their cons itueucies.
\ touching reference was made to Mr..
Hendricks marriage to Miss Eliza Morgan,
of North Bend, O.. in ls45, and all eyes for
the moment were directed towards the
widow of the deceased who bowed her head.
Coming down to war times, the orator said
that as senator Mr.. Hendricks constantly
acted and voted in aid of the Government in
every measure looking to the suppression
of armed Instruction against its authority,
although he always reserved the right,
Senator,tO discuss the civil policy OF the Ad-
| miniStration freely. His suggestions and
amendments to the pending bills for the
maintenance of the National forces then in
the field were so timely, useful and impOr-
| tant as frequently to command the approval
of the majority of the Senators politically
adverse to his views.
At the conclusion of the civil war, in that
crate forces. there came the qnestlon as TO
what disposition should be made of the
States whose people had taken part in the
instruction designed to subvert the Gov
| eminent. This grave problem WAS present
| ed to Hendricks in the midst OF his term as
Senator, while in the whole range OF former
| legislation and Jurisprudence there was no
precedent for the solution thereof. Under
| the policy in vogue among the ancient
republics, during their rise and progress, for
| centuries the conquered inhabitants of Il
revolving state or province were treated in
Iafl mt, mr.
| cipal powers of modern Europe had pursued
| 4 similar course. The dealings OF the British
Government with Insurgent subjects, with
rebelions in England, Scotland. Ireland and
| elsewhere, afforded only Il long recital of
prescription, attainder, connscations' anu
| eXecutions-the severest pains. fines and
| forfeiture of merciless penal code. Here
| were no doubt sprecedents, but none for
| the senator from Indiana toward whom
| at this time every eve was turned upon
one known to be unjust to the interest OF n o
| section devoted to the well being of all.
The problem was peculiarly American, only
| to be solved by wise and comprehensive
| consideration of the laws. the institutional
| theories, political traditions and history of
| our own States and people. In this crisis of
| delibcratiOn he stood, upon his side, al most
| alone. With the immutable calm and quiet
| which sustain the high spirit upon such
| occasions, ut very early period in the de-
| bate upon the bill for the establis hnent of
| military governments IN the southern
| States, he took this position: 81 desire this
| to be n Union in form under the Con
| stitution and in fact, by the harmony of the
| people of the North and south deny that
| at the close OF the war there were no State
| Governments in the Southern States. The
| Constitution of a State, when it has once
been admitted. becomes part of the Ma
| tional compact. l deny that the people of
| that State have the right to ssroy its gov
| eminent and thus cease 10 be within the
Union. 1 deny that a convention, Legis-
| lature, of any other assembly Whatever
| can voluntarily terminate the ex-
| istence of their State govern
| ment and thus cut off their connection
with the Federal Union" And again he
| SafI deny TINT act of the state, :
question of law, can have the erect TO ue-
| strov the relation OF the State TO the Mon
Practically the relations were disturbed;
practically the State was for time not IN
| harmony with the General Government; but
| ITS existence as n State; Its Constitution and
| laws. except those enacted in aid OF the re-
| belion, continued all tue way through the
war. and when peace came IL FOUND tne STATE STATE
with its Constitution and laws unrepeal-
ed and in full force, holding that State 10 IT'S
place in the Federal Government In
! passage of singular force and eIoquence,
| more particularly addressed to his col
| league, Senator Morton, he says; MI. ffes-
ident my colleague has spoken Oh eoiu mn
said lit is rot hewn of a single stone, but
| composed of many blocks SIR. thlnk ne
| military rule, brought from the quarries of
| Austria, and upon that foundation rests .ne
block from tn tn fFea iop anS point With
| fragments of our broken INSTITUTIONS.
That column will not stand IL VIII ia..
| and its architects will be crushed beneath IT'S
ruins. In its stead the p~spie VIII oenoid
| thirty seven stately and beautiful columns.
| pure and white as Paria- marble, upon
| which shall rest forever tbs lofty structure
| of the American Union In TINS course
| taken for regular and legitimate recon- e,
struction of the Union of the States lie" ioi-
lowed him. This doctrine from the very Gay
and hour of Its utterance was rejected ",tn
| every epithee of reproach and contumeLy'
| 1t was beaten, submerged by large MAORI
| ties in both houses of Congress; derldeo as
| an unconditional surrender to the enc
my In the pelting storm OF De
| traction and opposition Its author
| and advocate remained unmoved; not only
| waiting, but laboring with all diligence Tor
| that reversal of opinion of his country men,
| which. after years of toll and strife, came at
| last. Hendricks lived to see those prtncl-
Piles. once so much denounced universally
| approved; to see this policy of reconstrue-
ton 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 he taught the lesson of those
| days never to be forgotten. that the war had
| been waged for the preservation of the
sf"i~n not for the destruction of the States.