The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14
UNCLE DICK WASN'T THERE,
INDIANA REPUBLICANS MISSED HIM
AT THEIR CONVENTION.

4 ~ AhNAA SNtA IOT
Sixty Years and Sent n Letter Saying III,
Health Wouldn't Permit Him to Az.
tend This Ons-His Picturesque Career.
ANDERSON. Ind. Aug, 19.-The absence from
the Republican State Convention last week NJ
the Hon. II. W. Thompson marks the passinp
of Indiana's grand old man." who. to the Re-.
publicans OF the nation Us well as TO the Re.
publicans OF his own State. ia better known by
the familiar title Of Uncle Dick Thomson -
From time almost immemorial. "Uncle Dtnk"
has been the most picturesque character in
the Indiana and national conventions of the
Republican party. He has presided often.
and his speeches have long been regarded in
Indiana az the keynote of the campaign. IA
he said in his letter to the convention, this was
the first time he missed being "one of them"
He said that his health is such now that hs
cannot stand the physical and nervous strain Of
q convention. His short letter. to those who
read between the lines. was a sorrowful fare.
we'll to the fondest Of his playthings and his
amusements-a political convention. He closed
It with q very concise and well-denned state.
ment Of the Issues and outlook. As a final
statement he wrote:
1.-THE first State convention / ever attended
was held in Indianapolis. Jan. %, 1893. the
object being to counteractthe financial vagaries
Of the Democratic parry
Thus. by his own statement. Uncle Dick"
mas DeeH u ldCUOE III uulhu pOllJlCb lOE 6lAty
years, while his connection with political parties
dates beyond that. It was known generally
among the delegates that he was sinking and
the convention returned a telegram In which IL
wished him many happy years and a return OF
viGor. 1t was q touching incident, and many
OF the delegates who for thirty. forty and fifty
years have seen him year after year assisting
in the work Of caucusing. pulling wires. naming
tickets. framing platforms. presiding and
1900 H. H. .A1.As-.I 900 AII
sonal regret.
Republicans and Democrats alike know his
very prominent connection with the political
movements OF the past half century, while
many are familiar with them further back.
The fact that he was one Of the electors who
placed William Henry Harrison in the Ex-
ecutive chair OF the nation and was one OF
the advisers OF his grandson, Benjamin
Harrison. a half century later. indicates in
a measure the very broad scope of his polit-
ical life. According to his own statement, he
has been associated in one way or another with
every President Of the nation except George
Washington and John Adams. he has said.
" saw Thomas Jefferson, have been jumped
on the knees OF James Madison, have been
patted by President Monroe and was serving
with John Quincy Adams when he dropped
dead. was given my first political advice by
Andrew Jackson. met Martin Van Buren, and
helped to elect William Henry Harrison. was
well acquainted with Taylor and Fillmore. was
a close friend of Frank Pierce and James Bu-
ehanan. l served in Congress- with Abraham
Lincoln and had the honor Of being counted
among his close friends. knew johnson and
Hayes. NO
indiana,s grand old man" summed up. as in
MS ninetieth year he passes from the scene Of
cal associates disappear. He was born in Cui-
pepper. va. He was not very rugged boy, and
called de in one day the tn size dSe'T up hi his TN fu t1lrsseT TePs
pretty generally agreed that he would be, ot
snort tbo d}Grati9n: His parents were advised that
stay out Of doors as much as possible.
This resulted in virtually turning him
ordinary life Of an ordinary boy for some
years. except that occasionally he came in con-
He is Still a IN ea Il VIC i Fine @ oid man Sn 1ne Of oS TS:
m3arkably fine build, though showing the weights
self, has always been temperate in his habits.
both as regards eating and drinking. and also
very careful regarding, what he ate. and ar-
tributes his long life to that fact more than any
practice Of taking q morning bath and giving
hhI ni $ sfId a !. hard ErTt, rubbing with not only a towel
circulation which in boyhood was defective.
go ohc ,hii DICK" has always been cIassed az a
t e = nfS IN this respect had added mate;
crate smoker. He is inclined to believe that
me use OF the weed has impaired his health.
daily allowance OF cigars.
MIR: Thompson talks very entertainly of the
Presidents. ~lnaSnluch as he sat beside John
Quincy Adams in the House of Representatives.
t ana n Tas OF T' the Hon Hou whf Mr he Tb dT0Pped r ds" nl, IN I}Hr
Adams. This Interest IS Increased in the fact
Adams took Thompson's daughter in his arms
ana wrote a verse t3r her in a book which she
the THOMPSON homo. Jefferson he met at his
old homo in Monticello, after he had re-
net Madison. ' w ihtaSlue q ybioy Snu in n" m aIsS
the same manner. That was before he
His, "reminiscences of Monroe are also from a
boys view. and his connection with Jackson
upon being told by Thompson's father, who was
sSS HI not an ana who bhios preefsented him. that his
youthful thompson that II Shai would ae sSsp i lie
advice he, would all through life do his own
thnnklng Tor himself on political matters and
Jackson at once became a hero in the sight
rom Fl 1he ! ga GIFg2iI aESErn han and a, this piece Of adyics
thought FIR himseifNand, Incidentally Tor many
william Henry Harrison came on the scene
with his log cabin. coonskin and Tippecanoa
skin man; and he had the honor OF Casting one
O. the electoral votes which made Harrison
dates from his service in the House. where he
met Clay about the time the great man Of
Kentucky was at his height. And while serv-
IN public lie IN Washington he also came
IN contact with al, Of the great lights Of that
eyentf4l period Of the nation dating from along
IN the 4Vs until after the crime OF 7 His
with Lincoln was very close. 1t dated
from the time when Lincoln was prominent in
polltics over In Illinois while Thompson was
met until they came face to face In the House
2 Dia aSePr@sSntatiyes and called each other
and Intimate for many years. From
Ihat time until the sad fate which closed the
ff,rdiee ot thG Illinois man they were very close
lIiehdS thompson was u most frequent caller
A. the White House and was, it is said, one ot
[no men 70 whom Lincoln was always gladly at
ran along side by side. and they
proyeq 70 be most congenial. some of the
eniihlscences which Thompson now recalls
with greatest interest are those which sur
round Lincoln, and he has long been known az
DIG Oi lhe very lew mon who cNmll rnnrndmnn I.