The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-11
READ At CLUB BANQUET
LAST LETTER WRITTEN BY THE
LATE COL. n. w. THOMPSON.
Sentiments That Are I'm Keeping with
the Oft-Expressed Views Of the
Terrc Haute Statesman.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind, June lO.-Tnere
were nearly two hundred guests at the an
nual banquet of the Thompson Club last
night. The occasion was the anniversary OF
the birthday of the late Colonel Richard w.
Thompson, who died Feb. and who would
have been ninety-one years old had he lived
until yesterday. James s. Barcus was toast
master, and on being introduced spoke at
some length. Robert H. Catlin made the
address of welcome and j. Frank Hanly
spoke to the toast, Here let US renew our
faith in the doctrine he proclaimed and
here make high resolve to perpetuate in
POWER the party he loved and served" z. s.
Holiday. of Brazil, Republican candidate
for Congress. responded to the toast. LES
sons taught by the life and public services
of Richard ". Thompson" Letters Of re-
greet were read from the candidates on the
Republican State ticket. President Oscar
Dix, of the club, read a communication
found on Colonel Thompson's desk after
his death. 1t is thought to have been writ
ten few days before his last illness and
undoubtedly is the last writing by the ven-
cradle statesman. The handwriting is feeble
and at the conclusion 1t is seen that he
stopped before he had completed the COM
munication, perhaps from weakness. While
the club has been organized for several
years and was named for him IL so hap
pened that he never visited its rooms. A
year ago he attended its first annual BAN
quet, however. The communication is adj
dressed to the Thompson Club and Is as
follows:
II have entertained the hope for some
time that should be personally able to at
tend some one OF your meetings, in order
to thank you for the honor done me by the
association of my name with your organi-
zation. But as am admonished by the de-
cline of my own energies that the Occas-
ion 1 have desired may not occur, L adopt
this method of communication not merely
to express my gratitude for the compliment
you have paid me, but my conviction that
the honor, interests and permanent wei
fare Of the United States absolutely de-
mand the continued triumph of the princi-
pies profeSSed by the Republican party
principles which had their origin during our
revolutionary period, and have never been
departed from without national disaster.
I'm saying this do not desire to be con-
sidered as speaking consciously or harsh
ly of the party of the opposition-that is,
the Democratic party. 1t has been al
ways my habit to express esteem for the
great leaders of that party, and l have
been providentially spared until 1t has be-
come too late in life for me to change a
habit so long and firmly fixed They orig
inally deemed themselves justified In or
ganizing a party professedly in opposi-
ton to the policy of George Washington
administration, and II the government was
enabled. at that time, to survive the perils
Of that opposition, 1t was because these
same great leaders turned away from the
threatened abyss before the final plunge was
made. II they did-within my own recollec-
tion-pursue their policy to the extent of
multiplying national law by State legisla-
ton, 1t was most fortunate that the nation-
administration
Jefferson-one of the chiefest among them
and one in whose heart there was no
room for single unpatriotic impulse. And,
If after that, opposition to the national au-
thority was carried to the extent OF open
rebellion. the angry passions of that period
have been buried in the tomb by the peace
assures to this nation a full accomplish
ment of all the ends contemplated by its
patriotic founders.
mo human power can arrest the current
OF events $, as they pass ass by us with the
American revolution have left their track
behind them so as to impress all rejecting
and thoughtful minds by their influences.
our form of civil institution had their
formation and growth In tumultuous times,
but they sank into the hearts and minds Of
all true lovers of civil and religious liberty
where they have been so preserved to
commend them to the admiration of the
world. If any power on earth. or all earth
ly powers combined, shall endeavor to ar
rest them multitudes of swords would in
stantly leap from their scabbards to de-
fend and perpetuate them. They ale as
fixed as the stars In heaven. l defy all COM
binations to overthrow them-no matter
how many kingiy potentates shall march at
the head of the column which shall assail
them.
There ought to be no classes in Ameri-
can society, except that which arises out
of merit alane. Wealth should not of it,
self confer social or other distinction, for it
may be acquired by inheritance or by
means far from meritorious. The rich man
who employs his wealth for the promotion
Of social welfare is a public benefactor,
whereas II he boards 1t for its own sake
and In order to acquire more additional
Indictment to his love of gain he sets such
an example as retards the public prosperity.
can society-with high and low and rich
and poor. i have consequently had oppor-
tunities Of deciding upon the motives which
influence society that have been possessed
by few now living. And I give it as my
deliberate opinion-resulting from many
years of observation and rehection-that
our future national greatness and prosperi-
ty Is absolutely In the hands of those who
are wrongfully called the middle class of
our populatfon-that is, those who have
reached the extremes of neither wealth nor
poverty, but spend their time in the Guilt
walton OF the home virtues and in the varf-
Gus occupations of industry. They possess
no other ambition than that which incites
in their minds the love of home life where
the doorways are so barred by domestic
virtues that tie mere Office hunter-if
known to be such-meefs with nothing but
Indignation and rebuke."