Year: 1876

INDIANAPOLIS, December 20.-The Journal
OF tomorrow will contain an interview with
Governor Hendricks, the leading points of
which are as follows;


The governor said the men who voted for
Governor TYiden believe he was elected, and
they are greatly excited at the possibility that
he is to be deprived of the Office and another
to be inaugurated who was not elected, by
means of party machinery anti-republcan !.
its character, and even by disregard of the
local law in its orgar-.nation, and by the
fraudulent exe11c1se Of its powers. They do
not oelSSye that under republican institutions
:. IS possible that ne inquiry can be made into
the conduct 6f The four men who undertook


to control the Presidential election by fraudu-
lent means. They believe that it is the duty
OF the house of representatives to see that the
proposed wrong is defeated, even should the
senate attempt to maintain it. The opinion
prevails generally, | believe univer-
sally, among them, that the house
Of representative Is clothed with
of all questions which might arise during the
progress of the count of the electoral vote.
and that it would be lsurpation in fragrant
violation Of the rights of the people should
the vote be counted and the questions decided
by the presiding officer of the senate, in de-


iance of the rights Of the house


What public significance should be at
tached to the action Of the Democrats in call
ing public meetings in the northwest, espe-
clally In this State? And as your supposed
connection with it has given rise to much
comment, will you state whether, in your
opinion, either party would, under any cir
cumstances, be justified in resorting to force
to secure the Presidency?


Governor Hendncks-The fact that this
power above alluded to is claimed for
the president of the United States SEN
ate, and its exercise by him is threatened,
has greatly contributed to excite popular feel
ing. In this condition of the public mind.
the Democratic committee of the State issued
the call for the convention of the eighth of
january, not for the purpose, as | suppose, of
making any threats or of Orgar.Ling anv rA-
slstance to author+.ssyy, out for the purpose of
MAKING q public expression against the
threatened inyasiors 6f popular rights, and of
glvlne the hotse Of representatives an assur-
ance OF support In the exercise of its consti-
tutdonal rights and prerogatlves. There isno
purpose, so far as | am informed, of going
further. In further answer to your inquiry,
do not regard force as a means to be con-
templated to secure tie Presidency. So far
as the. eighth of January convention is con-
cerned, [ am very sure that its reli-
ance, its only reliance, to secure the
fair results of the Presidential
election viii be upon the force and power of
public opinion in support of the right and
against the wrong, and in support of the
house of representatives In the assertion and
exercise of its constitutional powers, assthose
powers have been declared in the uniform
practice, and in the adoption of the twenty
second Joint rule, and the passage by the
senate of Governor Morton's bill at the last
session. It is perhaps proper to add that
should the house positively assert Its right to
participate in the count, and should that
right he denied and refused by the senate
and supported by the executive power, we
would stand in the presence of serious dam
gers, not because of any party movements,
but because of a conflict in the machinery of
the government, without any tribunal for its
adjustment. observe, in some newspapers,
the statement that a secret political society is
being organized in this State, the purposes of
which are dangerous to the peace of society.
| think am in a position to know, if there
were any such movement IN this State, or any
portion of it, and feel confident in saving
that the report is without any foundation in
truth. 1t is wholly false, as l believe and as
think know, and has its origin with bad
men and for partisan and bad purposes. The
contest In this State last summer and fall was,
on the part of the Democracy and Conserva-
tives, eminently fair and Open There is no
motive, and, as | am sure, there is no purpose
to depart from that policy.