Year: 1872

HIS SPEECH IN THE INDIANA CoNvEN-
TI0N.


GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION
You have honored me with the
nomination Of Governor. TThree
times three for Hendricks1. 1thank
you for being nominated by this
Convention. I had determined not
to he a candidate, but day before
yesterday and yesterday morning I
was appealed to by gentlemen whose
appeal L could not deny. I gave
them my consent, and now I accept
your nomination. I beg you to un-
derstand, aud that you will make it
known to the men whom you repre-
sent, that my reasons for not accept
ing the nomination has been for
reasons of personal consideration
and not for want of appreciation.
To be presiding officer Of the great
State Of Indiana is no small honor,
aud to be selected by the represen-
tatives oft men of this great State
I consider the creates honor that can
be conferred upon citizen of Indi-
ana by her citizens.


Indiana, before the close Of the
next term, will contain a population
of two millions Of people, aud her
resources will be more fully devel-
oped. The responsibility of the ex.
ecutive of the law applied to such
vast numbers is a responsibility
which I Iapproach with difidence and
deep concern. Always the position
of Governor of the State is one of
Importance and responsibility, but
in these times greater than ever.
Now that the rights of the States
have been denied, that those rights
are being infringed by a central
power, aud they say that the people
shall have no longer their rights to
domestic State government, make
the Executive Of State Of still
greater importance. The State of
Indiana, should l he elected, must
maintain friendly relations toward
the Federal Government, but at the
same time all the rights and power
of the Government which are main
tanned to tho State of Indiana and
which are secured to the United
States, must be respected every.
where. Prolonged cheering].


Gentlemen, we have before US
sad spectacle-the result of the in
reference with State government.
We have set of States South of the
Ohio river whose governments have
been taken away, whose government
has been given over to those who
have sought to make speculations
out of their affairs. The men Of
those States who have been placed
in the condition of bankruptcy ap.
peal to the State Of Indiana. When
We hear their cries shall we refuse
to go to their support? [Cries of
No, mol


I do not propose. gentlemen, to
address you long. have only two
subjects to which I will refer. Il
will first refer to the subject of civil
service reform. l am earnestly in
favor of civil service reform. I am
in favor of that in the State of In-
diana as well as in the General Gov
ernment. am curious to know
whether the people of this country
will be satisfied with pretences in
this direction any longer. They
have been = assured, in platform
lately Termed at Philadelphia, that
the party now in power is in favor
of civil service reform. That party
has had'opportunity for twelve years
and that reform has not been
brought about. We have the spec
tacle of a President saying that he is
in favor of civil service reform. and
the leaders in the House, confiden-
tial advisers to the President, de-
nouncing civil service reform as a
foe to the Administration.


The present session Of Congress
has closed without any effart at re-
form. Now, if the men who nomi-
mated me are sincere in their desire
for reform, let them show it in No
vember. Let every ballot be an as
surance that officers are to be ad-
ministered only for a government Of
the people. l believe that my judg-
mant IN rnanact n, tho action NJ thn
Convention to meet ut Baltimore is
in harmony with this Convention.
[Cheersl. / desire to say, us the
representative Of this Convention,
that 1 will abide by the action ofthis
Convention aud Of the Convention
at Baltimore. CApplause.1 I believe
that this Convention will result in
such action as will secure reform in
the State of Indiana and in the
Government of the United States.
rLoud cheers