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well as of them. Neither he nor yourself exposed the frauds or punished the parties. I have not thought of or considered this as a case of politics. Addressing my neighbors, I said that this and like. cases admonish them to demand civil service reform in the removal from office who will not seek' to promote it within the duty and authority of all.

sphere of their official Respectfully,

T. A. HENDRICKS.

The Secretary of the Navy, without further rejoinder, started out to sea upon the Government vessel Tallapoosa, visiting the seaports and navy yards of the Atlantic coast.

With this prompt deliverance upon the vital issues of the day, Mr. Hendricks' candidacy for his second election to the Vice-Presidency was placed before the country, and there is every likelihood that in its results will be realized the fulfillment of the prophecy which he uttered at the Manhattan Club reception in New York in 1877:

"A great and sincere people will pass their final verdict upon the outrageous act. Democratic principles will be carried out by Democrats and by such fair-minded Republicans as will not make themselves a party to the wrong done last winter. This will be accomplished by the majority of voters in the several States Indiana will again do her duty."

*

and

CHAPTER XVII.

NOTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE.

OR several weeks subsequent to the Chicago Convention Mr. Hendricks remained

F

at his home in Indianapolis, where he received the visits and congratulations of many political and personal friends from all parts of the country and disposed of a vast amount of correspondence. Toward the close of July, accompanied by Mrs. Hendricks, he went to Saratoga, as had been his wont in the summer, and during his stay there was visited by the Committee of the National Convention appointed to officially inform him of his nomination. On Wednesday, July 30th, the day after the Committee had waited upon Governor Cleveland for a similar purpose, its members assembled in the ladies' parlor of the Grand Union Hotel, Saratoga, to present their address to Mr. Hendricks. The room was crowded with a brilliant company of ladies and gentlemen, who greeted the appearance of Mr. Hendricks with applause. The members of the Committee arose when he entered, and remained on their feet during the proceedings.

Colonel W. F. Vilas, Chairman of the Committee, then addressed the nominee and presented

the formal notification of his Committee. After it had been read Mr. Hendricks replied as follows:

MR. HENDRICKS' REPLY.

"MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE: I cannot realize that a man should ever stand in the presence of a committee representing a more august body of men than that which you represent. In the language of another, the Convention was large in numbers, august in culture, and patriotic in sentiment,' and may I not add to that, that because of the power and greatness and the virtues of the party which it represented it was itself in every respect a very great Convention.

"The delegates came from all the States and Territories, and I believe, too, from the District of Columbia. They came clothed with authority to express judgment and opinion on all those questions which are not settled by constitutional law. For the purpose of passing upon those questions and selecting a ticket for the people that Convention assembled. They decided upon the principles that they would adopt as a platform. They selected the candidates that they would propose to the party for their support, and that Convention work was theirs.

"I have not reached the period when it was proper for me to consider the strength and force of the statements made in the platform. It is enough for me to know that it comes at your hands from

that Convention, addressed to my patriotic devotion to the Democratic party. I appreciate the honor that is done me; I need not question that But at the same time that I accept the honor from you and from the Convention, I feel that the duties and responsibility of the office rest upon me also.

“I know that sometimes it is understood that this particular office-that of Vice-President-does not involve much responsibility, and as a general thing that is so, but sometimes it comes to represent very great responsibilities, and it may be so in the near future, for at this time the Senate of the United States stands almost equally divided between the two great parties, and it may be that those two great parties shall so exactly differ that the Vice-President of the United States shall have to decide upon questions of law by the exercise of the casting vote. The responsibility would then become very great. It would not then be the responsibility of representing a State or a district; it would be the responsibility of representing the whole country, and the obligation would be to the judgment of the whole country, and that vote, when thus cast, should be in obedience to the just expectations and requirements of the people of the United States. It might be, gentlemen, that upon another occasion this responsibility would attach to the office:

"It might occur that under circumstances of some difficulty-I don't think it will be next elec

tion, but it may occur under circumstances of some difficulty-the President of the Senate will have to take his part in the counting of the electoral vote; and allow me to say that that duty is not to be discharged in obedience to any set of men or to any party, but in obedience to a higher authority. Gentlemen, you have referred to the fact that I am honored by this nomination in a very special degree. I accept the suggestion that in this candidacy I will represent the right of the people to choose their own rulers, that right that is above all, that lies beneath all, for if the people are denied the right to choose their own officers according to their own judgment, what shall become of the rights of the people at all? What shall become of free government if the people select not their officers? how shall they control the laws, their administration and their execution? so that in suggesting that in this candidacy I represent that right of the people, as you have suggested, a great honor has devolved upon me by the confidence of the Convention. As soon as it may be convenient and possible to do so I will address you more formally in respect to the letter you have given me. I thank you, gentlemen."

At the close of Mr. Hendricks' remarks hearty applause was given, and a general handshaking followed, after which the assembled audience paid their respects to Mr. Hendricks and then quietly dispersed.