The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-20

Plain Denials.

Plain Denials. eS hns
For some weeks past Copperhead
organs have been giving vent to a
great deal of virtuous indignation
over what they allege is an attempt on
the part of the authorities of Marion
County to cheat officers and men of
the Seventeenth Indiana Regiment
out of their bounty money. The New
Albany Ledger, in particular, has
been greatly afflicted on this point.
The Courier, Of this city, In the
same connection. says that I'VE
refused to publish the proceed
ings of meeting of the soldiers
of the Seventeenth, in regard to
this matter, although requested to do
so. This is simply false. No soldier
ever asked us to publish the proceed
ings. We have no recollection of
having seen them. We knew nothing
about them until we saw notice of
them. some time after the meeting
was said to have been held, in the
Courier 80 -
AS to the merits of the controversy,
we know nothing The indianapolis
Journal, however, replies to the
charges made against Marion County,
and we copy its statement. Will the
Courier. do the same? ..ss.-.,
We have seen statements in the
Copperhead papers that some mem
bers of the late Seventeenth Regi-
ment claim that a bounty was prom
ised them by Marion County, which
has not been paid; and that 9they
had employed Mr.. VOORHEES, to bring
suit against the county therefor. The
fact that legal proceedings were
threatened was reason enough for re-
ticepce. on our part, as we recognize
the propriety, not to say duty, of the
press to refrain from prejudicing
the rights of private litigants by dis
defense, in advance of legal adjudica-
ton. For this reason we have sub
mitted in silence to such filings as the
one we copy from the Ledger, but as
Mr.. Voorhees, is too busy In the of,
fee brokerage business, at Washing
ton, to commence the suit about
which so much Copperhead blowing
has been done, we do not think we
are under any obligation to suffer the
good name of the loyal, well governed
and lightly burdened county Of
Marion to be continually aspersed,
without at least denying the accuse
tons against it.
As Mr.. Voorhees, may yet conclude
to essay the foolish experiment of try
ing to fortify the Cepperhead libels
against our county, by bringing the
threatened suit, we will not enter in
to a history of this 18th regiment
claim, but content ourselves by fatty
denying the charge that " the Radi-
cal authorities of Marion County"
have swindled the soldiers of that or
any other regiment, in the matter of
bounties We say further that the
authorities of Marion County made
no contract with the members of the
18th regiment, and consequently could
not have violated an obligation they
never assumed Every dollar of
bounty promised by our County Com
missiOners to volunteers was paid,
not in deprecated county orders, as
in many Democratic counties, but in
cash.
We will further inform the Ledger
and all other Copperhead sheets
troubled with its disease, that other
lawyers than Mr.. Voorhees, have had !
these alleged claims in charge, and on
investigating the facts declined to in
.stitute-a suit, for the reason thatthere
was nothing on which to base an ac- /
ton against the county. If Mr.. |
Y oorhees thinks that he can show |
that any liability exists, he,is strangely |
re miss in his duty to his clients, |
delaying the prosecution Of their sup
posed demands. $3.50 ~