Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-02
VOORHEES, ON THE wAR-pArH.

One OF the most eloquent men III Ooh-
gress, and certainly one OF the most
patriotic, is VOORHEES,, of Indiana. He is
man ofwhom any State or nation might
be proud. His boldness, his ZEAL his
information, his steadfastness to princi-
pie, combined with great powers OF
argument and the highest order of dec
lamation, constitute him at once a safe
counsellor and formidable antagonist.
He is in politics what Jere Black is in
law-always great. BE has driven more
tborns into the side of the Grant party
than any other man. He has stood face
10 face with its leaders and said Sir.
challenge the darkest annals of the HUI
man race for a parallel to the robberies
which have been perpetrated on eleven
American States. Ireland has been made
TO enrich many lawless Lord-Lieuten-
ant sent over by England to govern
that beautiful but unhappy island. The
stories of her wrongs have been said
and sung in every hamlet in the civil
lied world, yet her contributions to the
cause of wicked government have been
mere pittances compared to what the
South has been compelled to make.
Seventy years before the birth of Christ,
Sicily was ravaged and despoiled by
Consul of Rome. Though more than
nineteen centuries have come and gone
since then, yet the name of Verres re-
tains all its freshness of immortal in
fanny. He was prosecuted by the au-
thority of the Roman Senate, and fled
for an asylum TO strange and foreign
lands. He died miserably in exile, and
his dishonored dust was not permitted
TO mingle with the soil of the Roman Re
public. We find, however, in Middleton s
Life Of Cicero, that all the peeulations,
extortions, brides and lareenies charged
upon Verres during his entire administra-
ton Of the affairs of Sicily did notexceed
$1,000, 600; equal to only one-third of the
amount for which the Tribune Of New
York says Governor Scott fraudulently
issued the bonds of South Carolina in q
single transaction. The bssest Roman
Consul whose name is preserved on the
pages Of the historian, becomes respect
able BY the side of Southern Governor |
under the present policy Of this Govern
ment." But there sat the men thus de- |
nouneed as worse than ancient tyrants,
without q pang of conscience or a |
thought of the wrongs they had done, or
the regulations they had made. Still |
further be laid on the lash. " Sir, said |
he, "on the facts which l have stated |
invoke the judgment of the country |
What right have you to expect peace
and order in a land whose rulers are
lawless felons? When did bad Coy
ernment ever fail to produce wicked
ness and crime2 Do you expect the PEG
pleto obey the laws when their officials do
not2 Do you expect them to love and
reverence Government whose policy
has made them bankrupt and miserable ?
Do you wonder that they become rest
less, desperate aud disobedient as they
daily behold the fruits Of their toll
stolen in the name of their Government?
Are you amazed at scenes Of violence,
outrage, bloodsbed and cruel vengeance,
when the Executive of State sets aside
the entire administration of JUSTICE
Rather should you be filled with aston
ishment at the forbearance aud modera
ton you have witnessed. If the fore
most agents in the work Of Southern
ruin and destruction since the close Of
the war had been driven from that coun-
try by its plundered citizens, who now
would rise up here and condemn the act 2
Ia the disorders which aflict the South,
the philosophic mind beholds the newt
able results of well known causes. Had
you sown the seeds OF kindness and
good will, they would long ere this have
blossomed into prosperity and peace.
Had you sown the seeds of honor, you
would have reaped golden harvest of
contentment aud obedience Had you
extended your charities and your justice
TO distressed people, you would have
awakened grateful affection in return.
But as you have planted in hate and
nurtured in corruption, so have been the
fruits which you have gathered"