Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-26
POLITICAL.
Speech OfD.W. voorhees, at Terre Haute
He Delivers His Philippe on Greeley
And Writes His own Fpitaph

ne UeAl fers MS Ehllipplc On 0reetey
And Writes His own Fpitaph
49, 49,
TERRE HAUTE, May 25.-D. W. Voor-
bees addressed an assemblage of about
5000 persons in the Courthouse Square
this evening. The following is the substance
of his speech: e B. -rt Gel
L thank a kind Providence that II am once
more in the midst of my neighbOrs and that face
TO face with them I am permitted to 81 eak for
myself, thank you, too, for the warm affection
with which you have welcomed me home. Now
as heretofore you shelter me with your unabated
confidence from the blows of my assailants.
Here at least is one spot of clear sky
and the quiet stars Of good omen are
shining over our heads. One of the
highest duties of representative is to render an
account OF his official conduct to those whose
agent and servant he is This OBLIGATION i have
always met in the past and am here again TO
meet it tonight. believe ia the will and the
power of the people and if 1 have betrayed or de-
ceived them let them condemn without hesitation
and without mercy. If on the other hand have
been faithful to the principles on which y0u have,
elected me five times TO Congress, know that 1
1 viii not appeal to You in vain to stand by
my side and uphold the cause which is yours as
well asInine. do not speak as a candidate again
Tor your suffrages either hereafter but rath
one who cherishes your respect and confidence
as above all price, and who will defend his rights
most extremity. For nearly ten years have re-
ceived noble, brave and intelligent constitu-
ency. have been sustained by you in sunshine
and in storm because 1 distinctly advocated and
firmly adhered to certain principles of govern
ment which thought to be right, and opposed
others which thought TO be wrong. The De-
mocracy of this district agreed with me on these
questions or they would not have voted for me.
A man in public life is tried by the principles he
advocates, and 10 which he has devoted his life.
II my constituents have become personally at
tached to me it is because Of the consistent
record have made in accordance with their own
solemn and Conscientious convictions of right
and duty. This is the only true and firm basis
of concord and sympathy between an intelligent
and honest people and their representative. You
and have been united in doctrine, and hence
we have been united in heart and action.
Democrats of Vigo county, DemOcra IS of the
sixth district, with whom have so often strug-
ged against heavy odds and through weary toll
TO hard won victories, have since we last met,
by word or act been false to the high trusts you
have placed in my hands? That is the question.
am here to answer and in making that answer
I have neither epithet nor abuse to hurl at my
adversaries. L have the advantage Of them in
The truth of my position, and consequently my
temper is better than theirs. They who are con-
seious of being in the wrong always get angry
first, and destitute OF argument they at once re-
sort to denunciation and SANDER. As to the
ImputatiOnS
that have been cast upon my motives in regard
to my recent speech in Congress against
the nomination of Mr.. Greeley by the
Democratic party, they will receive no reply
from me. They need none here,
and if the whole tenor OF nv life will not silence
such assertions no words would 1 have long
since adopted as maxim that public man can
not be killed except by his own fault. If he is
in reality free from blame he will be yindieated
Calumnies may for the time being be heaped on
him, but he will survive them if his conscience
is pure. IThe shameless falsehoOds therefore that
have been hurled at me in this connection will
soon rot and be forgotten. Again, however, I
ask the Democrats and Conservatives of this
District who have heTetOfofe supported me upon
principle whether 1 have justly forfeited their
confidence in the course 1 have taken in re-
gard 10 Presidential nomination at Baltimore.
What Might Have Been.
Let us look at the facts and survey the political
field in candid spirit-candid with our own
breasts and with each other. When consider
able number of Republicans, dissatisfied with the
Administration, inaugurated an independent
movement and called the Cincinnati Conven-
ton, it was most natural that the Democratic
party should watch with deep interest pro-
ceeding so likely to divide and overthrow the
party in power Many even hoped, as did most
sincerely, that this convention might have wis
dom enough to present as its candidate some one
whose devotion to the liberty Of the citizen,
whose knowledge of the powers of the Govern
ment, State and Federal; whose attachment TO
revenue reform and equal taxation; whose
opposition to the absolute social and pOlt-
ical equality OF the white and black races; whose
support of the interests Of the laboring classes,
| and whose consistent magnaIaity towards the
| South shown in his disapproTal Of the present
outrageous LEGISLATION which is running her,
would enable us also to nominate him in Ma
tiOnal Democratic Convention, thereby combin-
ing all elements of opposition TO one of the worst
Administrations ever know in American history:
This might have been done II the Cincinnati
| Convention had been differently composed; if
| instead of vain conceit there had been more
| sound sense; if instead of regarding the Demo-
cratic masses as a disOrganiZed mob ready to fall
| in with and follow any little squad that came
marching by, they had looked upon them as they
| are-the
Truest, Bravest, Purest,
most conscientious voting population on earth,
tried in the fires seven times heated in the past
facing persecution and death not for Office, place
or favor, but for the faith that was within them.
| Was there any such conception of the character
| of Democrats shown at Cincinnati by the men
| who now demand your votes On the contrary
| the bare presence of a Democrat in the city at
that time was regarded by the managers of the
| Convention an insult and he was warned
away with boots and cries
As Spotted Leper,
would have been of old from an assembly OF
| purified Jews. Every suggestion, however re-
| mOtely or respectfully made by the Democrats
| who hoped for union for the overthrow of the
Grant dynasty, was recoiled fEom with aversion
| and disgust as if it contained the contagiOn OF
| smallpox Who will deny word Of this? Even
| one of the most distinguished gentlemen who was
himself before that Convention as candidate put
| it in writing that it was not essential to nOmi-
nate with reference to the Democratic vote, as il
was secure, because it was helpless. Have three
| millions of honest men sunk SO low as to tamely
| submit to this treatment? To open scorn and
| studied insults To the
Blows and Cuffs
| which spaniel receive? For my own part,
will not. From my mothers breast drew in nc
| such spirit of degrading humility. But If the
| tone and temper of that convention were hostile
| to the Democratic party, how shall charac ter
ize the nomination itself? 1 was in my seat al
my desk in the House when it was announced
| that
had been nominated for the Presidency. 1t nc
more occurred to me that he or the men who
| nominated him would have the brazen aUdaCity
to expect Democrats to support him, than it die
| that the disciples of the christian religion would
| turn away from their faith in an hour and wOr'
| ship Mahomet as the prophet Of God. IcongTat
ulated myself and my friends about me that the
| unexpected folly of the Convention at Cincin'
| natl had opened to us a sure and easy road t
victory and to the restoration of good govern
| ment. knew Gen. Grant would be nominated
| at Philadelphia and then the Republican party
| would be torn in twain, each wing under pow
eTfu Radical leader, one, the founder Of the party
whose perniciOUs ideas called it into existence anC
have filed the statute books with all the corrupt
| and unconstitutional legislation now to be found
| the other, production of the war, Ignorant OF
the principles of government and in the hands Of
the most reckless and INSCRIPTIONS managing
| political cabal known to history since the reigI
OF Charles II of England. l had heard that
A HOuse Divided Against Itself
could not stand. saw the house of my politica
| adversary divided, and know from the rules o.
the wisest most ancient philOshohy that it must
fall. did not see that my ownhouse was divided
against ITSELF and l saw no reason why it SHOULD
be. / know we had votes enough 10 beat the Re
| publican party thus disunited. believe We could
beat Grant with pure and qualified Statesman
| even if he was
Alone I'm the Field.
He is not strong before the people if he was con
fronted by q candidate who had not advised anC
endorsed his entire policy as MIR. Greeley has.
was not therefore bowed down when heard from
Cincinnati. My face was rather lifted up an(
/ frightened with hope, andI talked and wrote and
/ telegrapled in the tone in which l am talking
I TO YOU now, taking for granted that Israel WOulC
90 to her tents and display her hOnOred flag.
recalled the fact that Mr.. Lincoln was elected be
| cause two Democrats were RAINING, and l wa!
| convinced as l still am, that we had a better OPP
| Dortunity for success than we had known since
Pierce was elected twenty years ago. The patti
| of duty as of policy was the same. Our part!
principles and our party policy conjoined. The!
were Identical. You can hardly imagine there
fore the feelings with which saw certain un
steady newspapers hauling down the Democratic
| names at their mastheads and placing in thef
! stead the name of one who has more fully earned
and more fully enjoys the hostility OF the Demo
| cratic party than any other man in the UIiteC
| States, and that 1 know Is a strong statement
while Morton and Grant and their cOadjutors arr
| in existence. Impartial history, however, viii
| sustain me in it, For thirty years, commencing
| far back when these grey heads before me vert
| black and young and continuing until within