The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-04-03
SENATOR VOORHEES,.
BE Speaks at Terre Haute Friday Even
ing to an Immense Audience.
His Utterances Command Attention and
Elicit Applause.
lTerre Haute Express. /

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-I left Washington
after an absence there of nearly five months.
had no expectation of making a speech, nor
shall dignity the remarks which shall make
this evening with the name of "a speech. But
feel that 1t is well under all circumstances
for representative of the people TO meet the
people. There is no higher or more respected
pos tion than to be a representative of the
people in shaping the policy underwhich that
people have TO live.
The uppermost theme at the present time in
the public mind is the distressed condition of
the country. 1t has been in my mind con-
stantly; it il heard GA all sides, and 1 have
discussed II some what in my place in congress.
L propose tonight to speak of the responsible
ity OF parties, and to consider the attitude of
the parties at present.
1 stand TO might, as have stood for years.
for the democratic party; and in say ing that,
/ speak with the utmost kindness and respect
of all other parties. l have lived to that time
in life when L appreciate, my friends, that the
motives of all parties are patriotic. The
American people, whether they are known ~
one party name or another, as a general rule,
deSite the public good, and struggling to
obtain the same result, the bettermenT of our
condition. So that when | say stand for the
democratic party tonight, Go it as man
claiming simply what concede to everybody
else; but have said this for purpose, and
wish TO say tonight, my democratic neighbors
and friends, that you and l can congratulate
ourselves that IN no sense are we responsible
for the dark clouds that lower upon this land.
lApplause.l intend to consider
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARTIES,
somewhat, because know how sore and rest
less becomes the heart of man under trial, and
this soreness and restlessness afflicts democrats
sometimes as well as those OF other parties. 1t
has been seventeen years, gentlemen, since
the democratic party has had the power
either to enact law or defeat bill in the
ing upon the calamities and miseries, that
have afflicted the land, and have brought
bankruptcy, misery and want, i say that ev-
cry bit of it has arisen without your compIici-
ty or mine; every law on the statute books on
the great paramount question now in the pub
Ia ind "a nv
our republican friends. Not one was ever
placed there by democratic votes
national debt, originating the bonded sys-
tenn the law which changed the contract in
1869 from the well known terms by which the
people could have paidthis debt in the same
money with which they paid the soldier for his
life and blood, that law and all subsequent
legislation that has brought paralysis, rum,
distress and misery upon the land, is to be
charged not to you and myself, my democratic
friends, thank God. It would be load
would not want TO bear. 1T ia To be charged to
the republican party. And in saying this /
say nothing unkind to my republican neigh
bors. am speaking of those who have been
in power and have obused power, and against
whom your wrath is turned tonight perhaps
as strongly as mine. There is one party, and
ONE PARTY ALONE,
that has brought anlictiOn tothe poor man in
this country. Tell me where, tell me when,
the temperate party has had the power TO
Tell me where and tell me when il has by any
vote fastened any of these evils upon the coun-
try, and.then l will be prepared TO listen 10
men who are saying that our skirts are stained
with wrong and crime rs well as the skirts of
the republican party. American history upon
money getting power of the United States
have changed the laws when they did not suit
them. They have done this, not by demo-
cratic votes, but in spite of them, and chsl-
; lenge single instance IN the record OF the
country to the contrary, so that feel that in
standing as stood in the senate of the United
I STATES during the last winter L have been
! acting in harmony with the record of the
democratic party IN opposing from the begin
ming the financial policy that has brought to
your homes the misery with which you are
afflicted. Applause When men ask me
whether, in taking the stand | have taken, |
expect to remain in the democratic party (and
1 have been written to on this point tell
them that when this issue was first made in
| 1885, and made by a democrat, Geo. III. Pendle-
ed Indiana upon 1T, and again in 1865. never
made such canvass in my life as 1 did OF this
district upon that subject, when l carried
il by about l5O majority, overcoming n repub-
lican majority OF about 800. have made my
re cord inside the democratic party. Do need
to go outside of the democratic party 10 sustain
a record have made within ITS ranks, upon
this great question during the past twelve
years. ever since II was inaugurated? think
| mott think that what | have built up as a
democrat can stand by as democrat. APP
lpomstiI,ee said that IDGiana il All ri0bf and
while the humble speaker who is addressing
| you is all right, we do not know whether we
/ can trust TO the future, we 90 not Know
whether we can trust this public man or that,
and sometimes l have heard il said they do
/ not know
WHETHER. THEY CAN TRUST ME.
This always comes from men who have been
active upou what is called the greenback poll
] cy only about two years. tell them am a
| pioneer. l started out on that line when most
/ of them were denouncing and battling. the
! democratic party. L reared alOft the banner
I in this district, when you who are now loudeSt
/ in saying you can not trust me were lighting
/ TO sustain the republican party in al It's enor-
nous legislation thatha now brought ruin
I and desoation to the country. L think, gen.
\ tlemen, II could trust them they might trust
me. lApplauSe.l But. my fellow citizens, let
us take little broader view OF this question.
Democrats are appealed to and approached
and while certain public men are all right.still
the national democratic party can not be
trusted on this question. The great national
democratic party is
NOT IN UNISON
upon it, You must remember that the demo-
cratic party is n very large party. 1t would be
strange If there was not some variety OF opln-
| ron. What is the vote OF the United states
In 1876 the American people polled S,5OO,OOC
| woes OF these votes the democratic party
poned four million, two hundred snd some
odd thousand They cast l59,OOO votes more
than the republican parry. They cast 75.O0C
votes more than were cast for the other candi-
/ dates cOmbiD ed. Four millions and quarter
OF men comprised the democratic party at the
last election. IL will be over five millions next
time. lApplause.l As have said, we have
years; but let rs see what progre - we have
been making in opposing the republican party,
which has brought the country 10 its present
condition. Have we made progress, my den(
ocratic brethren? Are you satisfied that we
are approaching power, and that we viii soon
enter into the fruition of all our hopes, or are
we so far from accomplishing anything that
you must look in SOME other directione Las
october, year ago, we not only polled more
votes than all other parties put together. as
have said, but out of the 81 states of this Union
there were p in which there are democratic
governors. But, say you. are you harmonious
In principle? Reasonably so. Applause
l tell you here tonight, upon my personal re
sponsibility, that If it be true that eastern IN
fiuences have, in times gone by, shaped the
policy of the democratic party, the engine Il
now reversed and
THE WEST AND SOUTH WILL GOVERN
and shape the policy of the democratic party
as evinced by recent votes that saw rec ordee
this winter. The great agricultural valley o
the Mississippi is united now, from the ever
lasting SHOWS of its fountain TO the everlastln;
summer of its mouth. When the votes came
this winter watched them closely, and saw
the great valley states of Ohio, Indiana, I'LL
nois kentucky ana Michigan, these north
x-Qqfarx, states uOOn these great questions o