The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-01-17
Voorhees, as Statesman-His Fail.

Notwithstanding the fact that SEN
ator Daniel w. Voorhees, occupies an
important and exalted position in
the government of this country, po-
sition in point of honor and RESPONSE
bity second only to that of President
yet, viewed from an impartial
standpoint, and giving full weight to
his natural and acquired abilities and
the political policy which he has ad-
vocated, he must be regarded as one
of the most striking examples of fail
ure in craftsmanship which this ma
ton and generation affords. If we
look at his career from the vulgar
standpoint of Office getting, it can be
said that he has been moderately sue
cessful; for he has probably enjoyed
the honors and emoluments of Office
holding to greater extent than a
majority of the foremost leaders of a
party which, by reason of its blum
ders and crimes, has been out of
power in the general government for
twenty years. But office-holding is
not the sum total of craftsmanship.
In point of fact it is only an opportu-
nifty to display those qualifications
which, combined, proclaim their pos
SCISSOR a statesman.
True craftsmanship consists in the
justice, the wisdom, and the practica-
bility of the measures which public
man advocates. If his measures are
unwise, he is an unsafe adviser, and,
therefore, no statesman If unjust,
he is tyrant; and if impracticable,
he is mere thorist, instead of wise
leader. Weighed in such balance
as this, the public career of Senator
Voorhees, must inevitably be labeled
and consigned to that niche in the
Temple Of Fame reserved for political
miscarriages- might-have-beens.
Let us look at his political life, and
see if his record does not justify
what has been said of him. Coming
on to the stage Of action shortly be-
fore the Rebellion beg IN, when the
whole country was ablaze with ex-
element caused by the repeal of the
Missouri compromise, and the at
tempt of the Southern rowdies, aided
by Buchanan's administration, to
force slavery upon the people of Kan
sas against their will, where do we
find him? Do we see him standing
up nobly among the defenders of hu
man freedom, and resisting these
daring outrages npon liberty and free
institutions. No. We see him strik-
ing hands and joining fortunes with
an Infamous mob of outlaws, robbers,
murderers and kidnappers, whose
avowed policy was to sell men
and women like horses; and who
would snatch sucking children from
their mothers breasts aud sell them
to slave trading beast with as little
conjunction of conscience as they
would feel in selling a calf or colt
from its mother, and that, too, often
times, when they themselves were
the fathers of the very children whom
they ruthlessly tore from their moth
ers' arms and consigned to hopeless
life of misery and oppression. 1t is
with such Williams as these that Sena-
tor Voorhees, cast his lot when mature
manhood brought him into the polit.
ical arena. Is it any wonder that his
subsequent career has been what ii
has-so full of what was really bad
detrimental to the nations welfarei
But let us go on a little further
Where do we find him then? Do we
see him gallantly offering his services
on the field of battle or elsewhere il
defense of his country's honor ant
the integrity Of her territory? No
Nothing of the kind. We see hin
recommending suitable Northern rem
egades for service in the rebel army
We see him denouncing Union sol
diers as hirelings and dogs. We Sc
him standing up in the halls of Con
gress and refusing to vote a man o
dollar. for the suppression of tn
Rebellion. We see him coward
skulking in the rear Of the Feders
army, organizing secret, oath boun
gangs of copperhead symathizel
with Southern treason, for the pul
pose of resisting the draft, liberatin
rebel prisoners, and raising Nortl
ern rebellion in aid of the Souther
There is where we find our wis
brave, noble and patrioticC0 Senate
! in the trying time of his country
peril-an obstructionist, growler,
skulker, secret oath bound traito
S,,ol 90 L;c .,ooo,J