The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-11
Cheek.

&c the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal
Figures don't lie except when perverted by a
Democrat. who, though he places Reverend"
after his name, has no reverence for the truth
of history. 10 the Sentinel of the 7th inst Rev.
DR.. Smith, of this place, bourbon Democrat
from away back. who though homeopathic
physician gives allopathic doses of perverted
history. The Doctor being true disciple Of
Voorhees,. uses the word ''ier half dozen
times and mistakes it for argument. He says
the Republicans lie in claiming that they put
down the rebellion; and that they also lie in
claiming that they furnished the most men or
the Union army. III is conceded by all that the
Republican party furnished no soldiers to the
rebel army; that honor 81 belongs exclusively to
the Democratic partly In trying to rsfuts
what he says the Repo blicaus claim he uses the
following figures: six months before the war
began, Abraham Lincoln received 1866. 452
votes; Douglas 1.291, 594; Breckenridge $50, O82;
Bell, GIG, 124 The total opposition vote was
therefore 2.797. 780. or nearly million major
that there were 2,67s.975 Union soldiers. or
nearly one million more soldiers than there
were Republican voters IN the country, provided
every Republican went into the army. But we
know the Republicans aid not ali go in the
army.
'.But say one-half went and then you have
933, 226 Republicans who wore the blue and the
remainder of the 2.676,976, or 1,743, $50 were
loyal Democrats The fact Is. and we all know
1t, the Republicans stayed at home to make
money. but the majority of the soldiers were
Democrats
This exreverend exhibits moro cheek than
voorhees, when claiming to be the soldiers
friend But let consider his figures for a
moment Concede that the records show an
enlistment Of 2.67S. 975 in the Union army. One
third. at least. may safely De deducted as those
who re enlisted. which would leave ], 1855, 1884 as
the actual number of individual enlisted men,
Admitting his assumption that only half of those
who voted for Lincoln went into the army. to-
wit: 933, 226, it leaves but S52 756. less than
the Republicans furnished, in place of 1,743, 700
loyal Democrats as be elaims
But the record discloses another fact, that at
least one-haf of the Union army was composed
of boys who had not attained their majority in
November. 1860. So the number of soldiers
cannot be computed from the number of votes
cass in 1860. In the fall elections OF 1862 while
"a he claims. the Democrats were in the field
fighting the battles of their country and the Re-
publicans were at homo making money. the Re-
publicans were beaten in nearly every Northern
State. Does not this prove that the reverse is
true; that the Republicans were in the field and
the Democrats were az home making money
and plotting treasoni III, as he claims, the ma
jo.ity of the Union soldiers were Democrats
Why did the Democratic lie legislature of Indiana
in 1862 refuse 10 pass bill allowing the soldiers
to vote in the field? So far from buttsrnuts en-
couragine their boys to enlist. they not only
discouraged enlistments but in some cases adj
vised desertiop. 1t was the patriot who in
spirsd his boys to don the blue. The member
ship OF the Grand Army of the Republic Is the
best evidence as to what party furnished the
most men for the Union army. or at least il
they enlisted as Democrats something must
have repealed them from that party.
Will the ex-reverend Doctor diagnose the case
and give rs the true cause of the disaffectioni
N. D. LEvINsoN.
Nopr ~ NJ