The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-13
A Merit0d Rebuke-

Bishop Turner, Of the A. NJ e. Church, fe-
ured conspieuouslv at the Prohiaition eonvsn-
tion In this city and elected great applause be-
cause Of his avowsd hostility to the Republican
party. So great was his success in this line that
he esssysd to play the same role as the late
session Of the Philadelphia Conference Of his
church. Awaiting himself Of his prerogarivs
as the president of the conference, he took &C.
ccasion to repeat his hostility to the Rspublicsn
party under the guiss of pious talk on tenn
perance. alleging that he mad left the Repub-
can party because IL had failed to pro-
tect his wife and children from in
suit in the South. When he took his
seat there was scramble for the floor, a dozen
more yelling. "Mr. President" At last 10
recognized one Of them who began:
mr. President-In all things relating to
church affairs 700 shall have my most profound
respect and most dutiful obedience. but when
you take the advantage of your position to de-
liver to this conference Q stump speech, / shall
treat you and your speech just a: | would pol
itician and his harrsngue anywhere You say
You left the Republican party because il had
failed to protect your family In the South WHAT
has that to do with the temperance question:
If the Republican party has forfeited
on other subjects. then you have a right to leave
it, but no right TO drag your grievance before
this conference In temperance speech. But
now that il is here, let me ask you. Mr.. Presi-
dent. il you have q sufficient for with
drawing your moral support from that party.
L. has not been In CONDITION to protect you or
yours or any body else. North or South. since
1876 You will concede. Mr.. President. that up
to the close Of Grants administration our people
had AL the protection that was possible. and
that you were conspicuous in your approval Of
him and his policy. You remember that. with the
closing of his administration. the Democrats took
possession of the House and have held is ever
since. and have had the Senate also, part of
the time; and that the measures which. under
Grant and the Republican Congress. had afforded
rs some relief were At once repealed or rendered
. nueatory by conditions in the appropriation
bills that rendered IL impossible to offer any
protection 1t all And now you come as .
leader ia our Israel and denounce the Republic
an party for not protecting your wife and
children! parallel of cruel mockery is found
in but one place in history. When the Roman
soldiers, BY the eonnivance OF the Jews, had
Knocked him for not coming down
from the cross You. with the hands
of the Republican party tied. demand OF it to
protect your wife and children and proceed to
withhold from IL the moral support Of your
gratitude and approval for what is did when it
had the power to do. One thing l must COM
mend, you are more honest than most Of your
party. You do not slleee that it il ito failure
to do its duty on the ten perance question. for
you know that Whatever has been done in the
North to put down or TO control the saloon has
been done by the Republicans. After ALL Mr..
President, may IL not be something else3 May
there not be in your case. as in the case OF Dir.
ST. John. and Neal Dow. and many Others
some personal reason for this abandonment Of
the party that has done so much for our rsce2
These men have personal griefs to be avenged.
Have you anyl
'.As for myself. Mr. Presidents. while that
party has not done ali that / wish it had for
temperance. am not ready to abandon it, and
do my best to put in power the party that has
done its utmost to oppress our race. not only in
times Of slavery. but ever since-the party
that will allow none of the rights of freemen
when it has control of affairs. and that is the
avowed friend Of the saloon everywhere. Hence
l shall 60 to Chicago to the Republican
convention and carry with me the SYM
psthies and prayer OF the colored people Of
America. with only here and there an execution
and these actuated by some real or imaginary
personal grievance. In the South we can give no
substantial aid-we not allowed TO, since the
Democrats took possession of the government.
twelve years ago. and never will be while IL
holds possession. But that party shall have my
moral support and the support of our people,
notwithstanding here and there one departs and
seeks TO abuse and Witty il, and brings aeainst
II false accusations. asserting that it has not
done its duty. when it had no power to DO any
thing, yet confessine that when it had power it
Was true to its pledges and true TO Us"