The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-04
MR.. WILSON CRUSHED
Judge Turpis's HsmarsbIs Speech in the
Senate twenty-five Years Age.
A Vigorous and Effective ReioInder TO
Henry wilson's Bitter Arrangement
of the CoPperhead" Legts-
lature of Indiana.


cial The recent discussion in the L. S.
senate on the dependent pension bill, and
the speech of Senator David Turpie revives
recollections OF Senator Turpie's career of
less than one month in that body in the
turbulent and exciting times OF 1868. This
was more than a quarter Of q century ago,
and we doubt if any considerable number
Of the voters OF Indiana have distinct
recollection Of the proscriptive methods
that characterized the republican majority
OF that body and the many acrimonious
debates that have been handed down to the
present generation in the congressional
records. Especially is this true Of the
young men OF the state and of the
soldieIy who were tented at the time,
more than 100 600 strong, on the
camping grounds throughout the South.
Senator Tarpie had been elected By the
legislature Of 1868 to fill the unex Jired
term OF Jesse d. Blight, VINO was spelled
from the senate. MIR. Tarpie came o. to
Washington after his election without
moments dslsy and at once entered, with
cOmmendable zeal, into the discussion OF
public questions. And from a recent ex-
animation of the records it appears that
his knowledge of the law OF nations the
constitution and the wants and demands
Of the times, made him q formidable de-
batter even at that early day. One OF Mr..
Turpie's first speeches was against the con-
scription bill offered by Senator Wilson Of
Massachusetts,, chairman of the committee
on military STAIRS. The speech was in
reply to Mir. Wilson and fills nearly four
pages OF the Congressional Record. 1t was
an able and dignifsd argument for the
rights Of toe people, and void Of that bit
terness then so common on the republican
side OF the senate. One OF the provisions
OF the bill which Mr.. Turpie very
earnestly opposed was that which gave
the president Of the United States the ex-
elusive right 10 assign recruits in the army
| to any command or forces he desired.
| Senator TuIpie contended that soldiers
should be organized into companies and
regiments by states and not be assigned to
forces belonging to other states. That the
| speech surprised the republican senators,
and none more than Senator Wilson, is
| shown in the fact that Mr.. Wilson arose
Immediately upon the conclusion of Mr..
| Iurpie's speech and wanted to know OF
what right the senator from Indiana,
/ elected by "copperhad' legislature, Was
| entitled 10 speak for the soldier. AS might
the young senator from the Hooser state,
who, without moments thought, admin
| isteTed a scathiDg rebuke to Senator VIII
| son which will bear republication here
aud which is not altogether inspplicable
| Just now. Here ii Is:
"The senator (Wilson) from Massacbu-
sets has remarked that / have no right to
| speak for the soldier. l am as much en-
] titled to speak for the soldier as the seRa-
| tor from Massachusetts. ! represent a state
that has already sent 1O0, 900 soldiers to
this war. / have Kith and kin in that
army near and dear; not those who wear
the strap or the star, but those who handle
| the nObler commission of the spade and
/ the musket. Not entitled to speak for tee
soldier? / shall speak for him. / know
nothing about the soldier elsewhere; but
| will tell you something about the Western
4 volunteer. He hates the seceesionist be-
cause he is the enemy OF his country, and
/ he despises the Yankee politician. That
is the sentiment OF the Western volunteer.
Has he not abundance OF reasons for thess
| sentiments? Shall they not be spoken
/ will not 60 so far as to say that this is
the sentiment of the Western people. l will
| say that 1t may be, unless change OF policy
is hereafter to be effected. The senator says
\ | can not reach Massachusetts,. God forbid
that ! ever should reach it; that ever
should set foot upon its soil. l
| nave III euGu uCclIcs AUL tue WISH
| not the intention, as long as the present
| dynasty of fools controls its destiny. Con-
| cord, Lexington and Bunker Hill, spots
once cOnsecFated to liberty, now the seats
! Of base faction, which seeks to make vain
/ the sacred blood there shed.
| THE senator ssys-'I have spoken per-
soDally of him. l spoke of characters in
and ont OF the senate; those who see fit by
the crocodile, hypocritical praise of the
worthless OF the past to cover up their own
mistakes, errors and treason OF the present.
/ have a right to make a general denuncia-
/ ton of political characters of that kind.
| II the boot fits the foot OF the senator from
Massachusetts,, in all charity let him
| wear it,
THE senator from Massachusetts, has al
luded to what he calls In very senatorial
| terms the 'copperhead' legislature of Indi-
| ana. 1t is part of the regular business
Of that senator to rise on this floor and
arraign the people and the legislative
authorities OF sovereign states and
to arraign political organizations as
being enemies to the country.
What is his purpose? What is his OBJ
JectY What does he propose 20 effect?
can tell you one thing he is efecting. He
will convince the secessionists. He will
convlnc &c the rebel authorities at Richmond.
He will persist in convincing them OF what
be knows himself 10 be false. That there
1 IL party IN lnlS country opposed 10 the
government, that they control the legisla-
tures of Indiana, OF Illinois, OF New York,
and of other loyal states. Does the gentle
! man emulate such a work as that. charge
| upon him that in so doing-as he does
officially and personally in giving to that
SANDER the Endorsement and the weight
Of bis official character as chairman of the
committee on military affairs-he is lab
oring in the cause of the enemy, he is Civ
| ing them aid and comfort, he is doing the
low, sordid and Vulgar work of a scayenger
in the rebel camp, which agsneFous enemy
would disown.
Seltor Turpie was a very young man at
this time, the youngest perhaps that had
ever served In the senate. He had just
taken his seat surrounded by such eminent
republicans as Wilson, Sumner, Trumbull
Fessenden and many others OF equal repu.
tation. But these facts did not deter the
young hoosier senator. He was there to
advocate the cause Of his people, and when
We remember, now, that he should have
ably acquitted himself in q two and one
half hours speech on great national CUES.
ton, involving the constitutional rights OF
the people and the comforts OF the soldiery,
in reply to Senator Wilson, rs to call forth
reply from that leader which was filled
with abuse OF Mr.. Tarpie and the demo-
cratic party, and the ready response OF the
Indiana senator given above, we can well
rejoice that the Indiana democracy has at
last bestowed honor whore honor was due
in returning the young man Of 1868 to the
U. s. senate. w. ]. HILIeAss.