The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-12

Senator Voorhees, and the Union Soldiers.
TO the Editor of the Indianapolis yournaL
have read the apology which Senator voor-
bees submitted to the Senate of the United
States for the atrocious epithets which he APP
piled to the Senator from Kansas in Q debate
which no himself provoked and during which
some Of his unpatriotic utterances about our
great civil war were read to the Senate last
week for the first time, and insist that his al
legged apology does not 60 far enough, but
should embrace not merely the Senate but the
Senator from Kansas and the loyal people of
the United States a. we'll. The following would
have been far more appropriate:
"Mr. President-I called the Senator from
Kansas q great liar and dirty dog not be-
the influence Of liquor as some supposed, but
because of the shame and modification ] euf-
fered at having my disloyal record for the first
time brought before this body and the whole
American people. My language about the sol
diers at Sullivan, Ind, wherein characterized
them as Lincoln's dogs, as well as my speech at
Greencastle, reported at the time by the present
able edition OF the ST. Louis Globe-Democrat,
and published IN the Cincinnati Commercial, in
which ! applied such vilanous epithets to
to that great and good man. Abraham Lincoln,
who had malice toward none and charity for
all, now conceded to be the wisest statesman
Of this century, and who gave up his life on &C.
count OF his devotion to the Union cause. Nor
was it because Of the charge that was q MEM
Der Of the order known as the Knights Of the
Golden Circle, the ritual Of which was found
with otner compromising papers In my law Office
at Terre Hauts, but was exasperated at the
great publicity these things were to have by this
exposure. The Senator from Kansas made no
new charges against me and should not have be-
come offended. for out in Indiana have often ex-
planned them to leaders Of the Democracy, most
OF whom, rs well as many thousands of my party,
(which claim embraces . majority of the
voters Of my State) belonged to this disloyal
organization during the war. was not Ia fact,
member of this order myself, but understood
its object and purpose had its cordial support,
and my sentiments were in close harmony
with it. have often admitted that wrote the
Shoup letter, and this was after South Coro-
lima had gone out of the Union and other States
were preparing to do likewise, and tho infer
ence drawn that was willing to give aid aud
comfort to the enemies of the Union was
justified BY the language I employed
have rspsnted Of my conduct and action in all
these particulars and many others, but I never
before had the courage TO rise in my place and
say so, and now ask pardon Of the Senate for
the great breach of decorum; Of the Senator
from Kansas, for the upcaed-for and abusive
epithets applied to him; of the soldiers and loyal
people Of the United States. for my conduct, and
restored Union through their courage and pa
triotism. This apology comes little late in
life but hope It will be accepted, as have re-
solved to adopt for my motto in the future,
my country-may it always be right, but my
country right or wrong"
expect the pardon and forgiveness of the sol
diers and people until he shall offer them some-
thing like the above NJ I. bunny
NEW CASTLE, May 10.