The Indianapolis journal., 1892-10-03
CHASE ON CoPPERHEADS.
He Nay Not Have Used "Cuss Words" but
, Would Have Been justified in So Doing.

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal
Nobody believes that Governor Chase
used the ''cuss words" at Union City which
the Sentinel attributes to him in the con-
nection gwen. He is not that kind of q
man. He knows, and always knew. that
there were heroic and loyal Democrats
durlng the war who marched to the front
or gave moral and pecuniary support at
home, and who are worthy of all praise IL
the Sentinel chooses to make Democracy
and copperheadism synonymous. speaking
from it's inner consciousness. it has right
to do SO for itself. but not tor Governor
Chase and the soldiers who knew no party
during the dark days except the party for
the Union. Hut. mark, even according to
the SentinePs own version. be did not say
Damn their cowardly souls" as the Sem
tinel said OF the Supreme Court for not de-
ciding case as the Sentinel dictated: he
was speaking only of the political status
of the men called copperheads. who stayed
at homo to plot mischief against the army
IN the field and their own neighbors who
were behind the boys in blue with words
of cheer and deeds of help. If he did not
say damn them" he did not rise To tho
level OF the occasion, using the word In Its
primary English signiticstIon. TO con-
demn, TO decide To be wrong or werthy or
punishment, 10 censure.' Webster.
There is bit of Miss Nancyism in social
and political life which some people wish
to incorporate into religious life as we'll,
under the name of Christism. which as
sumes that Judas
"By a cord outwent his Lord,
And got TO heaven first"
In social and political life IL condones
Var do
State, and makes a hero of the wife-mur-
derer. bedecking his cell with lowers and
assuring the wretch that there Is but one
short step at the end of the rope between
HIM and his dear departed" and it sends
HIM hence with all the tenderness and re-
spect due to a Whittier OF LongfeIlow.
ana In politics IL seeks for copperheads the
very highest honors OF the State. This ia
all wrong. Ii Is crime against nature,
and against morals, and against society.
David did not feel so toward the copper
heads OF his time. In tho 1U9th Psalm he
damns them with maledictions like this:
LAS he loved cursing. so let it come INTO
him." Let Satan stand at hisright hand"
Let his days be few" Let his children
be vagabonds." Let his posterity be cut
of" and much more. But more to the point,
In this case. ne said; Let another take his
ofhce." DAVID would never have put up
copperhead for the vice. presidency. liz
Governor Chase is open to criticism at all
II Is In that. IL the Sentinel tells the truth,
be apologies for saying damn them"
when speaking of the copperheads of the
war period.
by the way, there is altogether too much
danger of this and succeeding generations
forgetting what copperheadism signified
W hen il had the power to assert itself No
one who lived in Indianapolis. at the time
will ever forget that Sunday on ~ hich the
military unearthed. at the office of the
sentinel, boxes of firearms which had been
smuggled in under the guise OF SUNDAY
A. N We int od IN,
be used. not by an organized military force
against an organized military force. under
the laws of war. but which were to be
secretly distributed amoug the copperheads
OF the city. TO be used upon their unarmed
neighbors the loyal men of the city. There
was q pail of gloom that day upon every
household as IL dawned upon the people
that there lived. possibly at the very next
they might defeat the cause of the Union.
That was cOpperheadism at our very doors.
Not less alarming was the revelation
made little later when armed men from
every part of the State came together
under the Ruise of Democratic State
convention. but for the real purpose of re-
leasing the rebel prisoners vino were in
Camp Morton, and of capturing or killing
Governor Morton. and who were prevented
from carrying out their purpose only by
the training of cannon IN the principal
streets and the presence of United States
soldiers ready for the defense of the city,
and the camp. and the Governor. Governor
Morton having. through his detectives, been
apprised of their purpose. Men, and omen.
too. who remember those days. not 10 men,
tiOn the murder of Stevens anu other gov
ernment officers TO prevent the draft do
not hesitate 10 say amen when Governor
Chase or any other good man says damn
the copderheads," using the phrase Its
most obvious sense. With all good Chris
tians. they hope that grace may rescue
their souls from the hereafter bad, but they
hAn fhAu
pray that some better patriots may have
the Offices. OF course. where the voting
majority are still c0pDerheads, they will
elect their kIth TO Office. as they have heeu
doing all along. but men who are not cop
perheads will not vote for man who was
a copperhead during the war period.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct !. II. l.. SEE.