The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-26
A FoRGIyING STATESMAN.

Nothing was ever written more char
acteristic of the writer than Senator
Voorhees, letter declining an invitation
to attend a G. A. r. banquet in Wash
ington. No autobiography of Senator
voorhees,, no private diary, no series of
human documents could furnish o
more truthful picture of the evolution
and development OF soul forces than this
letter does.
Senator Voorhees, is now in his sixty
ninth year. a time OF life when. if ever.
men begin sincerely to regret and try to
atone for the errors of the past. If a
man is not mellowed and remorseful at
that age he never will be. The letter
shows what a very different man the
Daniel w. Voorhees, of 1896 is from him
Of 1876. 1t is as certain as anything in
the realm of fact and history can be
that thirty years ago Mr.. Voorhees, had
no sympathy whatever with the Union
cause or with Union soldiers. He was
always kind-hearted, and in that sense
ever ready to sympathize with a person
in trouble. But he hated the Republican
party with all the intensity of a Demo-
cratic partisan of the pro-slavery school,
and he regarded the war for the preser-
walton of the Union and every person
connected with it, from Abraham Lin
coin down to the humblest private in the
rear rank of the Union army, as a CO.
worker with Satan for the disruption of
the Union and the overthrow of the
Democratic party. There is not parti-
Gle of doubt of this. Mr.. Voorhees,
speeches in those days, and he made
many, were chiefly devoted to vilifica-
ton and abuse of the men. the means
and the measures employed in suppress
ing the rebellion. Pages of the Journal
could be filled with extracts from such
speeches, but they would make dreary
reading now and might hinder Mr..
Voorhees, progress towards sweetness
and light. There was no time during
ed the recognition of the independence
of the so-called Southern Confederacy
by the United States government as a
happy and righteous ending of the con-
fiict.
In his letter declining with regrets the
invitation referred to, he says:
The soldiers of the Union army thirty
or more years ago dedicated their lives as
a precious offering to their country, ana
in doing so preserved from overthrow and
destruction the government of their
fathers. The solemn verdict OF history for
all time to come will be that for them no
earthly honors could be too great, no pen
sions too HIGH no offices too good, no pro-
motions too sure and rapid. Those who
were IN line CT battle a generation ago as
the champions and saviors of Union and
liberty, one and inseparable, now and for
ever" should never know want and priva-
ton at the hands Of the government they
saved. Let this mighty and puissant Ma
ton honor itself by granting a service PEN
sion to every honorably enlisted and hon.
orably discharged soldier at not less than
S12 month, and give him the preference
or appointments and promotions In the
civil service of his country. 1 propose
this as a measure, not of generosity, but
of justice and national gratitude for price
less services rendered.
This more than out-Herods Herod; it
out-V oorheeses voorhees,. Probably in
the entire course of his gushing and
gustatory career he never so completely
swallowed himself and turned his rec
ord end for end as he does by this letter.
And the Journal does not question its
sincerity. Mr.. Voorhees, is built that
way. He is not vindictive and under the
mellowing influence Of time he has
reached point where he can not only
forgive Union soldiers. but actually
champion them and the cause he once
detested. The letter does credit to Mr..
Voorhees, kindness of heart and shows
he was not deferred by any foolish con-
siderations of Inconsistency from COM
diers' friend.