The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-12
"THE TALL SYCAMORE OF THE
WABASH

quet than another popularity i'm his per-
sonal appearance. This was his hair and
the way he wore it. In early life and when
by his political speeches he was laying the
foundation of his future prominence I'm this
State his hair was of a very pronounced
auburn color. closely approaching red.
rather stiff and bristly in character, and
he wore il brushed in the style now known
as pompadour. This red hirsute corona con-
tributed to his striking appearance and
suggested the comparison to a tall syca-
more tree which, at a certain season of
the year. is crowned with balls of about
was. His height and figure might have
suggested any other tree as well, bu. the
color # the hair suggested the sycamore.
That tree is common in all the river bot
toms of central and southern Indiana. but
as Mr.. Voorhees, came from the Wabash
valley he became the Tall Sycamore of
the Wabash" The political warfare Of
those days personal to an extreme.
and the sobriquet was intended to be hui
initiating and offensive. No man likes to
be twitted on a personal popularity, and
Mr.. VOORHEES, knew as well as others that
the sobriquet referred primarily to the color
and business of his hair. At first and for
many years the epithct annoyed him, as it
was intended to do. but he never resented it
and finally ceased to regard it. Eventually
1t became, as sobriquets often do, dis
tinctive and complimentary appellation, not
only free from offensiveness but Indicative
of popularity.
The Journal has already alluded TO Mr.
Voorhees, addresses outside of politics
the possible exception of ex-President Har-
rison. made as many literary addresses or
special occasion addresses without any
reference to politics as did Senator Voor-
hees. One other native Indianian in public
life made more and better literary adj
dresses than he, viz: Senator Newton
Booth, but he entered public life from Cali
fornia- Most of our public men have done
but little In this direction. Mr.. Voorhees, s
literary addresses do not show much origin
ality or depth of thought, but they are in
good literary form and show care in prepa-
ration. In 1860 he delivered an address be-
fore the literary societies of the University
of Virginia on 1.-The American Citizen"
which was well received. Later he de-
Physical Sciences on the Progress of Civili-
zation before the literary societies of the
University of Missouri which was fully up
to the average of such addresses. The ad-
dress was of considerable length and gave
evidence of no small amount of labor in
its preparation Readers of the Journal
may like to see a specimen of Mr.. Voor-
hees's style outside of politics. In enforc-
ing the idea that the modern philosophy of
utility and progress is the cornerstone of
civilization. he said:
The inventor of the plow which turns
the deep soil of these fields, of the drill
which plants them WIN grain at SEED ecu
ing time, and of the reaper, ana
mower which CLEAN their bountiful har-
vests. is more honored to-day than all
of antiquity. The humblest millwright has
done more to endear himself TO the
human race than those who bullt the walls
of Babylon, or wrought the columns
of the Coliseum at Rome. The names
of Arkwright Hargreaves, Compton and
Cartwright for their inventions in the
far above and beyond all the dazzling and
blood-stained heroes of history. Far better
and brighter, too, is the fame OF Robert
Fulton whose genius walks the water of
the world, than that OF Alexander the
Great. Franklin and Morse will live and
shine as deathless as the eternal stars IN
the heavens when the shades or a gloomy
oblivion have gathered around the memo
rieS of Caesar and Napoleon. Even that
humble companion of the flreSlde, the fam-
yeneration and respect than the pyramid
of Cheops, and its inventor mas done more
to advance the happiness OF the human
race than all the kings that lie empalmeo
in the catacOmbS or Egypt.
A subject like this, which did not require
close study or hard thinking. was congenial
to Mr.. VOORHEES, because it gave scope for
natural ora.ory and for the exhibition OF
his literary attainments, which were really
considerable. When United States Dis
trict Judge Huntington. of this State, died,
in 1862, Mr.. Voorhees, made the principal
memorial address at the bar meeting in
this city. Judge Huntington was a law
yer of the courtly old school and had
served as district judge twenty years. He
had lived at Terre Haute since 1872, and.
of course Mr.. Voorhees, knew him well.
His address on that occasion was model
of fine feeling and good form. The same
might be said of a speech which he deliv-
cred at a meeting held in Representatives.
Hall in Washington, April 16. 1872, in honor
of the memory of Morse, inventor of the
electric telegraph. Speaker Blaine presid-
ed at the meeting and introduced Mr.. Voor-
hees, then a member of the lower house,
who delivered an admirable address. His
address on Thomas Jefferson is said TO
have been fine one, and If he had lived to
deliver his lecture on THE Holy Sepulchre;
or. a Lawyers View of the Divinity Oh
Jesus of Nazareth it would probably have
attracted much attention. theme IKE
that would have appealed to Mr.. Voor-
heess Imagination and sympathy ana ne
was capable of handling it in a manner at
once impressive and popular. lie was too
much absorbed in politics during the whole
of his adult life to be really great in law
or literature. but he achieved high rank as
an advocate and did more and better liter
arv work than most public men.
. PROTECTIVE TARIFF EXPECTED.