The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-05-12
voorhees, Tribute to His Father.

Voorhees, Tribute to His Father.
Stories of the late Hon Daniel
w. Voorhees,, the '"Tall Sycamore
of the Wabash of his marvel
lous eloquence before juries, his
big-heartedness, and his strong
hold upon the affections OF the
Indiana Democracy-are still
heard about the hotels in Wash
ington. Hon. F. NJ. Dice, OF
Charlottesville, ex-Reporter for
the Supreme Court of Indiana,
was telling a party Of friends a
| few days ago of the first time he
ever heard VOORHEES, speak, and
how his eloquence had impressed
itself upon his mind for all time.
| 1t was more than forty years ago
and the speech-before the jury
was all the more remarkable I'D
that it contained sons tribute to
his father.
| In 1856 Senator VOORHEES, was
young lawyer-but little past thir-
ty-at Covington, Fountain coun-
ty, Ind, in which county the
Senator's father lived, and he
had been reared from childhood.
J At the election that year the Re-
publicans triumphed and elected
one David S. French Treasurer.
:. The Democrats alleged that the
5 election had been gained by the I'M
, portation of German voters from
e Chicago, and contested French s
I election. Voorhees, was employed
!, by the confession.
: The evidence disclosed that on
}. the day before the election a Re-
n publican, Mcknight by name, liv-
: ing in one of the out townships
: went to Attica, the only railroad
s town of the county, and brought
il home. with him two strange Ger
y man voters. In going to his home
Il he had to pass by, late at nigh
II the home and farm Of the fathe
l. of Voorhees,. Before reaching tn
II house, SO the evidence went, tn
Republican said to the importer
l voters, eve are now about to pas
le an old Democrats house, and yo
e. must lie down ON the floor of tn
I'd wagon bed, 80 that he may nc
9, see you"
g In his speech to the jury, CON
ST menting Oh this testimony, MI
IL Voorhees, said: ''Down wer
~ those virtuous constituents of d.
ne vid French until the old Demo
IT., Gratis house was lost in the dl
" tance.' Then he pronounced tn
as eulogy on his father, withol
'ut naming him otherwise than in tt
'e- following:
~ "Sleep on, old Democrat; six
winters have left their SHOWS {
- your head and sixty summers ha
." famed your furrowed cheeks. Il
" sweat of an honest brow h
earned you your bread, and pa
your taxes. For the blessings
:, good government, you have been
i.0 law-abiding citizen and have SCI
~ ed your country we'll. Good bloc
" too, is in your veins. Your faith
heard the roar of Washington
cannon in the wintry morning
-. Trenton, and charged under t
, =, eye of the Father of His Countr
' and saw the noble Mercer ia
49, Sleep on, though now for once I
m enemy has passed the lines a
N the battle is lost, for tomorro7
sun finds the lurid Hessians
saulting at the polls the bulw;
". of every Americans liberty"
o+oa Mr.. Dice recalled this tribu
Of though forty years had clap
tho since it was uttered. He asl
v;;ce Senator Voorhees,, not ma
tho months ago, why this speech
not been included in the prin
bic collection of his addresses Def
juries. The Senator said it
~; because the case was a politi
,;ob+ one, and his didn't care to do a
we'll thing that might, even in a rem
dav way, revive party animosities.