The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-04-23

He vas born In Liberty township.
Buffalo county, O., and in his early in
fancy was carried by his parents Ia
their pioneer home In the Wabash val
lev, Iudiana. In 1879 he graduated
from the Indiana Asbury (now De-
parw) university and, Studying law.
began ats practice in ls5l. His first
public Office was entered upon In 1858.
Early in life Voorhees, exhibited the gifts %
oratory. The Tore Haute bar before the war
was an able one. There were such men as Dick
Thompson. secretary OF the navy In President
Hayes cabinet; Tom Nelson. q brother OF the
celebrated general Bull" Nelson. who was
minister TO Mexico and Chilli; Bayiess Hanna.
the Sweet Singer Of the Wabash and who
served as minister TO the Argentine Republic
during Mr.. Cleyeland's first term. Harvey D.
Scott. who served in congress from the Terre
Haute district. and others Of less renown. AZ
q criminal lawyer he won fame before the war
and on the stump he was regarded as the rival
OF Morton and Lane.
When the war broke out he was ct looked
upon as . Union man, or rather that he
would follow the Douglas wing Of the democrats
&c party. To one Of the first regiments leaving
Terre Haute for the front Voorhees, presented .
battlefag. Not long after that event two meet
ings were held on the same evening in Terrs
Haute. and some OF Mr.. Voorhees, friends in
duced him 70 attend the one at which words
were uttered that were In those days OF turmoil
regarded as bordering on disioyaity. From
that night on Voorhees, was looked upon as OPP
posed to Oliver p. Morton. the war governor.
although IL is asserted that Gov. Morton relied
on Mr.. Voorhees, 20 restrain the turbulent wing
Of the Indiana democracy In war times He was
charged with being a member OF the Golden
Circle m alleged disloyal organization. He
was also charged with making speeches in and
out OF congress breathing defiance to the adj
miniStration OF Mr.. Lincoln.
After the war. rs a congressman. VOORHEES,
supported nearly all the popular measures to
pension the soldiers. and much OF the bitterness
engcndered against him during the war was
forgotten No Indiana soldier evtr wrote ID. w.
Voorhees, without receiving a courteous reply.
and . word OF advice how to proceed In regard
10 securing a pension He was appointed to the
senate by Gov. Williams to fill the vacancy
caused by the death OF Oliver p. Morton In
is7. and from that time till the fourth OF last
March sat in the highest legislative body OF the
land.
1t will be many days before Indiana viii pro-
duce a more gifted speaker. He was known fas
and near as the ''silver-tongued orator OF the
Wabash" He had the power to swing his
audience this way and then that-from tears Of
sorrow to shouts of JOY; from death-like silence
10 laundering applause. He could make Jurors
weep, or curl their lips with Indignation Court
room audiences would cheer despite warnings
from the sheriff or judge. and would nght fos
positions to hear the silvery words.
Democracy worshipp-d his name more than
Hendricks They looked TO the Tall Syca-
more" for guidance. He was their Piumed
knight. their Navarro. their Richard the Lion
Hearted. their idol Athome he knew the labor
ing people, took their hand. inquired about
their familics; TO the rich he amply
bowed He earned thousands and thou
sands OF dollars. but died poor. for voor-
hees would spend his lass dollor or give IL away.
He knew almost every man In his home town.
and In the country rolnf about He would talk
with them on the street. at their gate, in theis
stores. He was Dan Voorhees,. plain Dan. with
no frills. and when election time came he waa
y hard man to down.