Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1885 — Senator Voorhees and the Solniers. [ARTICLE]

Senator Voorhees and the Solniers.

A “Democratic Soldier” in the Huntington Democrat lashes the Kokomo Tribune in the folio ring vigorous style: “If there is anything that will Cause a Republican editor to go into spasms, it is the mention of Senator Voorhees. An item in a Democratic paper or a favorable mention of the Senator acts like a red rag in the face of a Mexican bovine with these fellows. We can hardly pick up one of their sheets without seeing an attack upon Senator Voorhees. One of the latest of the attacks comes from the Kokomo Tribune. The stripling of that sheet, who wore dresses when the war was on, would make the soldiers believe that treason abode in this State, and that Senator Voorhees was an avowed enemy of the Union soldiers. We pass the billingsgate of the article and will take one sentence which reads: “The best thing for the ‘Tall Sycamore’ that could happen his ‘Soldier Love’ record would be to have it forgotten. He had better bury i.Mfor it is a stsneh.” Now let us ask what does this mean? “A stench” to whom? To the editor of the six by nine cross road Republican sheet, or to the old soldiers who fought to preserve the Union? We answer, to the former and not to the latter. Senator Voorhees was not a soldier and he never claimed to have been, but if he hated the soldier and was his enemy it occurs to us that during a long life in Congress and in politics of the State that these Republican editors who are contunu-

ally barking at his heels, could show some utterances of . the Senator, in the lower House of Congress or in the Senate that would verify statement that he is the soldier’s enemy. Even in the heat of political campaigns, during and since the war, no utterance ever made can be so construed, but upon the contrary the facts are that he has always been their friend in the campaign and in Congress.This statement need not rest upon the mere assertion. We need only cite one instance as a reflex of his whole course. When the Repub - licans introduced aud passed that infamous measure that cut off the disabled soldier, the helpless widow and orphans from a pension, prior to the date of their (application, we find Senator Voornees resisting with all his ability the unjust measure. His efforts for the rights of the soldier attracted attention all over the country, and Mr. Voorhees received thousands of letters from soldiers and their widows, commending him for hi s defense of their rights. We wo’d cite very many instances equally as strong as this, where our Senator has manifested his devotion to the soldier’s interests. This record may be a “stench” to such men as Senator John Sherman, of Ohio, who said at the time the bill was under discussion that the soldier or widow of a soldier who had not filed their claim np to that date was not entitled to anything. The record of Senator Voorhees in these matters may be a “stench” to such men as Senator Harrison, of this State, who has not uttered one word against or to right this great wrong. As the Tribune says we have no doubt thev very much desire to have Senator Voorhees’ record forgotten in these things, but it will not down. Like Banquo’s ghost, it will ever rise up to haunt them.”

Gainesville (Texas) Hesperian - Times: Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, candidate for governor of Virginia, saw service as an Indian fighter when he was a lieutenant in the Second cavalry. In a fight with the W ichitas, he was pierced by an arrew. A comrade attempted to extract the shaft, but its head pulled off in the wound, where it still remains. The general will be ranked as a still greater warrior when he takes John 8. Wise’s scalp. [Note. —We do not know the author of the above item, which we clip from an exchange, but we will take the liberty of adding that the comrade who tried to extract the arrow and otherwise ministered to the brilliant young lieutenant, whom he loved as dearly as a brother, was Maj. W. T. McEwem brother of the editor of the Hes-pebian-Times, afterwards major of the Ist Pennsylvania cavalry and the first man to enlist in the union service at the outbreak of the war. —Editor.]