Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1887 — Turpic's Power of Invective. [ARTICLE]

Turpic's Power of Invective.

Washington Letter: I have often heard that David Turpie, the new Senator of Indiana, made a national reputation in the Senate in a service in that body of less than one bhort session, it appears that he was very young at the time, atad that he was principally noted for his logic and his scorpion invective. He had been in the Senate but a few days when that body con 4 sidered the Federal Conscript Act. He opposed the measure in a constitutional argument that astonished every one, 'nd Howard and "Wilson, the latter afterward VicePresident, and both veteran Senators, took him to task. F : nally the ffair became personal, and the following is a passage from Turpie’s speech, which shows his terrific powers of invecti e: “Had the Senator from Massachusetts lived in the days of those whom he has named he would have been found in opposition to them as he is now in opposition to their principles and their doctrines. If he had lived in the days of Jackson, he might probably have spoken well of Washington; he might

have praised the Revolution. If he had lived in the days of tlie Revolution, he and hi* political colleagues wonld have been Tories, true to King George. They wo’d have spoken then as flippantly as they do now of Rebels and rebellion. They would have strangled the gallant Hayne in the prisons ot South Carolina. They would have offered rewards for the heads of Sumter and Marion. They would have sold their country, like Arnold, for a less price than he. The Senator would have found nothing in those days a fit subj ct for his •omnaendation. He would have gone back as far, probably, as the Reformation He would have praised Luther and his co-workers. Had he lived in the days of Luther he would have stood fast by the Pope and the Vatican. He would have feasted upon the ashes of the martyrs, He would have kindled the fires of Smithfield. The Luther of that hour would have receive ed his bitterest condemnation. “He might have gone even so far back as the Christian era before he obtained an object worthy of his praises. He would have spoken

well of the mission us the Deity, who came to earth, and tor our salvation was nailed upon i itter tree, in whose name he would have burned Luther and those who fought the battle of the Deformation against the eeclesinsiical power of that era. Had he indeed lived in the days of Christ; had he seen the Savior of mankind, the Senator fr m Massachusetts wo’d, perhaps, have followed Him. He would have followed Him from the of Getlisemano through the streets of Jerusalem to the judgment .'eat of Pdate, and there his voice would have l een heard, and his language would have been: ‘liele tse unto us Bnrabbas, as for this Jesus let him be crucified.’” Half dozen other passages equally severe, can be found in the speech, which abounds in classical allusion and lofty flights of eloquent declamation. When he takes his scat next December lie will find a new set of hands at the bellows, and if he wants to engage in a general knock-down and drag-out, he might practi?e on Ingalls. If his mind turns to law, and I suppose it does, Edmunds and Evarts will afford him some amusement.