The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-10-09
GOV. Morton,S Sneeeh.

Gov. MortOn's Speech.
The Governor of our State who is
3 now in Washington, was honored with
a serenade on Monday night, to which
he responded with the following re-
marks: 500
Friends and Fellow-Citizens have
returned to the Capitol, after an absence
OF nearly eight months, and during that
time events of the greatest importance
have been transpiring. In that space of
time much history has been written.
some OF which is pleasant and much Of
{ which is bitter. We have won victories
and have suffered disasters; andperhaps
what you would like to know tonight of
me is the condition of public sentiment
IN the West Now, in regard to the pros
eeution of this war, can tell YOU these
disasters which we have suffered. and the
{ protraction of the war, have only the ef.
feet throughout the West to intensity and
deepen the determination of the people
that this rebellion shall be crushed. Apz
plause We have suffered no despon-
: dency in heart :" That's SOP Our
troops everywhere have behaved with
the most distinguished and conspicuous
gallantry We have the men, we have
the resources, we have the coast, Tap
plause, and therefore we must and win
conquer. Loud applause. Many of
our gallant sons have poured out their
life blood on the sod of Virginia, of Mary
land, and other States. Ny own State
of Indiana has recently suffered the loss
OF some of her most gallant spirits She
mourns the death of these men-of fhe
humblest priyates, the Blood is precious
in our sight, but the effect of this is that
every life which is thus sacrificed is but
another guarantee that this rebellion
shall be crushed. Cries of bravo, and
applause. With us it is understood that
everything is at stake upon the result of
this contest, and therefore that we are to
stake everything upon the result if need
be Applause 2
That there is no sacrifice too gre at to
be made; that there is no loss which
ought not to be cheerfully endured that
this Government may be preserved, and
the unity of this nation remain undes-
troyed. Applause. IF any man de-
ludes himself with the idea that the sue
cess of this rebellion would but result in
the exercise of confederacy of two
Governments-the old Government to
be IS d Of ths laEa s Satesr cts sreBg5hs B h
States, let him at once disabuse his
mind of this idea If this rebellion shall
succeed, / look upon it as utterly improba-
BILE, in fact impossible, that the remain
der of the Republic can be held together.
THAT so. Should the rebel States
succeed in establishing their independ-
ence, and support Government, and
thus the example of successful rebellion
be placed before the world, the work of
disintegration will 60 on and continue
until we have been broken up and become
a number of petty Republics warning up
on each other, without consideration be-
fore the world, with none so poor as to
do us reverence. That's SO. At once
would the States upon the Pacific set up
for themselves. They are widely sepa-
rated from US by plains and mountains.
They are upon the western slope of the
Rocky Mountains. and they would at
once aspire to become the republic on
that side. We would have party at
once erecting a great northwestern re-
pubic on the banks of the Mississippi,
and should we be so unfortunate as to be
beaten in this contest, the South, with
the prestige of arms, would claim the
entire Valley of the Mississippi and every
fort and all the land West of the Allie
gheny Mountains. l but bring to your
atten ton what would be the result Of this
rebellion.
A remedy for these evils is the crush
ing out of this rebellion, and compelling
the seeding States to obedience to the
Constitution and laws of the land; and
prolonged applause] how shall this be
donel A voice-By killing Laugh
ter and applause.l GAnother voice =
They should be annihilated. Several
voices They should be hanged 1t
shall be done by the destruction of the
military power of the rebels; that is, il
shall be done by Withdrawing from them
their resources. [Applause. 1t shall
be done by any means that viii cripple
and destroy their power. !" That's the
way; and applause.
The President has issued proclama
tion recently. / do not propose to-nigh
to discuss the details OF that preelama
ton. Whether it was put forth at the
proper time, and what will be the effect
are questions upon which we may speca
late; but so far as the powerof the Presi
dent is concerned, and has a right t.
issue proclamation proclaiming free
dom to the slaves of rebels, as wa
measure, entertain no doubt whatever
| [Cries of "Good" and applause.
There is no more of constitutional ques
ton or doubt in regard to it than ther
will be in the army crossing the PotC
mac, or in the seizure of New Orlean
by Gen. Butler That's so;" and az
plause. 1t is purely a military quel
tion-a means to an-end-the means, i
the view of the President, by which tn
power of the enemy of the Presider
may be crippled and destroyed. TAI
plause.] As Commander-in-Chief of th
Armies of the Republic, he is charge
with the very responsible duty of crusl
ing out the rebellion, and of compeilin
these rebels to obedience to the Const
tuition and the laws: and it is for him,
his capacity as Commander-in-Chief
2 find out in what the power of the rebe
consists, and when he has discovere
this to destroy that element in whatev'
Q way he can. [Cries of "Goodl" al
applause.