Indiana State sentinel., 1863-05-18
An Issue of Veracity-Objects of the
Republican RepudiafOrs.

The Journal OF yesterday, IN commenting upon
the reply of the Attorney General to Governor
MoRToNs letter on the State debt interest ques-
ton, places itself in dilemma from which there
is no escape. 1t involves an issue of veracity be-
tween His Excellency and the Attorney General.
We quote the following from the article in that
paper headed "The Attorney Generals Letter."
To extrieate himself from his absurd position,
the Attorney General inserts the following pass
age in his letter:
'Hs Excellency was also aware. and forgot to
mention, that section of Acts of 1861, page IA,
contains the following provision:
''sSuch Attorney General shall receive for his
compensation the sum of one thousand dollars
per annum, 90 be audited and paid quarterly out
of the State Treasury
''Now what will our readers think, what will
the friends of Mr. Hord think, when we tell them
that no such section was enacted by the Legisla-
ture of 1861"
The Journal uses the term villainy;' but
scoundreIism of writer who denies the correct
ness Of an extract from law, about which there
can not be the possibility of doubt? The pro-
vision quoted by the Attorney General will be
found in he"Laws Of the State of Indiana passed
at the special session of the General Assembly,
begun on the 9th day of April A. D. 1861 -
printed by BERRY r. SuLGRovE, State Printer"
chapter VII. page IA, and in the second section
of said act. The Journal says the provision re-
ferred to and copied in the letter of the Attorney
General, sis the 18th section of the Act of 1855,
creating the Office of Attorney General" The
act quoted from by Mr.. HoRD has the following
title:
Ar Act to amend sections four and seven of an
act entitled IAN Act to provide for the election,
fixing the compensation. and prescribing the du-
ties of the Attorney General of the State of lndi
ana" approved February 2lst 1855.
The act was approved by Governor MORTON,
June 3, 1861
The Journal writer saws:
"The amendment made in 1861, he, (the At.
tOrney General, does not quote, but the original
section, enacted in 1855. he quotes as passed in
1861"
The Attorney General quotes from the amended
section of 1861, which, in addition to his fixed
compensation OfOne thousand dollars per annum,
"to be audited and paid quarterly out of the
State Treasury" he is allowed docket fee of
FIVE dollars in each criminal or State prosecution,
to be taxed against the adverse party. This the
Journal calls "misquotation of authorities
shameless trick-and it presents the first law
officer of the State in an ugly attitude" There
is not school boy in Indiana that cannot under
stand law better than the Journal writer. What
says the act of June 3, 1867 Quoting section
seven Of the act of February 2lst, 1855, section
second of the act of June g. 1861, says that the
former "be, and the same is hereby amended to
read as follows:
"Such Attorney General shall receive for his
compensation, the sum of one thousand dollars
per annsm, to be audited and paid quarterly out
of the State Treasury" &c.
The act of June 3, 1861, thus fixes the com.
pensation of the Attorney General, and directs
the manner it shall be paid
We have thus referred to this matter at length,
to show that those who apologize and de-
fend the position Of Governor MORTON on the
State debt interest question either stupid or
dishonest, and they will have to pale themselves
on one horn Of the dilemma or the other The
same men talk about Reputation" Who will
be the regulators. if the interest upon the State
debt is not paid1 Will they not be the RepubIi-
can secessionsts from the lest session of the Le-
gislature. who broke a quorum with the full
knowledge that it would defeat the appropriation
to pay that interestl The responsibility will 90
beyond these men. Governor MORTON advised
and approved of the bolt of the Republican mem
bers He has ample time, however, to repair
that wrong. He has the power to call special
session of the General Assembly, whose duty it
Is so make the appropriations to pay he interest
upon the public debt and to provide
for the support Of the charitable in
stitutions and prisons of the State. The
counsel to obey the laws and the requirements of
the Constitution il called by the Republican
leaders "pettifogging cobwebs." The terrible
calamity which has fallen upon the country had
its origin in disregard Of law and unfaithfulness
to tks Constitution. The Governor and his
friends are setting the example. in this State, of
law regulators The Journal however, ex
plains the reason of this. 1t says: 1--WE shall
soon discover that the repudiatiRg party in this
State is represented BY leaders who have a fund
prepared, to invest in State bonds when ~ pro
cess Of depreciation begins" The Governor
professes to represent the monied interests CT In
diana, and bis persistent efforts to prevent egis.
lative appropriations TO sustain the credit of the
State may be explained upon the hypothesis that
a failure 70 pay the interest may depreciate the
bonds Of the State, and hence benefit the bank
ers and stock jobbers, who have fund prepared
for such contingency, as he says.
Mrr Druoa,sr5s OusRrrprx Mrppop m Per