Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-13
Governor Morton Pm the Payment of
the interest on the states Debt.

the interest on the states Debt.
We published on Saturday, Attorney General
HoRD's reply to the pretentious letter of Cover
nor MoRroN. addressed to JAMES WISsLow. Esq,
banker Of New York city, upon the payment of
the interest on the State debt. for which the Leg
~islature, on account Of the secession of the Repub-
lican members. failed to provide or direct. The
question at issue is. whether the State officers.
under the acts of 1859 and 1861, establishing a
treasury system. and providing penalties for the
violation thereof, have the right to withdraw
moneys from the public treasury, without Legis-
lative direction or appropriation. The Governor
argues they have. and seeks to establish his view
of the question bv a specious appeal to the
public. The journal. in abiding to the Gov
ernor's points, says that Ss connecting rea-
soning builds them massive and enduring as
granite" The Court organ seems to be deeply
impressed with the massive proportions of His
Excellency. 1t is stated npon excellent authori-
" that The race is not always to the swift nor
the battle to the strong" We have read Of one
COLLAR who. by his single prowess, threatened
to demolish the whole tribe of Israel. Encased
IN his armOr he thought himself impenetrable,
but one DAVID, a slight and youthful STRIPPING,
met the presumptuous giant, and with only a
sling and a smooth stone felled him to the earth.
We think the Attorney General. whom the Jour
nal and His Excelleney regard as a weak man
in a high Office" BY using only the smallest
pistol bullet, has completely disabled the tenor
nous battery" which the Court organ says His
Excellency planted and discharged" at him. A
very slight punclure has taken all
the wind out of the Governors labored
argument. and leaves it as s~hapeless and
empty as a shirt upon a bean pole. His Excel
lency starts out with the proposition that, eff it
is the intention that money should be taken from
the Treasury for a particular purpose, then such
intention is the law, and is an appropriation"
Upon this basis, and by a misrepresentation of
facts, he endeavors to show that the State Off
GERS have a right to Withdraw money from the
treasury in direct violation Of law. His premises
being wrong. his conclusions are equally invalid.
The Governor, in his communication avoids
all allusion to his own responsibility in the mat
ter. An eminent hnancier in New York, who
partially represents the financial interests of the
Federal Government in that city, stated lately
that, in his opinion, the State officers should
not take the responsibility of paying the
interest, if they had any reasonable doubt as to
their authority to do so. On being informed
that the Governor was empowered by the COnsti-
tuition to convene the Legislature in special ses
sion whenever he thought the public interests de-
manded it, he expressed the opinion that the
Governor should not hesitate to resort to this
constitutional remedy rather than have the State
dishOnored by failing to fulfill is plighted faith.
When told that the Governor declined to call the
Legislature together on account of political or
party considerations, he said that such reasons
should not weigh a feather in the present condi-
ton of the country and to prevent the evils that
failure on the part Of Indiana to fulfill her obliga-
tons would cause. Nothing could be more un.
fortunate for the Governors future prospects
than to lose the confidence Of the financial inter
ests Of the country; and nothing will be clearer
to them and the people generally, if the interest
is not paid. that the responsibility will rest with
the officer who having the power to cause the
necessary legislative appropriation to be made
for that purpose. failed to do so.