Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-08-11
Speech Of Governor 0. p. Morton,
n the Union Congf essionai Com
ventiOn. Held af Grcencastie,
Imdiara, July 27, 1854.

bn U ire>s Nv nv utu Htpls CUUpetltOT,
Mr.. Md nall. nearly the whole of which
WAS .levatel to thu criticism of nv
ADMINISTRATION. Mr.. Mcdonald was
place.l in nomination for the Office of
G pvernnr by the late Democratic State
Convention. the procee,iing- Of which
nav he described as highly covsrdly AMI
deceptive. Upon the sub iart Of the war,
the great anl overshadowing event in
American history, it was dishonorablv
sni sh,nefaIly silent. In the language
Of ths CINCINNATI enquirer. lit songht the
p,rr Advantage OF an eq1iyocal position.
ani i,.>ire'l To place itself in an attitude
whsre it might h,ve thu ability TO cheat
m.n OF conflicting political opinions. Mr.
McDGnall. In very brief exordium, m ale
q somswhat indefinite ai>aui>ition upon
National affairs, To which | call vour
attention. tie began bv congratala;ing
himself and his party friends that they
Were in no wise responsible for bringing
this war upon the country. lie then
sssnmel that the origin of the war was TO
De fond in the unwi~e AMI unnecessary
agitation of the slavery question, which
hal been forced upon the country by his
p 'litical opponents, the AbolltioniSts. Ii
il be true that the war was brought about
by the agitation "f the slavery question, it
is impossible for Mr.. Mcdonald to be held
sguiltless. or to relieve himself from
responsibility. He has been a ceaseless
agtator Of the slavery question for many
years. first upon the one sile and then
upon the other; first rs an ardent and ultra
anti-slavery man, and then as an ardent
aud extreme slavery man. seeking to
lay all the sins OF the nation upon the
shoulders OF his former anti slavery
friends.
In lS49. when he was candidate for
Congress in the Sth Congressional
District, he addressed TO a committee of
geutlemcn the following better:
"ATrIcA. July 5. 1910
"Gentlemen:-Having seen your circu-
lar to the candidates of the District in the
public press, aud not wishing to coacea
any opinion held by me in regard to thr
political questions a,taiing the pnbic
min |. h,,ten to reply to yous intcrroga-
tories:
l. 10 admit anl believe that Con
gresS has a right to iegi>late on the SUI ieei
ef slavery for al the Territories of the
Uai'el States. ,hs Districi Of Columbia
incin>.ve
-. / am in favor OF the Adoption Of tn.
WIlmDt Proyiso in all the Territorial
organizations.
''3. an in favor Of the prohibition Of
tis slave trade in the District OF
Coir.n.ia. an in favor of the abolition
of slarery in the District OF Columbia. the
citizens expressing a wish therefor. l.
this cannot be done. shouLi then be in
favor OF removing the seat Of Government
10 free soil
/ am opposed to the admission of
any mote slave States, from any territory
no, p.o2esiy inclulei in the Texas COM
pran!-e. ID not believe that ,ngre->
Ought to disturb the compact entered iuto
with rrxss on tha, subject.
IS. | AN in favor "f tho exemption OF
the homestead from execution.
&c. | am in favor Of the S ate Conven-
tion 20 am.ni the Constitution.
'YouIs. respectfully.
J. E. MCDONALD"
In this letter he Solsmnly declares that
he i in favor OF exclu.ling sls:ery from
all territories By an act of Congress. and
he j, opposed to the admission of any
more slave Stare>l that slavery shonld bc
abolished in the District of Columbia AMI
If that conll not be done. then the Capi-
tai should be removed to free soil. Upon
this platform he male Mis- way into Con
s'ess. Blu, in 1854 he began to asitate on
the other side. He then approved the in
tro1uc'ion of the Nebraska bill. repeating
the Missouri compromise. Afterwards he
endorsed the Lecompton Constitution by
which it was attempted to fasten slavery
upon Kansas. against the will of nine
renths OF her people; afterwards he cndor-
sell the "Drcd Scott decision" which de-
clarei the existence of slavery in all the
national domain by virtue of the Con,ti-
teton Of the United States; and since the
beginning of the war has earnestly oppo-
sod every measure Of the Government, look.
ing to the weakening of the rebellion. BY
withdrawing from it the power derived
from slavery and slave labor. With this
undeniable record staring him in the face
it is rot competent for him to say that be
has Ect been an agitaior.
AMI SUPfREoSION.
Bnt there was one question--th upper
most question in oil yonr thoughts both by
day and night upon which he utterly iai :
ed to express himself: the question of snp-
preston OF the rebellion and the restora-
tion of the Uaion. Was this forgetfnl-
ness on the part Of my honorable oppo-
nent. or was it as the Cincinnati Enquirer
phrases il, ''ths desire to have the poor
advantage Of 81 equ;vocal position" In
charity | must suppose the former. Br,
then you would he ready to exclaim: 1--WE
do not want man of such in6rm memory
Oh such Rip-Vsnwinkle sleeper TO pre-
side over US as Governor for the next four
years; we prefer a man who is able to ar.
rive at the knowledge Of the existelce oi
this war. and who has an opinion upon it
which DC is both able anil willing 10
express" 1 am IN favor of suppre>>ing
the rebellion. the restoration Of the Union.
ant compelling the rebellious inhabitants
OF the secede'i States to return 10 their
obediencs AMI allegiance to the Con stitu-
fion aud the laws Of ,he United States:
DC: yon will look in vain through the long
aud carefully prepared speech Of my
competito. for any declaration or express