Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-18
Governor Morton at Cambridge.


Governor MORTON made speech at Cambridge
on the 5th inst in which be attempted to justify
his violations OF the Constitution and laws of the
State and his gross usurpations OF power The
sum and substance of his argument is this: that
the majority of the last Legislature, the Secreta:
~ of State Auditor and Treasurer and Attorney
General we're disloyal, aud he patriotic and pure;
hence he claims that be was justified in placing
his will against that of majority of the people
of Indiana. The officers of State whom a ma
jority Of the citizens elected Governor MoRroS
says could not be trusted with the custody of the
State arms. and rather than they should be made
the cus,odisns of the property of the State. he
recommended to the minoriry of the Legielature
the revolutionary measure Of seceding-playing
rebel upon small scae-and thus defeating the
viii Of the majority. Aud this is the man who
so furiously deuounces the rebels Of the South
for refusing allegiance to the Constitution amp
laws Of the land Governor MoRroS goes still
further. and says that civil war would have en-
sued il he had not taken the bit in his mouth and
trsmpled the Constitution and laws, which he
had solemnly sworn to obey when he assumed
the duties Of his office. under his feet. If the
Governor Of the State, whose duty il is made TO
see that It's laws he faithfully enforced himself
becomes law contemner and breaker,
with what grace could he condemn
others for following his example? Governor
MoRros admits that be is carrying on the State
government in violation OF Law, but bis apology
for 50 doing is that the passage of bill by the
Legislature to put the arms of the State in the
custody of the State >ificers would certainly
bring civil war in midst Who would have
precipitated the State into civil wars Certainly.
il would not have been Democrats. Then the
Governor concedss that rather than obey the laws,
10 submit to the wiII of the majority his political
frients we're ready ..bring civil war in our
midst" This Is tse very crime which the Gov
ernor charges upon the rebels. that rather than
submit TO the will of the majority, as constitu-
tionally expressed, they brought civil war upon
the country. Such are the conclusions of the
Governors logic-that's the bed he makes up
himself TO lay upon. There is an old adage, oft
exemplified, that curses like chickens come home
to roost
In alludng TO the embarrassment which his
revolutionary action exposed the government in
the payment II she interest upon the public debt
and the arrangement he made with WlSsLow,
LAsIKR & Co. to pay it, he takes occasion in his
speech to accuse State officer wrongfully He
says that that house wished to be furnished
With list of the holders of the State bonds but
"this the Auditor of State refused to give him
self, or allow to be copied from his books"
There is no truth whatever in this statement. and
we can conceive of 10 object he had in
gttering the falseaood but to disparage
the AUDITOR Of State and eralt him
self. The reverse Of the charge is the truth
Of the matter. The Governor we'll knows that
his military Secretary and head of the Financial
Bureau Of the Ereeutioe Department of Indiana
called at The Auditors Office, and was, without
delay. furnished all the information desired in
regard TO the holders of the stocks of the State
With the full knowledge that all the information
which the Auditor of State had in reference to
the matter was furnished to him cheerfully and
courteossly. he tells the people Of Cambridge
that the Auditor refused to give himself, or al
low to be copied from his books. the names
OF the holders Of the bonds. We pre-
sumo the Auditor has no disposition to
complain or interfere with the legislative or any
other department. OF the State government, bet
.seeks suiy 10 fsitbfuy discharge the duties i'm
posed by law. II His Excelleucy had iess smbi-
tion in attempting TO control other independent
s departments of the State government and rem ,
dered obedience to the laws prescribing his duties
a. Governor-svoiding instead of seeking to
ussrp powers not belonging to his positiou--re-
msmbering that it Was ''the violation Of law that
brought sin into the world and all our woe,' land
the troubles entitled upon nations. states and in
diyidnas arise from the same cause.-The Gov
ernof would perhaps win for himself higher Sc
nowb IN The minds Of honest men, than he can
attain by the pursuit of efunscrupulous schemes
for bis o~n elevation and aggrandssment.