The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-11-15
GOVERNOR MORTON sERENADED.
His speech on the Occasion.

Mount Retreat, near. that city. The
Richmond Cornet Band furnished the
music, Major John II. Popps was lead
er OF tho visitors, and presented the
crowd 30 the Governor. The latter
responded in II short speech, report
OF which we find in the indianapolis
Journal. He said
During the war I never doubted
that we should put down the rebellion.
L at least had the merit of having
full faith in the power OF the Govern
ment and in the continued courage
and loyalty of the people. 1 had
darker hours last summer in regard
to the future prosperitY1N our coun-
try than at any time during the con.
tinuance of the war. An event that
none of us could have anticipated had
transpired. An Administration that
we had placed in power by our votes,
which was pledged to our principles,
had passed over to the other side.
The executive power, the whole pat
ronage Of the Government, the com
mand Of the United States army, the
ofthe immense financial
interests of this nation, all had sud
denly passed over into the hands of
the enemy; and when, in addition to
this, l contemplated the possibility
that the. people of the Northern States
might become so far blind to their
own interests and those of the nation
that our power in Congress would be
destroyed or paralyzed, it seemed to
me as if we had q dark future before
us. believed, however, even then,
that wo should triumph in the elcc-
tions, both those that have been al
ready held and those that are to be
held on next Tuesday. We have tri-
umphed in Indiana, Pennsylvania and
Iowa, and believe we shall triumph
also in New York, in illinois, in Mich
igan, and l trust also in Maryland
| hope the Administrators will profit
and learn wisdom from the great ver-
dict which the people have pronounced.
But if the Administration should not,
| am strong in the belief that the
Southern people will learn from these
electors that this Administration is
powerless to protect the policy they
have adopted, and in the constitutional
rights they assume to possess, and that
they will feel that their interest, their
safety and their prosperity depend on
the speedy acceptance fthe very mod.
crate con iitions proposed by the peo-
pie of the Northern States a0d by
Congress- | trust they will under
stand the temper of the people so far
as tobelieve that we are not any longer
to be trifed with, and that if they do.
lay unreasonably to accede to our
terms, the conditions now offered
them will be finally withdrawn, and
others far more hard and rigorous will
be substituted for them.
l am glad to meet with the mem
bers OF the Grand Army of the Re
public. 1t is a noble organization,
banded together not only to protect
each other, to look after the interests S
of the'widows and the orphans of our
country, but also to preserve and cher
ish the recolections of loyalty, friend
ship and affection, which bind one
soldier to another. am not myself
a member of this order. ! am sorry
| am not entitled to be; but have
such an intimate connection with the
army that went forth from our State,
that | feel / am at least a near rcla.
tive.
The army preserved The Govern.
ment. 1t crushed the rebellion, That
we are to o.day one people and one Gov
ernment we owe to the army. The
army will also preserve the nation at
the ballot box. The great body of
the soldiers are true TO the principles
for which they fought. Our enemies
felt they could not succeed without
dividing the vote of the army, and
hence an attempt has been, made by a
detection of some few officers 30 divide
the soldiers vote. 1t has signally
failed. 1t was quite as unanimous in
Indiana the other day, and in all the
other States that held their elections
as at any time during the war,
The soldiers have taught the world
lessbn which before it never could
have understood, and one which the
politicians and the Governments o
Europe have always hitherto refused
to believe. We were told that when
the war was over and this army was
disbanded, the men would be so tal
incapacitated for the pursuits of peace
and dissatisfied with civil life, as tC
become adventurers and mere ramb
leTs, and that they never could dc
vote themselves again to the ordinary
employments Of society, We wer'
told they would como home with baC
habits, addicted to dissipation.
never believed that, for the materia
of our army was essentially differen
from that which composed the armies
of Europe. The result has proved fa
better than we anticipated. Our sold
Iiers came home from the field NOR
quiet, better behaved, and better in
structed in the knowledge of the worlt
than they were when they went out
and are now our most peaceablo ant
valuable citizens, as they were befor
the most gallant men to be found en-
rolled. on the pages of history 4 1l
Lhave confidence in the future hap
piness and prosperity of our country
i believe that oil will yet be we'll
do not believe that God has permitte
this nation to pass through the sever
\ trials ithas experienced and make tn