The tri-weekly standard., 1867-04-25
Senator Oliver p. Morton, of Indiana.

ana, Governor OI1Ver L. MOTION, &C
companied by an accurate though brief
record of his public career.
Senator o. P. Morton was born in
Wayne County, Indiana, in 1928, and
is now 43 years Of age. He was edu.
Gated at the Miami University, at Ok
ford, Ohio, and admitted to the bar in
ls47. In 1852 he was elected Judge OF
the Fifth Judicial Circuit in 1856 was
nominated by the Republican party by
acclamation as its candidate for Cover
nor, and after an extensive canvass, was
beaten by small majority, his oppo.
nent being the late Governor A. P
Willard. He was elected Lieutenant
Governor in 1860. On the resignation
of Governor Henry S. Lane, January
10, 1861, he became Governor, and per-
formed the duties ofthat office through
out the war; His administration was
distinguished for great yigor; and the
Indiana troops were put in the field with
as much rapidity and in as effective con-
dition as those ofany other State. The
great care which Governor Morton gave
the troops of his State wilhelm the field
was remarked at the time. The first
sanitary agent that went to the army
with supplies for the sick and wounded
carried Governor Morton's commission
in his pocket, and started with the In
diana troops to Western Virginia in
April, 1861. He established sanitary
posts and agencies in connection with
the armies, and to him more than any
other person in similar position was
due the existence of the sanitary system
for which the late war was distinguish
ed /; and his care and efforts to relieve
the wants of the soldiers from his State
endeared him to all well-wishers of the
"boys in blue" He was popularity
known throughout his State as the "Sol-
dier's Friend"
In FEBRUARY, 1868, the rebel sympa-
thizers in the Indiana Legislature, both
Houses Of which they controlled by
large majorities, attempted, by bold
usurpation, to wrest the military power
of the State from the hands of the Gov
ernor and bestow it upon four other
State officers, three of whom were mem
bers of the reasonable organization
known as the {" Sons of Liberty" This
desperate measure was only defeated
by breaking up the Legislature, and the
Union members with drawing from it
and the State Capitol in body. The
Governor was thus left without opposi
ton, but also without money and the
necessary means of carrying forward
the State Government. In this dilem-
ma he boldly inaugurated revolution
by taking upon himself the duties of
Auditor of State, Treasurer of State,
Secretary of State, and Acknowledgement
al. Throughout the years le63-64 he
borrowed in an irregular manner mon
ey enough to pay all the expenses of
the State Government, and the interest
upon the State debt in New York-in
all, about 81, 100000 In 1864 he was
again nominated by acclamation for
Governor, and made a memorable cam
paign in joint discussion with his COM
petitor, the Hon. Joseph E. MDonald. |
MIR. Lincoln, after reading the report
OF their first joint discussion, declared |
that it settled the question of the sue
cess of the Union party in the North
west, and secured to the Union the onlv
doubtful State in the North" Governor
Morton was reelected in October of
that year by more than 20, 900 majority
and the Legislature which assembled in |
January following, after thorough ex-
animation of all his financial operations-
and without excepting to his disburse-
ment of single dollar, adopted his
vouchers, ordered them to be transfer
red to the office of the Auditor of State,
and paid off the borrowed money.
MIR. Lincoln, not long before his death,
declared {" that of all the loyal COVER
nors Governor Morton had displayed
the most vigor and ability, and had as
sumed the gravest responsibilities"
In the fall of 1865 he was stricken
with paralysis, and went to Europe for
his health, and returned in March, 1866,
but little if any improved. In April he
resumed the performance Of his official
duties at Indianapolis. In June he OPEN
ed the political campaign for the North
west in speech delivered at Masonic
Hall at indianapolis. This speech exer.
cised wonderful influence in unitino
oHo abusing w dCCIOI GIle lr1enQS OF the |
Union. 1t was published in all of the
leading Union papers throughout the
United States, and more than a million
copies were published in pamphlet form
and distributed as campaign document
Its terrible arrangement of the Democrat
&c party put the members of that party
every where on the defensive, and ex-
cited, as all truths do, the most bitter
Indignation, which was vented upon the
mead of'the Governor in the vilest per-
sonal abuse f0-
Ihe Union members elected to the
lnalana Legislature in 1855 were almost
without exception instructed by their
constituents to vote for Governor Nor.
ton for United States Senator: and when
the Legislature assembled he was nom.
mated without opposition, and elected
ny the largest legislative majority ever
gwen IN that State.-Harper's Moon
zine. 4n"9"-