Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-04-05
Governor Morton's Remarks on tho Fec
senden Amendment.


Governor Morlon's Remarks on tho Fos-
sender Amendment.
We clip from tho Daily Globe the SUBJ
joined remarks Of Senator MoaToS, in
the SENATE, on an amendment offered by
Mr.. FEssESpEN to the supplemental re-
construction bin, by which the option
would bo loft with tho present Provisional
Governments Of the late rebel States "a
call or not to call conventions for framing
new constitutions for their respective
States, in conformity with the late net OF
Congress. In opposition to this amend
mcnt, which was subsequently rejected by
decided majority, our Senator spoke Oi
follows:
Mr. President, have very great rclrccl
for the judgment OF the distinguished Sen,
ator iiom Maine who onels this amend
ment, but | ean not vote for IL. The Of
feet Of this amendment, as | understand
| IL, is 10 enable the existing State govern.
menis in tho rebel States to determine
whether or not there shall be convention,
aud whether or not there shall be recon
struetion. We have declared those State
governments TO be provisional, but this
amendment will enable them to perpetu-
ate themselves as continuing and perma.
nent governments. These existing gov.
ernmcnts in tho South wero elected by
about half the people; they are composed
almost exclusively Of rebels; aud now wc
are proposing to put into the hands OF
these State governments the determination
Of the question whether there shall be re.
construction or not.
should like TO inquire of grave Sena-
tors how We can go before the country and
justify ourselves in finally submitting this
question to these existing State govern
menis. ask, sir, ii We have not, as a
party, for two years past denounced them
as illegal and unauthorized, and / ask
have We not denounced them as being put
blythe President into tho hands Of rebels
for rebel purposes. giving TO the rebels Of
the South the exclusive machinery of do.
nestle State governments? ] ask If the
present President has not even been
threatened with impeachment for the cree
ton Of these governments? And yet now
IL is deliberately proposed TO put into their
hands the determination OF the whole
question Of reconstruction, TO say whether
II shall take place or not Sir, can We
20 before the country and justify ourselves
in doing this thiue2
The Senator from Nevada (Mr. Nye)
talks about the danger of the hour.
will tell him where think the danger of
the hour lies. IL is in even permitting
the impression to go abroad that the great
Union party is opposed to reconstruction,
and for political purposes is holding il
back. w henevor that impression shall
iaslen itself upon the minds of the people
Of this country We shall 90 into minori-
iy. The success Of the Union party. in
my opinion. depends upon speedy and
successful reconstruction; and if We arc
able TO 20 into the canvass Of 1SCS and
have inscribed upon our banner "fhe re.
bellion suppressed, the Union restored,
equal rights and liberty secured 20 all,
there can be no successful opposition made
to us, but we shall sweep every Northern
State, aud perhaps some Southern States,
according TO the prediction Of the Senator
from Massachusetts. But il by our speech
es or our votes, here or elsewhere, we shall
allow the impression to prevail that We
are casting obstacles in the way Of recon
struetion, that we are making legal provi-
sions which may be taken advantage Of
by southern rebels to hold reconstruction
back, we shall receive the condemnation
Of the people. Sir, the danger to the Re.
publican party consists in the lingering
of this work, in lis procrostination, in its
being long drawn out. If we 90 into the
canvass OF lSG9 with the Southern States
in worse condition than they were al
the end Of the war, aud no real progress
made in the work of reconstruction, we
may expect to meet very serious opposl.
ton; but il we shall 20 into the canvass
with the work accomplished, with the I'm
ion restored, with liberty and equal rights
secured TO all, We shall have accomplished
the greatest work that any political party
ever accomplished, and we shall be every
where triumphant.
Upon every ground of policy, upon cv'
cry ground OF consistency, we dare not
now place the whole question back in th,
hands Of these rebel State governments
which we havo SO bitterly denounced ever
since they were erected by the President
We can justify ourselves in that course
upon no reason that has been offered her,
this day. | say, let the work Of recon
struction 90 on. So far from putting !
into the power of these rebel State gov
ernmeats TO stay the work, ! am oppose,
even to submitting the question Of conven
ton or no convention to the people, al
proposed by the Senator form Missouri
aud am opposed to submitting that qucs
ton to the convention when it meets
Let tho convention be elected; let il form
a constitution; let that constitution be dis
cussed and submitted to the people. Al
then have the right to .Yotc upon the con
stitution. They will 10y that election
have had time for deliberation; they will
have had tho benefit Of discussions; aud
believe that any fair constitution whiel
shall have been made in any of these State
will then be adopted. But it is now pro