The national Republican., 1867-12-31
eexcrner Mersen,- Aslarc...


This gentleman, now United States Senator
from Indiana, delivered an address last evening
before the Soldiers and Sailors Union League,
at their hall on Ninth street. His subject was
the issues Of 1903, and when we entered the hall
the Senator was upon the topic Of our national
debt. He does not believe we should be In
hurry to pay this debt, but we should provide for
Its consolidation and ultimate liquidation in
some feasible and practical way. The Senator
favors, as we Judge further issues Of greenbacks,
and he does not think that further contraction
at this time advisable. He thinks retrenchment
is highly desirable, and would make II practical
in way that shall be felt. The Senator did not
think much Of that retrenchment which higgles
about the salaries Of clerks and the stationery of
members OF Congress, while II does not seek to
stop the large leakages OF the treasury. He
would retrench in every practical way, and
place the Government expenditures upon the
most economical footing. He showed how the
army and the navy could be largely reduced, and
In this way large sums Of money could be saved,
and the nation be protected as well as now. He
favored the purchase OF Alaska, and thought II
a wise expenditure, but he had no faith in the
notion that we should negotiate for st. Thomas,
unless we were In favor OF buying the yellow
fever, earthquakes, sc.
Senator Morton favors the funding Of our
national debt, and thinks that In some way these
bonds should be taxed by the States. The Gov
ernor gave us the composition Of the Democracy,
and said II was constituted OF the Northern
Democrats who opposed the war, and the South
eTn rebels who fought to break up the Govern
ment. He believed that we waged the war for
a holy purpose, and that II was justiasble In
every sense. It was a war for the Union, and
for the suppression of the rebellion. These
Northern Democrats opposed the war. when
It was going on, and they were now, as then, in
sympathy with the rebels. The struggle Of 1868
is TO settle this question to whether the South
or the North was right. II you put the Demo-
cratic party into power, you decide In favor Of
the rebels; you say that we went to an expendL
ture Of half million OF valuable lives, and more
than three thousand millions OF treasure, all to
no purpose.
He said that the congressional plan OF recon-
struction was condemned because 1t was OPP
prcssive towards the South in excluding so
large a number Of people from the elective fran
chise. He asserted that Il was more liberal to-
wards the rebels than the plan { President John
son, which excluded some fourteen different
classes, amounting, In ALL to 10000 souls, while
the congressional plan only excluded $1,000.
Gov. Morton went on to show what would be
the effect should the Democratic party succeed
to power In this country. He said that the South
were intent upon the purpose OF making the Ma
uOnhl toNernment pay Tor thelr slaves Whlch
had been emancipated by the laws of war or by
Executive proclamation, and that the Northern
wing Of the Democratic party would join their
Southern brethren in this attempt. He enforced
this declaration by quotations from the new
constitution OF the State Of Maryland, the action
Of the Georgia convention, which formed her
present constitution, and also from tho recent
action OF the Kentucky Legislature.
The resolutions and action OF these several
States were read and severally commented upon.
The honorable Senator further said that It was
the purpose of the rebels when admitted to
power to insist upon the payment of the rebel
debt, and that should they, with their Northern
allies, succeed in 1865 II would be done. He said
that they never would consent to the consolida-
tion and payment OF our debt unless their own
was coupled with II In the same category. He
asserted that the South would demand the pen
sioning OF the rebel soldiers, their widows and
orphans, and demand that they shall stand upon
the same footing as our own. He said II was
not In human nature to do otherwise when the
power was within Its reach. Give the Demo-
cratic party power, and all these things follow as
a matter OF coursej and even more we may look
for the consolidation of the debts OF the North
and South, or repudiation, disintegration and a
complete overthrow of the Government.
These are some OF the points introduced, dis
cusscd and illustrated by Gov Morton, but more
fully than we can and space for In our columns
to-day.