The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-02-13
Governor Morton's Speech
Delivered in the Senate Of the United
States, January 24th, 1868.


States, January Gath, 1868.
Mr.. Morton. Mr.. President: If I had
not been referred to by my honorable
friend from Wisconsin Mr.. Doolittle]
in the debate yesterday ! should not
desire to speak on this question, es-
pecially at this time. l fear that /
shall not have the strength to say
what / wish to.
The issue here to-day is the same
which prrvails throughout the coun-
try, which will be the issue of this
canvass, and perhaps for years to
come. To repeat what l have had
occasion to say elsewhere, it is be-
tween two paramount ideas, each
struggling for the supremacy. One
is, that the war to suppress the re-
bellion was right, and just on our
part; that the rebels forfeited their
civil and political rights, and can only
be restored to them upon snch con-
ditions as the nation may prescribe
for its future safety and prosperity
The other idea is, that the rebellion
was not sinful, but was right that
those engaged in itforfeited norights,
civil or political, and have right to
take charge of their State govern
ments and be restored to their rep.
resentation in Congress just as il
there had been no rebellion and moth
ing had occurred. The immediate
issue before the Senate now is be.
tween the existing State governments
established under the policy of the
President of the United States in the
rebel States and the plan Of recon.
struction presented by Congress.
When asurveyor first enters anew
territory he endeavors to ascertain
the exoct latitude and longitude OFFS
given spot, and from that can safely
begin his survey; and so l will en-.
deavor to ascertain a proposition in
this debate upon which both parties
are agreed, and start from that prop.
osition. That prorosition is, that at
the end of the war, in the spring Of
1865, the rebel States were without
State governments of any kind. The
loyal State governments existing al
the beginning of the war had been
overturned by the rebels /; the rebel
State governments erected during
the war had been overturned by oul
armies, and at the end Of the wal
there were no governments of any
kind existing in those States. This
fact was recognized distinctively by
the President of the United States in
his proclamation under which the
work Of reconstruction was common
ced in Nor4h Carolina in 1866, te
which I beg leave to refer. The 9th
ers were mere copies of this procla
nation. In that proclamation h,
says:
"And whereas, the rebellion which
has been waged by portion of The
people of the United States agains,
the properly constituted authorities
of the government thereof, in the
most violent and revolving form, Blu,
whose organized and armed forces
have now been almost entirely over
come, has in it's revolutionary prog
ress deprived the people of the State
of North Carolina of all civil govern
ment."
Here the President must be allow
ed to speak for his party, andI shall
accept this as a proposition agreed
upon both sides; that 1.-THE end of thu
war there were no governments o
any kind existing in those States.
| The fourth section Of the fourth ar
ticle nffha constitution declares that
"the United States shall guaranty t.
every State in this Union a republi
can form Of government. Thispro
| vision contains ayast, underlined pow.
er that has never yet been ascertain
ed-a great supervisory power give1
to the United States to enable then
to keep the States in their orbits, K
preserve them from anarchy, revol
ution, and rebellion. The measure O
power thus conferred upon the gov
eminent Of the United States cal
only be determined by that which il
requisite to guaranty or maintain il
each State a legal and republican
form of government. Whatever pow
or, therefore, may benecessary to en-
able the government of the United
States TO maintainin each State re
publican form Of government is con
veyed by this provision.
i Now, Mr.. President, when the wa
ended and these States were fount
without governments of any kind
the jurisdiction OF the United States
! under this provision ofthe Constitu
ton, at once attached; the power tt
reorganize State governments, to US,
the common word, to reconstruct, t,
maintain and guarantee republican
State governments in those States
at once attached under this provision
| Upon this proposition there is also
concurrence Of the two parties. TIL,
President has distinctively recogni
zed the application Of this clause O
the constitution. He has recognized
the fact that its jurisdiction attached
when those States were found with
out republican State governments
and he himself claimed to act unde
this clause of the constitution. Twill
read the preamble of the President
proclamation:
"Whereas the fourth section of tn,
fourth article ofthe constitution o
the United Statcs declares that til,
United States shall guaranty to ever,
State in the Union a republican form
of government, and shall protect eacl
of them against inevasion and domes
tic violence; and, whereas, tho Presi
nent of the United States is by tn,
constitution made commander-in-chie
of the army and nauy, as we'll as chic
civil executive officer of the United
States, and is bound by solemn oatl
faithfully to execute the Office of Pres
dent Of the United States, and to take
care that the laws be faithfully exc
cuted; and, whereas, the rebellion
which has been waged by portion
of the people Of the United States
against the properly constituted au
horiti es of the government thereo,
in the most violent and revolving
form, but whose organized and arm
ed forces have now been almost en-
tirely overcome, has, in it's revolution
airy progress, deprived the people Of
the State Of North Carolina of all civ.
il government, and whereas, it be.
comes necessary and proper to carry