Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-01-17
ISSUES OF 1858.
Speech Of Senator o. p. Morton Of In.
diana,
AT Washiry'On, Tuesday Eeening, Decen,.
Der 81, 1867.

'+ Hft -
GESTLEMEN OF THE UNION AND Eel
Low CITIZENS: In accepting the invita-
tion to address you this evening on the
great political issues involved in the
Presidential campaign the coming year,
/ had intended to carefully prepare my
address, but i'll health and the pressure Of
official dutiesshave prevented my doing SO.
and / shall be obliged to deliver my views
in an off hand manner, and the remarks
win be confined as to what regard the
issues to be decided by the American
people at the next Presidential elec-
tion.
As / consider the subject, there are two
great ideas uppermost in the minds of the
American people at the present time, both
struggling for supremacy. The first is,
the justice and right on the part of the
Government and people in putting down
the late rebellion by force of arms; the
second is, the justice aud right Of. the re-
beIlion aud the cause for which the rebels
fought. All the questions with which we
will have to deal IN the contest will be
but carnations from these two leading
ideas. In other words, the struggle in
1865 will be on the question Of the right
of The rebellion, aud the right of the
United States in putting it down, as in
1864
The man. therefore, who votes for the
candidates of the Conservative or the
Democratic party, as it may be called,
whatever may be his intention TO the cou
trary, will certainly record his vote in
favor OF the right Of the rebellion; aud the
man who sustsins the candidate of the
Republican party will unmistakably re-
cord his vote on the side OF the Govern
ment, aud its right in crushing out, by
force OF arms, armed rebellion.
may here refer to the present con.
dition of the country aud to causes which
have operated to increase financial en-
barrassmept, aud distract the commercial
prosperity OF the national condition of
stairs 10 be attributed solely to the fact
tnat the question OF reconstruction is not
yet settled. Aud first | would 1ay, IL is
the persist,nt effort on the part OF the
south aud their Democrats allies ia the
North, that Keep up these distractions and
hinder the Government from establishing
internal peace. Whoever Is de-irous of
peace aud prosperity should be in favor Of
speedy reeenstruction; while, on the other
hsud, tho Efforts Of the opponents of the
proposed plan are directly operating to
keep niue States ia their unfortunate
condition, and 10 many labors ~ perpet.
usie these deplorable difficulties.
Another source OF trouble ia appareut
ia the fact that since the lst of August,
1sG5, the Government had paid SlG5 QUO.
uUO 0f the national debt. lt j. true. Won
rec 10 referring TO the report Of the See
rstary oi the Treasury 40 relation TO this
matter. the statement that only S2G5 ,O0O,-
900 l. the amount OF the redaelion of the
public debt; but IL has trauspired thatsver
e2lO QUO QUO OF our portion of the un.
liquidated debt proper has been paid aud
though this amount Is not 80 reported, it
should nevertheless be considered as n
part Of the public debt, for il has been ex-
torted from the people, aud, / may say.
wasted IN paying expenses that ought not
TO have been incurred.
Need we wonder that our people are
restless under such an administration of
affairs, when such an amount OF money
has been directly taken from the North TO
pay debt which the South should have
long since been in position TO be made to
pay part Of; debt which they forced
upon the country by rebellious acts, and
which they should be compelled to liqui.
date as an evidence OF their loyalty now.
1t may sound very we'll to the ears of
foreign governments TO hear that we have
been able TO raise SO large an amount by
taxation; but while thoy may admire our
ambition 10 discharge the liabilities of the
nation, they may reasonably despise our
seeming sagacity. And take occasion
here 10 say, as have frequently declared
my views on this subject, that we would
be far more prosperous and happy it we
had simply paid the interest on that debt
Why should We be in hurry to pay the
enormous amount which burdens the peo-
pie with such heavy taxation? Have we
not already given half a million of lives
In putting down the rebeliion-in restor-
ing peace to tho nation? Have VIC no; a
large amount OF State, county, city and
town debts to pay, growing out Of that
war; Have we not already done enough
In our day and generation, without being
crushed down by the weight Of special
taxation?
The policy which has been commenced, |,
of endeayoring to pay of the national
debt rapidly, in the present condition of
Affairs, cannot but consider as most
ruinous and disastrous in its conse-
quences.
Then, again, We have added to our
troubles the policy inaugurated by the
Secretary of the Treasury, in the contrac-
ton OF the currency, which has served to
restrain commercial enterprise, undermine
the trade Of the people. and keep the
money market in an unsettled condition;
and confidence will never be restored until
the bill which is now before Congress, in-
tended TO prohibit the Secretary exercising
this power, is passed.
> Ii is true VIC want retrenchment-re-
form,-but we want real aud substantial
retrenchment, for the expenses Of the
Government are indeed enormous. We
do mol want that kind of reirenchment
that gives TO clerks only starving salaries,
nor that other kind which would prevent
a Senator from getting paper enough on
which to write bis letters, but We do want
retrenchment in the larger items of our
public expenses; and the time has come
when that kind Of retrenchment can be
commenced without injury to the oilairs
Of the Government. ~ 2