The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-12-03
NEW YORK.
A Letter from Senator MOPtOn-A
Little More Ere.

New YORK, December 2-The
World contains the following letter
from Senator Morton, OF Indiana:
WASHINGTON, Nov. 80.
To the Editor of The World:
DEAR SIR: In the New York World,
of the 28th instant, | find an article,
from which l quote the following, at
states that Senator Morton, soon after
the opening of the session, will intro
duce a bill directing the immediate
payment in greeubacks of that portion
of the 500 bonds issued five years
ago. If this report be correct, the
course of that Senator on this subject
Is conspicuous for vaclllation. Eight
months ago he was an open advocate
OF the so called greenback theory.
During the Presidential canvass he
publicly recanted. IF he is now about
to propose and advocate such meas
ure as that described in the telegram,
his recantatiOn must have been a mere
political dodge surrender of his
principles-to promote the success of
his party"
In the first place [ do not intend to
introduce a bill directing immediate
payment in greeubaeks Of that part of
the five twenty bonds issued for five
years, and | have never said | did to
Secretary McCulloch or anybody else.
In the next place, | did, not during
the canvass, reeant what | saidin the
Senate with regard to the payment of
the five-twenties In greenbacks. No
speech by me to that effect has been
made. What / urged during the can
vass was that the first duty of the
Government was to return to spe-
Gle payments, which, when ac-
complished, would settle all ques-
tions as to the mode of pay
ing the bonds. | further urged the
Government had no right to issue
new legal tender notes, and make
them applicable to the payment of
the bonds, arguing that such notes
could not be made 10 sustain the
same relations to the bonds In law or
equity that was sustained by the eX-
isting rates, and that the further
issue Of such notes would indefinitely
postpone the return to specie pay
ment. These propositions were fully
stated in my speech In the Senate
last summer, in which | argued the
legal right of the Government to use
the existing tender notes in payment
of the bonds. [ also argued, at
various times during the canvass,
whatever might DO the law on the sub
iect, the Government could not pay
the bonds or any considerable pOr-
ton in coin while the currency re-
NAMED deprecated, and that i'm
prbvement of the currency, by bring
ing it up to par, was a necessary
condition precedent to the payment
of the bonds in gold; that If the
Government could not procure gold
enough to redeem 1850, ,O0O, ,0O00 of
legal tenders. it was folly to talk
about paying the bonds In gold; ;
that the question OF the mode OF
paying the bonds, will become I'M
portant, only the continuance OF
depraved currency without taking
steps 20 improve, that to take the
surplus gold in the Treasury and ap-
piy.it to the purchase of bonds ln the
market which will not fall due Tor
fourteen years, would not be paying
the bonds, but shaving them, and
would be an improper use OF means,
by which the paper of the Govern
mGnE, over que anu ulSuOnOfeu, SuOulu
be redeemed. These positions are
not inconsistent with anything | said
in the Senate.
l am, very respectfully, yours,
o. Z. MORTON.
NEW York. December ? The
steamship Periere, from Brest, No.
vember 21st, arrived to-day.
The proceedings 10 the Erie case,
to day, comprised the issue by Judge
Cardoza of an order of the applicl-
ton of the defendants, viz The
Company TO be returnablc next Mon
day, viz: Belmont and others, 10.
show cause why the proceedings be
fore Judge Sutherland should not be
re-argued, andgranting, meanwhile, a
stay of the proceedings Subse-
quently, Judre Sutherland issued an
order to show cause why the order of
| Cardoza should not be argued before
him at once. The defendants again
| had recourse to Cardoza, who, after
argument. vacated the order of Suth-
erland. The plaintiffs again applied
/ to Sutherland to vaeate Cardoza' 3
order, and after some discussion, the
action was postponed until to morrow.