The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-06
SPEECH OF
HON. O. P. MORTON,
DELIVERED
INDIANAPOLIS. JULY 20, 1868.
b.. porter nnd EielLog CNisens:
DELIVERED At

uul "nOllN IAla O-AAe.S@
tempt "A response to the very kind and
eIouuent remarks that have been made
to me by Mr.. Porter your distinguished
citizen. l can only thank him from my
heart for the kindness OF what he has
said. 1 can only thank you Tor TINS
reception. / cannot find words 10 e1-
press nv feelings, and must not dare TO
make the attempt. While SIR. Porter
vas recitiuR some of the events of my
administration as Governor of Indiana
during the war and bringing up recol-
lections that for the time had been
buried, thought of the struggle that
mad taken place in the city of lndianaP-
oils and upon several occasions IN TINS
Court House yard, when there were
dark and gloomy hours, when 1t
seemed almost impossible to see
single star in the sky; yet thank
God that had faith in the final result Z,
and that faith sustained me and cheered
me, aud enabled ne to do my duty as
IL was done. When / look back now
over the scenes of the war, il seems to
me more like horTid dream than any
thing else 1t seems to me that could
NOT possibly endure thRtHgRin, nor that
the people could again make such vast,
such terrible sacrifices as they made
for their country. II has cost the ma
ton dearly in blood and treasure. On
who could describe the SORROW and SUI
feriuE and agony that has been brought
home to fathers, and mothers, and
wives, and families. The world can
never understand how much private
individual suffering there has been for
our country. We can go and count a
part of the graves. We can go TO the
Treasury Department and tell pretty
nearly how much IL has cost in money,
but the tears that have been shed. the
suffering that has taken place in thou
sands OF households, We can never I'M
dersland and can never comprehend.
But must pass from this theme. L
dare not attempt to respond to the vari-
GUS subjects that have been so eloquent
ly touched upon by Mr.. Porter IN his
address.
And now, fellow citizens, allow me
to cali your attention TO the position OF
things to-day, and TO the duties that
now press upon each and all OF us.
Without attempting to bring upto your
comprehension the vast sacrihces that
have been made by the nation tudivid-
nnlly and collectively, il is enough for
us to understand that all that we have
EuIIered; all that we have lost: all that
we have endured will be in vain II we
shall at the forthcoming election place
the power of this nation in the hands
OF the enemies ngainst whom we have
commended from the beginning of the
rebellion. II is still the same contest,
but somewhat changed inits form. The
armies are not now marching to and
fro upon the field of battle, but the con-
test has been changed to the polls, and
the question now is whether the power
can be wrested from the loyal and pat
riotic people OF this nation, and can be
placed in the hands of these men who,
with their leaders and abetters, brought
this war upon the country, with all its
woes, sorrows and untold losses.
We are approaching State election
and Presidential election. As the
States shall vote in October upon the
subject OF State affairs, they will vote in
November, in all probability, upon the
Presidency. Now, my friends, let us
understand to. night the exact questions
which are presented. We have two
tickets in the field. Gen. Grant il pre-
scented as the Union candidate for the
Presidency, and the Hon. Schuyler Col
fax is presented as our candidate for
the Vice Presidency; while, on the 9TH
or hand, Horatio Seymour Is the Dem
ocratic candidate Tor the Presidency
and Gen. Frank =. Blair for the Vice
Presidency. Gen. Grant, although hC
has been successful in the war, is now
the advocate of Peace, while HoraliC
ing the war, now represents the party
that is again clamoring for war. The
Democratic party in convention assem-
bled in New York, 1 believe, began II.
session on the 18th day OF July, and TIT
day was never so desecrated before
tLHughter.I That convention has latt
down what II calls platform of prin
Ciples. and beg leave to call your ut
iention 10 the declaration of that con
vention on the reconstruction Otthe reb
el States. l will read from their plat
form:
And that any attempt by Congress
on any preteXt whatever, to deprive
~ hi Ia NfEAFsF nj
with its exercises, is a tlagrant usurpa
ton of power, which can find no war
rant In the Constitution; and If sane
TONED by the people will subYert Cul
form OF government and can only enc
IN single, centralized and consolidated
government, in which the separate ex.
istence OF the States will be entirely
absorbed, and an unqualified despot.
ism be established in place of Federal
Union OF co-equal States; and that we
regard thereconstruCtion acts $50 called
oiCongress, as such. "a usurpations and
and unconstitutional, FeyolutionarT
and void; that our soldiers and sailors
who carried the Nag OF our country I,
victory against a most gallant and de
termined foe, must ever be gratefully
remembers and all the guarantees
given in their favor must be faithful,
carried into execution"
You will perceive that all this actor
of Congress in the reconstruction of tn
rebel States, in the effort to restore tn
Union and to heal the wounds of tn
nation, Is here pronounced as usurpa
ton, revolutionary, demonstrations
and void. The Democratic party ha
thus, by its platform at New York, de
clared to the people OF the rebel State