Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-30
POLITICAL NOTES.

In the Fourth Congressional District
of Kentucky, represented by the Hon.
]. P. Knott, the convention nominated
w. B. Read for the succession.
For the year ending June 80, 1870, the
Grant Administration has expended, IN
Guiding excursions to Long Branch and
money given to poor kin, not less than
S51 .666, 900. The last year of President
Buehanans Administration the military
expenses we're only l4,472,OOO, or one
quarter of what has been squandered in
the past year. Even during the Mexican
war. when the Democratic Administra-
ton Of President Polk had 10000 men
in that country in costly and hazard
GUS occupation, the expenditures only
averaged S24, 900, 900, or less than half
what Grant requires at the present time
If this does not show willful squander-
ing of the public money, it is difficult to
see what would do it. Place the Demo
cracy in power and their first act would
be to reduce the military expenses from
S57, 900, 900 to SIS, 100000 per annum.
The mission to England, according to
a dispatch from Washington, has been
rendered to Hon. Oliver p Morton, of
Indiana, who has accepted the office.
As the post Of Ambassador to the Court
of St. James is the highest among the
diplomatic appointments, and requires
abilities of no common order to I'LL 1t
properly, brief sketch of the new Min.
lister will be acceptable to tho readers of
the Ledger. Oliver p Morton was born
on August 18th, 1923, in Wayne county,
Indiana, and, having graduated at the
Miami University, studied law and was
admitted to the bar 10 le47 He was
elected Judge Of the Fifth Judicial Cir
cult of Indiana in 1852, and in 1856 was
Republican candidate for Governor Of
Indiana, but was defeated He was,
however, elected Lieutenant Cover
nor in 1860 on the. same ticket
with Henry S. Lane as Governor; In
1861, by the election of Henry 5. Lane
as United States Senator, Morton became
Governor, and held the Office for nearly
the entire term of four years In 1864
he was elected Governor Having been
stricken with paralysis, in 1865, he Wis
tied Europe for the benefit Of his health,
and returning in 1866 he resumed his
executive duties, and also engaged in
the political campaign Of that year in
Indiana At the subsequent meeting OF
the Legislature, in January, 1867, he was
elected Senator for the term ending
March 4th, 1873.
The Missouri situation is interesting
The fight ia altogether family affair in
the Radical party. Hon. C. ID. Drake
in a recent speech at Hannibal said;
II was previously very sweetly and
handsomely arranged that the Democ-
racy would modestly retire from this
conflict; would put forth no ticket this
year; would publish an address giving
speciOus reasons why they should not do
it. 1t being very well understood at the
time that the boilers from The Republi-
can party would furnish them a ticket
which should be voted for not only by
the Democracy but by the boiling ele-
ment Of the Republican party, and so
finish the Radical party Of Missouri.
They are not satisfied 10 bolt on the
himsiest Of all paltry pretexts. They
are not satisfied 10 bolt in favor Of the
platform which, from the very necessity
Of the case, must die on the very day Of
the election, for the question will hen
be decided, and il cannot by any posi-
bility furnish the ground for any future
action Of the administration that is to
come in one way OF the other. For it
will all be dead and gone on the night Of
the 9Th Of November-vanish out Of sight
by It's adoption or rejection. They are
not satisfied with that They must have
a ticket upon which they can rally those
forces that they have detached They
must have ticket upon which they can
get the votes Of the Democracy combined
with their own. They must have some
means or other for fusing with the De
moeracy get themselves mixed in wiz
them, making out Of the Democracy u
the boiling Republicans one new pa y
that is 70 control Missouri and bury the
Radical party out Of sight forever.