Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-09-07
Senator Morton at ST. Louis.

occasion he said some things which ought
to sink deep into the hearts Of all lovers
OF equal rights. He was speaking to the
angry factions of the once powerful Re
publican party of Missouri, and his re-
marks on Republican dissensions were
f1st only applicable to the local situation,
but also to malcontents throughout the
Union. 1t would be well, indeed, for the
cause of free government in America if
Radicals would endeavor to discuss their
differences like brothers and comrades,
remembering that every road that leads
out of the Republican party goes straight
to the Democratic camp;
Il am republican and belong to that
party, because l believe its principles are
the true principles ofthis government, be-
cause it is the party that saved this gov
ernment, and / believe that the best and
highest interests of this country now are
dependent upon continuing that party in
power for some years. The republican
party has some difficulties to encounter.
One is that it has accomplished such
great things within the last ten years that
very great things are consequently ex-
pected OF it, and some of its members are
not satisfied without the republican party
is entering on the some new and great
reform every day-unless it has some
great victory to register at the end of
every week or month If we shall sue
coed in concentrating all that we have
undertaken, if we shall secure to this
country for all time, the results and fruits
of the war, if we shall establish peace in
all the States, if we secure to the people of
all the States equal rights before the law,
we shall have accompl shed great work
more than any other party in this country
or any other country, has accomplished
Our enemies are artfully whispering to us
that our mission has been performed, that
our duty is done, and that we may rest
upon our victorious arms. The mission
of the republican party will not be per-
formed, if it can be said to have a special
mission until, in ali parts of the country
the 18th, 14th and 18th amendments shall
be accepted, not only in letter, but in
spirit until it shall be conceded, not for
the sake of political expendiency, but be-
cause all parties agree that they are right
and Dug hit to be the fundamental law of
the land. New questions will spring up
from time to time and we should try to
dispose of them as they come But we
should not have too many irons in the fire
at one time.
The republican party is the great reform
party of the country. 1t has consum-
mated more and greater reforms in the
course of ten years than all the parties
done one thing at time, and when we
have done one great work we have taken
up the next, and so we shall go, and if
there are reformers who think the repub-
lean party is not travelling fast enough
for them, let me ask them if there is any
other party they can go to, that promises
any reform at all. The spirit of progress
and reform is the essential spirit of repub-
licanism, and We shall enact the great re-
forms required for this country from time
to time as the people are ready for them,
and as the condition of the country and
reason shall demonstrate their necessity.
Therefore | say to all reformers. be not
impatient. You have more to hope for in
the way of reform, from the republican
party than you have from any new party
that can possibly be found New parties
are not made to order There is no man
in this country that has got capacity
enough to build up a new party, nor is
there any set of men who have that cap
acity. Great parties spring from great
public events, or they come up from the
inevitable condition of the country or the
state of public opinion. The republican
party was called into existence by the re-
peal of the Missouri compromise-that
great breach of faith that shook this ma
ton to its very foundation. That was in
fact, the beginning of the war tell you
no other party can have its place until it
has proved false to its pledges, false
to its principles, and until the public mind
is satisfied that the reforms of the nation
can not be accomplished except by the
( formation of a new party There are but
( two parties in this country now, and there
will be but two parties for some years to
come. What decade may do, what 20
years may do, we can not tell, but there is
no probability ofthere being a third party
formed with any great national character
during the next two, four or even six FRS.
1t is therefore simply choice between the
republican and democratic parties Every
road that leads out of the republican party
leads into the democratic party Every
thing that tends TO weaken the republican
party, tends to strengthen the democratic
party 1t makes no difference whether
it is indeed in that way or not, that is the
absolute and inevitable effect oft What
ever weakens the democratic party
strengthens the republican party The
senator then passed to the subject of am
nesty, and said that but one disability re-
mains upon those engaged in the rebel
lion, and that is, that no man who had
taken an oath to support the constitution
of the United States and afterward COM
mitted perjury by engaging in the rebel
lion, shall be obliged to hold Office. JEFF
Davis has as much right to vote in Mis-
sissippi as any man in the state, or any
man in Missouri The class of men who
are covered by the 14th amendment is moi
very large-not more than 10000 in al
the United States. As a member of the
senate of the United States, l have never
refused to vote to relieve the disabilitie.
: of any man who has asked for it over hi
lo,vn signature in good faith, and I'm pre-
pared 10 continue to vote in that way