Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-09-01
Senator Morton at St. Louis.
sT. Ior1s. August IA


ent Republicans In the city. Quite a
number of ladies were present During
the day Senator Morton was called upon
by Senator Schurz, Governor Brown, and
many other prominent and distinguished
citizens.
Mr.. Blow introduced the speaker with
few remarks In reference TO the coming
struggle for President, giving few of the
most prominent characteristics of the
Republican and Democratic parties, and
laying much stress upon the Importance
Of the approaching contest.
Mr.. Morton opened by referring to his
visit to st. Louis, in the early part Of the
war, in behalf of some Indiana regiments,
and then passed on to The subject of his
address by saying:
am Republican, and belong to that
party because l believe its principles are
the true principles of this government; be-
cause 1t is the party that saved this govern.
ment, and believe that the best and high.
est interests of this country now are dc.
pendent 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 expected of
IL, and some of its members are not satis-
fled without the Republican party is enter
Ing on some new and great reform every
day, unless 1t has some great victory to
register at the end of every week or
month. If we shall succeed in accom-
pishing what we have undertaken I; If we
shall secure to this country, for all time,
the true results of the war; if we
shall establish peace in all the
ptates; If we shall secure to the
people of all the States equal rights
before the law, we shall have accomplished
great work-more than any other party
in this or any other country has estab-
lished. Our enemies are artfully whisper
ing to us that our mission has been per.
formed; that our duty is done, and that
we may rest upon our victorious arms
The mission of the Republican will not
be performed-if it can be said to have
special mission--until, in al parts Of this
country, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and
Fifteenth Amendments shall be accepted,
not only In letter, but In spirit; until it
shall bs conceded, not for the sake of
political expediency, but because all par.
ties agree that they are right and ought to
be the fundamental Jaw 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 this country. 1t has con-
summated more and greater reforms in
the course of ten years than all the parties
that have gone before. But we have done
one thing at a time, and when we have
done one great work. we have taken up
the next, and 20 we shall go on, and if
there are reformers who think the Repub-
hcan 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 to Re.
publicanism, and we shall enact the great
reforms required for the country, from
time to time, as the people are ready for
them, and as the condition of the country
and reason shall demonstrate their neces-
sity.
Therefore, ] say to all reformers: Be
not impatient. You have more to hope
for In the way of reform from the Repub
lican party than you have from any new
party that can possibly be formed. New
parties are not made to order. There is
no man in this country that has got capa-
city enough to build up new party, nor
Is there any set of men that have that ca.
pacity. Great parties spring from great
public events, or the state of opinion.
The Republican party was called into ex.
great T breaeshM hs hMdfs3HF III lE Com
shook this nation to its very foundation
That was, in fact, the beginning of the
war, and I tell you no other party can
take it's place until it has proved false to
its pledges. false to its principles, and
until the public mind is satisfied that the
reform of the nation cannot be accom-
plished except by the formation of new
party.
There are but two parties in this coun
try now, and there will be but two parties
Tor years to come. What a decade may
40, what twenty years may do, we cannot
tell; but there is no probability of there
being third party formed with any great
national character during the next two
four, or even six years 1t is, therefore
simply choice between the Republican
and Democratic parties. Every road thai
leads out of the Republican party leads
into the Democratic party. 1t makes nc
difference whether it is intended in thai
way or not; that is the absolute and in
evitable result of it. Whatever weakens
the Democratic party strengthens the Re
publican party.
The Senator then passed to the subject
OF amnesty, and said but one disability now
remains upon those engaged in rebellion
and that Is that no man who had taken ar
oath to support the Constitution of the
Uni ed States, and afterwards committed
perjury by engaging in the rebellion, shal
be eligible to Office. JEFF Davis has as
much right to vote in Mississippi as any
man in the State, or any man in Missouri
The class of men who are covered by the
Fourteenth Amendment Is not very large
not more than 10000 in all the United
States. AS member of the Senate of the
United States, have never refused to vote
N ha Of I,
has asked for it, over his own signature
in good faith, and am prepared TO con
tinue to vote in that way, with some ex
captions. did refuse to vote for one mar
who applied, because in addition to being
rebel, he had been very bad guerilla
But, my friends, there is a class of men
who engaged in that rebellion whom
will never vote to relieve. do not refer
to the masses of those who are under dis
ability by the Fifteenth Amendment, but
l refer more particularly to those mer
who were in the Congress of the United
States and went out of ii and organized
the rebellion; those men who had beer
educated by the government as soldiers
and who left the army and carried theil
swords over to the rebels. So far as thai
class of rebels are concerned, /, for one
will never vote to relieve them. AS far a!
the general amnesty of others are con
cerned, 1 shall be extremely liberal, but tC
the authors and creators of the rebellion
such men as Davis, and Toombs, anC
Breckinridge those men who made the
great national funeral at which more thar
100000 men were buried, who made NOR,
than 100000 wives widows, more thar
100000 children orphans-those who
sinned against light and knowledge, and
as believe, committed the greatest sin o.
this or any other century, and will nevel
vote to take from them the last legal marx
of disspprobation of their crime. The
amnesty of such men denounce as NOR
ally wicked, and as cruelty to future gen
eratiOns, cruelty TO the children that arr
now growing up. am not willing to say