Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-23
SENATOR HORIZONS VIEWS.


SENATOR MORT TONS VIEWS.
Following the telling speech of Speaker
Blaine, we have speech from Senator Nor
ton with the'true ring in it. He spoke in St.
Louis on the 10th. The following notice of
his remarks we find in our exchanges:
Senator Morton spoke in the Temple, last
night, to the largest audience ever congregat-
ed in St. Louis. He opened by referring to
his former visit to st. Louis in the early part
of the war, and then proceeded to the sub
ject of his address, saying: am a Republi-
can, and believe that the best interests of the
country are dependent upon continuing that
party in power. Among the difficulties the
Republicans have to encounter is that, having
accomplished great things in the last ten
years, great things are expected of them.
Some members are not satisfied unless the
party enters on some great reform every day.
If we succeed in concentrating all we have
undertaken--if we secure to the people Of all
the States equal rights-we shall accomplish
great work. The mission of the Republi-
can party will be performed when the XIIlth,
XIVth, and XVIII Amendments have been
accepted in spirit as well as in letter. To the
reformers he says: You have more hope from
the Republicans than from any new party that
can be formed New parties are not made to
order; great parties spring from great public
events. The Republican party sprang from
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise that
breach of faith was the beginning of the war.
The Senator then passed to the subject of
amnesty. He said that one disability re-
manned upon those engaged in the Rebellion.
No man who had taken oath to support the
Constitution of the United States, and
| then committed perjury, shall be eligible to
hold office. JEFF. Davis had as much right to
vote as any man. The class of men covered
by the XIVth Amendment does not exceed
&c, 900. As member of the Senate l never
refused to vote to relieve the disabilities of
any man who asked it over his own signature
The class of men whom will never vote to
relieve are those who left the army of the
United States, and Congress, to engage in
rebellion; such men as Davis, Toombs, and
| Breckenridge, who made a great national
| funeral, at which more than 40O. 1000 men
were buried.
| The Senator, discussing the Civil Service
Reform, said the President had appointed
Commissioners to examine the subject. Two
prominent editors were on the Commission
They had met with constitutional difficulties
He hoped they would present something prac-
ticable to Congress. 1t had been suggested
that the government clerks hold Office for life.
He was not in favor of that. If the Supreme
Court were to be made over again he would
not put men there for life. The thousand
clerks would constitute an aristocracy suffi-
cient to revolutionize the Government in 20
years.
Of the labor question he said: The funda-
mental idea of the Republican party is the
dignity of labor; labor should be free; Slave
~ degraded labor, and that was one reason
why we were for tearing up Slavery by the
l T. A;rxr1t tl,ly nj
Missouri under the system of free labor, say
ing that the books of the Auditor showed that
Missouri, since 1856, had nearly doubled the
value of her taxable property land that her pop
ulation had vastly swelled. Labor should be
educated, and the children of laboring men
shouldbe placed on an equal footing with those
, Of rich men. All the enemies of free schools
, are in the Democratic party, and when an as
a sault on free schools comes, the Democrats will
e lead it.
I He discussed the question of tariff and free
trade at considerable length, announcing him
. self in favor of revenue reform, but desiring
I incidental protection to home manufactures.
In regard to taxation he said the Republican
{ Congress, at the session before the last, re-
pealed $57, 900, 900 of internal tax and $685.
600, 900 of tariff. This measure did not re-
celve a single Democratic vote. They always
Il favor repeating the tax on articles not includ-
ed in the bills. He predicted that the next
Congress would reduce taxation 1000, 900.
Speaking of the recent riot in New York,
he said that the leading Democratic papers OF
that city justified the Mayors order, and such
was the leaning of the Democratic press
throughout the ceuntry, from which he in
ferred that the religious liberties were not
safe in the hands of the Democracy. He de-
Tended the Ku-Klux bill in strong terms, say
ing it was one of the best measures ever
passed in Congress. The mere passing saved
hundreds of lives and thousands of men from
torture. He had little faith in the new Demo-
cratic departure. He did not believe that
the party had sincerely changed its opinions
in SO short time. There is not one in a
thousand of the Southern Democrats, and
not one in fifty of the Northern Democrats,
that accepts the amendments They cannot
come into power while amendments and re-
construction acts are still an issue. Suppose
the Democrats get control of the Government
the South viii dictate its policy. Will they
tax themselves to pay pensions to Northern
soldiers unless the Confederate soldiers are
provided for upon the same footing2 l tell
you they will not. That power which justifes
, universal amnesty will justify pensioning
Rebels. They would use this argument in
paying the national debt. They would re-
fuse to vote for the payment of the national
debt except that the slaves Of the South be
paid for.
Reverting to the affairs of Missouri, he
said he did not come to take part in the local
!. troubles; he would bury them out of sight
: want all Republicans to rally for the great
! principles of the Republican party. believe
. the dominance of that party necessary to the
: salvation of the country. 1t is simply ques.
ton between a Democratic and Republican
U President There is no middle ground l
ask you, in view of these considerations to
come together in the great contest before you
for the nominee of the next National Repub-
lcan Convention, whoever he may be.
: pledge myself to support him, whether he be
Greeley, Sumner, Trumbull, or Grant. IA
voice-"I go for a nigger"] l think the
, Government would be safer in the hands of q
= great many Of them than in the hands of a
Democratic President. He thought Gen,
Grants chance little the best at present and
denied the assertion that the President had
, violated the Constitution in the Santo Domin.
go matter. He defended his action in pro-
tecting American interests during the pend