Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-04-12
Significant speeches Of shrsma Political


Senator Morton, Of Indiana, was sere-
nadedron Saturday might at the National
Hotel by citizens of his State nowsojourn-
ing in Washington. ~ President Grant,
Vice President Coifax, with, the, Republi-
can members of Congress from Indiana,
occupied seats on the balcony. A large
crowd was assembled in front Of the hotel.
After a tune had been played by the Ma
rine Band, Gen. Shanks introduced Sena-
tor Morton, who was received with long
continued cheering.
After expressing his thanks for the com
pliment, Senator Morton gave aprospeet-
i've view of the approaching presidential
contest, in which the Democratic party
would make desperate struggle for
power. Should they succeed, he said, it
would only be by carrying the Southern
States, and this they could Dot do except
by reign of terror which would intimi-
date Republicans at the polls or drive them
into7exile After making some reference
erats sgot4eontRol. of the central govern
ment theyTwould not make appropriations
to pay pensions to Northern soldiers, un-
less Southern soldiers were also provided
for; that they would not pay the public
debt, unless provision was made for the
loss Of slaves and property in the South /;
that this would add fifteeu hundred or two
thousand millions to the public debt; |; and
that the colored men Of the South would
be disfranchised within sixty days, or sre-
duced to slavery or serfdom. This, he
claimed, was supported by their policy in
not accepting the reconstruction acts as
constitutional
He criticised the professed policysof the
Democrats on the question of taxation,
tariff, &e., as unsound, in many respects
absured, and on some points mere pre-
tense The Senator paid glowing tribute
to President Grants administration, which
had funded the debt at q lower rate of
interest than the old bonds, paid, off S204, :
000, 900 of the public debt in twenty-five
months, effected grand peace policy with
the Indians, and in a word every depart
ment had been managed with ability, in
tegrity and success. Congress had also re-
pealed taxes to the extent of 5000, 600,
and if the administration goes on with the
same success as in the post, he believed
the income tax would be repealed at the
next session. He predicted glorious VIC
tory for the Republicans in 1872, when
Indiana, heknew, would not forget the
services of our soldiers and their glorious
leaders, and closed with some further re-
ference to the Democrats and their pre-
judices against colored people, and a word
aboutth gift of the Republican partyu
in the shape of the act giving them the
right of self-government. E4k4tA&A G8
After music, Vice-President Colfax was
introduced. He endorsed Senator ,Morton's
tribute to the President, who, he believed,
would be honored with the public ap-
proval in 1872 as in 1868. He then pro-
ceeded to expatiate on the great necessity
existing in the South for protecting the
lives, liberty and political rights of Repub-
licans, against the ''wickedest conspra-
cies that ever digraced anat7on professedly
at peace,n and expressed assurance that
the President would use the power placed
in his hands to this end. z-s.---...,s-