New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-13
speech OF Senator Morton.

! The following is an extract from the speeeh
| of senator Morton, made in response TO a
serenade rendered him by the Republican
State Organizations in this city, on Saturday
night last
Let us consider for few moments tonight
what would be the inevitable results If the
democratic party should elect President and
get the control of the national Government.
1 ask your attention here to the consequences
that would inevitably result from the success
OF that party. 10 the first place the party can
only succeed by carrying all the Southern
states In that case the Southern Democracy
VIII constitute majority of the party. and
VIII, as matter of course, dictate the policy
Oh the party, and will control it in the future
as they have controlled il in the past. Now. I
submit TINS question to intelligent men Should
'he southern Democracy come into power will
they vote TO tax themselves, will they vote TO
pay pensions TO Northern soldiers and tho
widows and orphans of Northern soldiers
without their 3 are at the same time provided
Tor! Does any intelligent man believe for a
moment that when they are placed in power
ehat Ihey would appropriate one cent for pen
SION, except upon the condition that the soldiers
OF the Confederate army, their widows and
orphans, should be placed upon the same foot
ing? No, No" We cannot doubt
that for moment That would. perhaps, be
the first effect OF the success of the Democratic
party.
Again, does any intelligent man believe that
the Southern Democracy, when placed in pow
er, Will tax themselves, will make apprOpria-
tons TO pay the interest and principle of our
national debt, unless there is some provision
nrst Tor the payment for their slaves? They
invested their money and their property in the
Confederate debt. They lost ALL la addition
to that they lost their slaves, and they will
never tax themselves nor vote appropriations
To the amount OF one cent to paw the national
debt that was contracted for their subiugation
unless their debt is in some way provided for
What then, will they ask at the hands of the
Northern Democracy? They will require that
the United States shall assume and paw for the
loss OF thsIr slaves Will the Northern De
mOcracy consent 10 this? | answer that they
will. If they can hold power upon no other
terms they will consent TO that, or TO almost
any other proposition. Besides, the Northern
Democracy are committed in principle and de-
claratlon TO payment for their slaves. From
the time that Mr.. Lincoln issued his first pro-
clamation in 1862 the Democ ate party has not
failed to declare that slavery was unlawfully
and unconstuuonally abolished. In egions
OF resolutions, in years Of defamation, that
party is committed 70 the doctrine that slavery
was uuconstitutionally abolished 4; and if it is
Drought INTO power, 1T can not avoid making
payment for the slaves. The sentiments of the
mass OF the Democratic party in the North are
all inclined toward the result, and am inclined
to think that the large body of the Democracy
would consent to pay the South for their slaves
with more cheertuness than they would consent
TO pay the national debt This, then, would
be the second result of the triumph of the
Democratic participating the South for their
slaves.
Now, my friends what will be the third re-
sulti 1t will be the Acknowledgement of the
coored people, taking from them the right of
suffrage. When these Southern States passed
into the hands of the Democratic party, and
when the national Government passes into the
hands of that party, they will be able to dis
franchise the COlored man in sixty days 1t
would now be attempted by some of the South
ern States If It were not for the restraining
presence of a Republican President and the
fact that the national Government is now ia
the hands of the Republican party. But if the
State governments there shall pass into their
hands, and the Government here into their
hands they, having all the armies down there.
having the military experience, would drive
the cOlored men from the polls or compel them
to vote their own disfranchisement and strip
tue colored people of all their rights, reducing
them if not to slavery, to the condition of serf.
dom. That would be the third result if YOU
have the Democratic party in power.