The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-26
Speech of Senator Morton, at La.
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LAFAYETTE, 1ND., July 25.-A severe
storm of rain prevented the meeting to
hear Senator Morton, from being held In
the Court House square, and drove them
to Lafayette Hall, which was crowded.
Senator Morton said the country was en-.
Toying general prosperity under o wise
administration, which was assailed by
scarcely anything except personal attacks;
not by any propositions ofbetter measures
Of government. These attacks were
made by men who were distinguished
only as takers, not as doers. a man
who has alwas succeeded may be called q
fool, but II Is preferable to speech max.
ers who have been q failure as Generals
and statesmen. He recounted the leading
measures Of the government and their el.
feet on the business interests Of the country.
Replying to Mr.. Hendricks speech at In.
dianapolis, last Saturday, said Mr.. 81.
made the astounding declaration that he
had been in favor OF the prosecution ofthe
war and suppression of the rebellion and
charged me with having illuminated
him upon this subject; he said that he
had known that all the while; that during
the first month Of the war he made brief
publication Of his views in which he said
he regarded it Us the duty Of citizens 10
respect and maintain national authority,
and give 1t our honest and earnest support
during the continuance OF the war until
In the providence of God 1t might be
brought to an honorable conclusion. He
did not undertake to quote a sentence
from this document, nor tell where it
could be found, nor give any description
OF it by which anybody could hunt 1t up.
| must confess that l have no
knowledge oil 1t, and am sur
prised to hear OF its existence. If he
published such a sentiment during the
first month Of the war, it has escaped
everybodys recollection, and was not re-
peated by him at any subsequent time
during the war, or for years after the war.
He made many speeches during the war,
so far as 1 know, he did not in any one of
them advocate the prosecution Of the war,
the suppression OF the rebellion and the
maintenance Of the Union by force Of
arms. On tho contrary, his speeches
were devoted to the condemnation ofthe
government and the criticism Of every
war measure; and 1t must be said that he
shared no argument that could possibly
contribute to make volunteering popular
and conscription necessary, and when
conscription came, he denounced it as un.
constitutional. When Mr.. q. claims
that he was war Democrat,
he trihes with pulic intelligence
and recollections Of men; contradicts
the recorded evidence Of his opinions and
astonished his most intimate friends. He
owed his election to the United States
Senate by the reasonable legislature of
1858; to the fact thatEhe was Q recognized
enemy of the war, and had more influ.
ence than anybody else to cripple the
administration in its prosecution. He
says, as on evidence, that he supported
the war in 1868; he voted for the army ap.
preparation bill. In regard to this / can
only say that at that time his vote for il
in the Senate was not necessary and
1t would have required more po-
litical courage than Mr.. 81. generally
has credit for, to have given vote in
Congress against an appropriation for
the army, and I think his friends and
mine, will agree with me that this is the
first time they ever heard Of that vote,
and that he has never boosted of it before.
Several weeks ago, Mr.. q. in accepting
his third nomination for Governor, an.
nounced that he had turned his back
upon the past forever and looked only to
the future, but he seems now to be
not satisfied with turning his back up.
on the past, but he Is attempting
to reverse the past, to obliterate
his anti.war record and appear in tho
interesting character Of war Democrat,
whose labors were crowned with success
in the suppression of the rebellion, all OF
which will be received with surprise, and,
perhaps, indignation by the old friends of
liberty. Another statement in his speech
must have severely taxed the credulity
and recollection OF his audience, and for
fear / shall be suspected ofmisrepresenting
him, l will quote the passage. Speaking Of
myself he said: In more recent speech
he has called my sincerity in question.
In that I said l had turned my
back upon the past; stand in the present
and look into the future. No fair minded
man understands this language as deser-
ton OF convictions Of right or an aban-
doment Of essential principles. This l
may illustrate: I opposed the amendments
TO the Constitution, for I thought then, as
believe now, that during civil war and
until the passions excited thereby have
cooled, the public mind is not in q proper
condition safely to change the founda.
tions and framework Of the government
Here Mr.. Hendricks gave the country to
understand that he opposed the Twelfth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
only because he thought it was a
bad time to attempt to amend the
constitution, during civil war and while
the passions were excited, not that he
had any objections to the amendments
themselves. This pretension is like the
other attempts to appear in the character
OF war democrat. 1t Is perfectly noto-
rious that Mr.. II. voted against and op-
posed the Thirteenth amendment because
he was opposed to the abolition of ofslavery,
not because of the time when the amend.
ment was brought forward; It Is perfectly
notorious that he voted against and fought
at every step the adoption of the
Fourteenth amendment and bitterly
denouncing every provision OF Ii
as Subversive the spirit, and genius, of our
institutions. 1t Is also notorious that he
voted against the Fifteenth Amendment,
denouncing negro suffrage and political
equality in their consequences as i'm.
moral and destructive to our institu-
ton. 1t was because of the horror he
entertained Of the dreadful consequences
as immediate and destructive Of our
institutions. It was because of the hor.
ror he entertained Of the dreadful conse.
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