Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-07-11
THE CAMPAIGN.
Democracy, Under its New Guise,
of Greeleyism, Exposed.
Extracts from the Speech of Senator
Morton, at Indianapolis.

We regret that our space precludes
the publication in full of the speech of
Senator Morton at the Indianapolis
ratification meeting. We present, how
ever, the salient points of this very able
address
FELLOW CITIZENS; | have spoken on
several occasions in this hall. well re-
member the first meeting of a public
character I ever attended in this hall,
in 1861, when l was calling for recruits
for the Amy. remember the meetings
that occurred during the war in seasons
of d.oubt and gloom. remember meet
ines that occurred after the war was
over, and l particularly have in remem-
berance that in May, 1866, at the open
ing of that bitter and important cam
paign. But l have never been present
at meeting in Masonic Hall when the
Republican party was surrounded by
such circumstances of congratulation
and triumph.
So far as the Republican policy in the
administration of this government is
concerned, it stands indicated by the
confession of our political antagonists.
While they are proposingt to form new
party for the purpose of gaining control
of the Government and filling the Offices,
they are not proposing, and dare not
propose, a new policy. They have no.
thing to offer you, my friends, which
they tell you can improve your condi-
ton. In their platform they propose
no new question or measure on thesub
.ject of finances. They have nothing to
offer that is better than what you have.
Mr.. Greeley in himself constitutes plat
form which they dare not reaffirm in
their resolutions. He has advocated
some measures of finance for the last
four years which every intelligent bust
ness man in this audience tonight,
knows would bring CONFUSION and ruin
upon this country. if they were carried
out. For example, he has said for the
last four years in the New York Tribune
that the right way to resume specie
payment was to resume at once, by
simply giving notice, posting it over the
door of the Treasury, that the Govern
ment would pay specie from that very
hour. This he has urged in his paper
for four years. Need l argue to any in
telligent gentleman here tonight that
if Horace Greeley was elected President
and should attempt to carry out that
policy it would result in panic, bank
ruptcy and prostration to all the bust
ness of the country? | ask how it would
operate upon the city of indianapolis :?
l ask how it would operate upon the
growing enterprises andupon the credit
| of our country everywhere?
He is also in favor OF another theory
that is, the immediate and uncondi
tional retirement of our greenback cur
rency-that nothing but gold and silver
shall be legal tender in the payment of
debts, so that every man who owes an
other ten, or hundred, or a thousand
dollars may be required to pay in gold.
As all know, such policy as that, if
carried out by Mr.. Greeley as President
of tbs United States, would result in the
destruction of the business interests of
this country. So that so far as Mr..
Greeley represents anything that is diff
ferent from the avowed policy of the
Republican party-that policy which is
now being executed-that difference
upon the part of Mr.. Greeley would be
ruinous to the country.
The people of this country cannot af-
ford to change this Administration.
This is particularly the campaign of the
business men of all parties, and the
campaign of the laboring men of all
parties. This county is now prospecting
as it has never done before. l may say
to you with perfect confidence tonight
that the wages of labor in the city of
Indianapolis are now purchasing more
| of the necessaries and comforts of life
than they ever did before. Your city is
growing as 1t has never done before,
and it is a solid growth. This whole
country is prospering as it never did be-
fore, and there is entire confidence per-
vading every class of the community. You
have no fear OF panic or CONFUSION.
Business has come down to solid founda.
tons, and what we want is not some
thing new in finance or in our COM
mercial policy what we want is stability
to go on as we are now going Onto
come to specie payments not by spas
modic efforts, but by the slow and grad
ual process under which we are now do
ing it-approaching specie payments in
way that will not bring wreck and
ruin to the country, but continued sta
bility and prosperity.
The Republican party has reduced
taxation. We have now repealed all
internal taxes, except on whisky and
tobacco, to take effect in few weeks.
Within the last four or five weeks we
have passed bills repeating taxes to the
amount of more than fifty-two millions.
Two years ago we passed bill that re-
pealed eighty-three millions; and yet
the public debt is being paid off at the
rate of one hundred millions a year.
Three hundred and fifty millions have
been paid off within the last three and
halt years, and the process is still 60
ing on. How is it that the Government
is able to pay off SO much of the public
debt, and yet at the same time reduce
taxation 50 largely? My friends, it is
by Introducing economy and retrench-
ment into every department of
the Government, by an honest
and faithful collection of the re-
venue. l do not believe that the inan-
clal department OF this Government has
ever been administered better than 1T
is now, and the confession of that fact
is found in this circums lance: That
our political adversaries. while they
clamor against us necessarily, are not
able to present distinctive measure of
reform. They are not able to point to
this thing and say that it is wrong,
IL