The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-09-18
Extracts From the speech Of Senator
Norton, Delivered at Dayton, Ohio.


Norton, Delivered at Dayton, Ohio
Senator Morton spoke at Dayton, on
the lith inst, to q good audience he
took occasion at the opening of his
speech, which occupied AN hour and 8
half in its delivery, to vindicate his
course in speaking to the voters of
OhloY and 10 reply to Senator Thur
mans accusations in his WayerIy
speech TO Gov. Mortonis connection
with the salary grab. He spoke as
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: / spoke
in Athens, Ohio, three weeks ago, by
invitation Of the State Central Com
mittee and of several distinguished
gentlemen of the Republican party.
am here tonight by invitation. / am
not in the habit of going where 1 am
not invited. 1t has been complained
that have come to Ohio to inter-
medcte in local politics, and my
/ speech has been resented as an intru-
sion. In order to find out whether
there was any just occasion for these
complaints, examined the speech of
Senst0r Thurman, who is put forward
as the leader OF the Democracy, and
thai OF William Allen, and / found
that neither OF those speeches made
any reference whatever to Ohio, nor
to the politics of Ohio, nor to the af-
fairs OF Ohio. There was no reference
in either OF those speeches to any,
thing peculiar to the affairs of Ohio
and the government of Ohio. / found
/ thst these speeches were Just as appli-
cable TO the LATITUDE of Florida and
| Alaska as to that of Ohio. Senator
! Thurman and Mr.. Allen are conduct
! ing heseanvass on issues which are
not all lpecuiiar to Ohio, but are Just
as applicable to anywhere else, if
they have any application anywhere.
Before proceeding further in the dis
cussion of the speeches of those two
gentlemen, i shall refer to something
personal to myself and get that out of
the way. Senator Thurman, in the
opening of the campaign, thought
proper to make personal attack on
me, stating that by my vote L aided
in increasing the salaries of the Sena-
ors and Representatives in Congress.
thought that to be rather small busi-
IOI DChalOI
he had better leave that to the Demo-
cratic newspapers, which are more ac-
eustOmed to that sort os thing. HenO
sooner opened his mouth than he put
his own foot into it. You may think
that very strong statement, but /
will tell you how he did it. 1 must
read YOU an extract from that speech.
He read that statement relating to
Edmunds' test vote. The paragraph
is as follows lEs 1
"When it came to the Senate, there
was test vote on the amendment
made by Mr.. Edmunds, of Vermont,
and that vote was TO strike off all the
House amendment, except SO much
as related to the Presidents salary. If
that amendment had prevailed, and
the rest of the resolution agreed to, the
whole effect would have been to raise
the Presidents salary, and not sin
gle member of Congress would have
received additional pay. That was
the test vote. That motion, if it had
prevailed, could not have been called
salary grab, except so far as the
President was concerned. It limited
the amount of the grab from a mill
ion and q half to hundred thousand
dollars, and very cheerfully, al
though opposed to raising the Presi-
dents salary, voted for that. /
thought if the people are to pay it out
of their pockets, it rs better to pay on
Iy one hundred thousand dollars than
million and half. And in that
vote, which was the test vote, where
was Governor Morton found ? Why,
gentlemen, among the knaves-that
is, among those who voted against
that amendment, and voted to keep
the salary grab in the BILL"
The language of Mr.. Thurman is
conclusive. 1t is very strong; it
leaves no room for qualification it
leaves no room for explanation. 1t
precludes any idea other than that /
was absolutely wrong. and on the
wrong side. / will tell you simply
the history Of that matter, and I will
be borns out in my statements by the
record of the Congressional Globe.
When the appropriation bill came up
to the Senate from the House, it is
here that Mr.. Edmunds did make a
motion to strike out the amendment
ta6la.f .on Il by the House, to increase
the salaries of the Judges of the Su-
preme Court, the heads of depart
ments, Senators and Representatives
in Congress, and clerks, leaving only
the increase of the salary of the Pres
ident of the United States. Senator
Thurman calls that test vote. That
amendment had it been carried, would
have prevented any increase of the
salaries of the Judges of the Supreme
Court, heads of departments, and
clerks, whom every one thought were
inadequately paid for their services.
Everyone who was in favor of in
creasing the salary of the Supreme
Judges, heads of departments, and
clerks, could not vote for that amend
ment, therefore it was not test vote.
1 voted no. Immediately as soon as
the vote was. announced, rose to my
feet and made motion to amend to
strike out that part of the amend
ment to the bill which would increase
the salaries of Senators and Repre-
sentatives. / made a test question.
1t was test question, and it was the
only one that was made. / spoke
earnestly in favor of it. After that
several Senators came to me and ask
ed to let the whole matter go to con-
ference committee. l will not say
positively, but my memory is distinct
that Senator Thurman was among
those Senators. / supposed that the
conference committee would expunge
from the bill that part which related
to the increase of the salaries of Sem
ators and members of the House. Ae-
cordingly | rose in my place and
withdrew my amendment, that the
l. t.N a. Il
mittee. Mr.. Edmunds Immediately
rose to his feet and said: "Irenew the
the motion of the Senator from Indi-
ana, and demand the ayes and nays"
1 voted for it, for that was my idea
1t was Just what 1 wanted. voted
in favor of it, and my vote is so re-
corded in the Congressional Globe.
Senator Thur man was present at the
time. say in making this charge
upon me he was mistaken. 1 will
give him little advice. The next
time he makes an assault against
fellow Senator he should be careful
and look to his facts.
Gov. Morton then proceeded to re-
view the speeches of Mr.. Thurman
anG Mr.. Allen, taking up the points
in those speeches seriatim, and to the
satisfaction of the assembly, as was
testified by the frequent applause, an
Initiating them. HegaVe the history
of the Credit Mobilier: and vindicted
the aspersed character of Attorney
General Williams, asking Senator
Thurman why be did not demand an
investigation into tue matter during
the last session Of Congress, and cal
ling upon him to repeat that part of
his speech which referred to Attorney
General Williams in the next session
of Congress, and demand an investi-
CATION. He (MortOn) would vote for
it, and Thurman should be put on the
committee. He denied the accusation
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