The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-08-07
"THE FIRST GUN Is FIRED"
senator Morton Opens the Fall Cam.
paign i'm Indiana with an Important
speech.

senator Morton Opens the Fall Cam.
paign I'm Indiana with an Important
speech.
Senator Morton opened the campaign fo
the Republicans in the State of Indiana, on tn,
Slst of July, by lengthy speech at the Opera
House in Terre Haute, of which the following
is comprehensive synopsis:
The SPIRIT or THE TWO PARTIES.
The Democratic party is out OF power and il
struggling to regain it. 10 IL the Opposition
and ayails itself of every popular discomfort
every local prejudice. to injure the Republican
party. 1t presents no policy for the admins
tration Of the Government, and makes no at
tempt at consistency. 1t feels at liberty tc
profess in one locality what it denies in an
other, and to take any position in one State
without regard to the attitude 1t assumes upon
the same issue in another State. 1t does not
hesitate to use any weapon OF assault, know
ing that the minority has no responsibility
similar to that attaching to party i'll the ma
Jority and in control Of the Government. In
Maine, the Democracy is for free trade; in
Pennsylvania, for high tariff and i'll Indiana,
for "a tariff for revenue only" On the tenn
perance question, tho position of the party Ii
as varied as the circumstances surrounding it
| in the several localities. 1t may be generally
| said to go as far in favor of the unrestrained
traffic in intoxicating liquors as it can, not to
forfeit entirely the respect and support Of the
| friends of temperance. III the temperance
men are for pr hibition the Democracy are
for a license law; il the temperance men ask
for a license law only, the Democracy would
| put the fee very low, or have no license at all.
| Whatever measure may be devised to lessen
the evils OF intemperance it is very sure to
come just short of receiving Democratic sup
| port, though they may deal largely III glitter
ing generalities.
Resolutions against corruption are the
cheap clap-trap OF parties. All parties profess
to be opposed to corruption and are ready to
expose and punish it in other parties than
their own. The true test OF All honest party
! Is determination, and the exposure and
| punishment of corruption III its own ranks.
| Tired by this test, the Republican party is
distinguished before any other party in the
! history of the nation. Nearly all that is
known of Republican corruption has been re-
vealed by its own diligent examination and
! fearless self-eXposure. Nobody believes the
| Democratic party is particularly sensitive
| about corruption. When in power. it was
noted for the skill and industry with which it
covered up the specuations of its members.
The two parties seem to have proceeded upon
opposite theories. The Democratic party
sought to protect itself against public opinion
by concealing the delinquencies of its own
members, while the Republican party has be-
lieved the prompt exposure and punishment
of its rogues to be the best guarantee for its
continuance in power. There are good and
bad men in both parties, and III all parties
and the bad will ultimately corrupt the
whole organization unless repressed and eX-
posed. The Investigations into frauds Of all
sorts-Credit- Mobilier, District of Columbia
Ring, the Sanbom contracts, etc.-while they
may show, here and there, Il diseased member,
clearly reveal the healthy tone of the mass of
the party. The Republican party is by its
nature and principles, progressive, and the
friend Of freedom as against slavery of
the people against monopoly; of labor,
free schools, and intellectual and moral prog
ress. 1t is qualified to grapple with every
new issue that is presented. has its face to
the future and holds that the work of reform
is its normal and necessary condition.
For years to come, the contest will be be-
tween the Republican and Democratic parties,
and between them there is no room for third
party, and every one that is organized will be
feeble and ephemeral. These parties repre-
sent different ideas, tendencies, and modes Of
thought, which are in irrepressible conflict.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
The financial question was presented to Con-
gress by the President in his annual message
last December in which he asserted that our
currency was the best that bad ever been de
vised that the volume of it was not more
than necessary for the dulest season of the
year that since 1870 there had been an actual
contraction Of $63, 600, 900, and a still further
contraction by the increase of commerce and
the rapid DEVELOPMENT Of the South. He
argued in favor of a return to specie payment,
but that it was impossible until our exports
exceeded our imports, exclusive of gold to
pay interest on indebtedness. Then came the
discussion in Congress based on the resolution
of the Finance Committee declaring that steps
should be taken to redeem the United States
notes in coin at an early day. The result of
the debate was the passage of an act which
the President vetoed, and finally the enact
ment, by more than two-thirds vote, of a
law much more expansive in its effects than
tho vetoed bill. The effect Of this measure in
expanding the volume Of currency was direct
ly recognized by those who voted in favor of
it. and it was opposed for that very reason.
The bill eXtingushed the threat Of contraction
which hung over the business of the country
like a suspended sword, and is an explicit de
claration against that policy. In the debate l
took the ground that
There is wrong time to do a right thing:
and, in my opinion, this is not the time in
which we should adopt definite measures to
redeem these notes in coin, unless the time
be put off so far that it will not increase the
present embarrassment or intensity the effects
of the panic upon the country"
This position i maintained throughout, and
| believe it was the one substantially occupied
by those in the Senate with whom | acted.
and TO which nearly all others have practically
arrived.
NATIONAL BANKS AND PAYMENT OF FIVE
TwENTIEs.
The third section of the platform of the
Democratic State Convention declares for the
repeal OF the national-bank system and the
substitution of greenbacks for bank notes.
While the resolution does not say 80 in terms,
it would result in a restoration Of the State
bank system, and l need not tell my older
hearers what that means The national banks
offered 3 currency perfectly secured, in which
everybody has entire confidence, of uniform
value in every part of the country, not easily
couuterfeited and is unquestionably the best
and most satisfactory bank currency the
country has ever had. The principal reason
for the repeal of the system il, that the Gov
eminent has to pay interest on the bonds
pledged for circulation, which, it is alleged, is
an increased burden and expenditure. This
ought not to deceive any intelligent person.
If the banks did not own the bonds. some
one else would, and the interest would have
TO be paid. The banks are required to pur-
chase these bonds and deposit them
with the Government "a security for
their notes-thus making them alb
solutely safe; while the banks have
to pay the Government for the expense
of printing and furnishing the currency-this
provision being check upon the issue of any
more currency than there are bonds to secure
But, according to this resolution the Govern
ment should issue 1854, 900. 900 more green