The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-04

| foretold definitely the very month in which
it would happen. II it came without reason
why has Senator Morton made so much
capital out of its occurrence in pushing for
ward his imitation schemes?
] The discussion of the currency question is
opened with quiet exposure OF gross in
consistency on the part of President Grant
in regard to contraction and expansion.
The history Of the action of Congress in the
matter last winter is then given, and from
the speakers tone IN regard to the measure
finally adopted it would seem that he Is very
well satisfied that caput mortuum was set
up. He is still enough of an inflationist
however, to rejoice that the specie payment
Juror has "dwindled down into harmless
jingle of phrases"
The defense of the national banking svs-
tenn and tire discussion of the proposal to
| substitute greenbacks for the bank circtila-
| ton, was somewhat disingenuCus. The ar
gument i'm favor of nice green paper of
uniform value and adorned with exquisite
engravings of the rescue OF John Smith, or
the landing of Columbus, is certainly effect
i've, as against the old free banking issue
which plain man always accepted with
wholesome doubts and express conditions i'm
regard to return in case the
bills were counterfeit. But this argument
is of no avail againss the direct issues of the
government, which are fully as artistic in
design and valuable i'm material as its indi-
rect issues. The reasoning, by means of
which it is shown that an issue OF greenbacks
in substitution for national bank notes would
double the amount of the currency, the
Sentinel confesses to be incomprehensible.
although Senator Morton takes pains to say
that "aDy intelligent person" can under
stand it. The business of the country floats
serenely on two paper balloons instead of
one, but no matter what particular name
is given To them, the buovancy OF
both is due to the same principle
public credit. The effective points in
Mr.. Morton's currency discussion are
of course mainly due to the Inconsistencies
of the democratic platform. The weak
points are the advocacy of imitation, the
nonsense about the balance of trade and the
senator's visions of future prosperity. Mr..
Morton's prophesies are so apt to go,
like Rory O'More's dreams, by contraries.
that the public naturally shudders when he
promises good times. He is like Voltalre's
celebrated optimist, who would only see the
bright side of things, though bcggared,
beaten and in exile.
The civil rights question takes mp
considerable attention, and after
perusing Mr.. Morton's discussion of
the subject, tire Sentinel feels more than ever
convinced that neither party is exactly
right on the issue. In Indiana, and perhaps |
most of the States, no additional legisla- |
ton is needed to enforce race equality. Le-
gally all classes stand on level, and when |
ever negro appeals to the courts for dam |
ages, in cases where ne has been refused adj |
mission to hotels or schools he can doubt |
less get them. The democrats can nc: con- !
Sistently deny the abstract right which is set J
forth in the declaration OF independence. i
On the other hand the republicans are no /!
less absurd in mistaking social customs :or |
legal prescription. What We need OH this |
subject is not stronger legislation; for
the legislation we have already is |
strong enough. We want growth in the |
Of public sentiment. Under the |
most benign influences, however, those pow
erfuI social influences, such as race national |
ity, creed, wealth and poverty will draw dis |
lines which the laws OF the coun- |
try do not recognize. That natural propen- |
sity of birds of feather to flock together |
can not be Iegislated out OF the world. The |
pretence that negroes have no rights to edu-
cation, locomotion and shelter il Somewhat ri |
diculous when it is remembered that in the |
States where the most complaints are made |
the negroes are the ruling class and hold
most of the offices of trust and emolument. |
Senator Morton's theory in regard to the |
misgovernment of the South is very COM
Portable one. He holds that it is due to the |
unfitness of the negroes to rule; and the un- |
fitness of the negroes to rule is due 10 the /
fact that the Southerners held them in slav-
cry; ergo the mismanagement of Southern |
affairs is due solely to the Southern people. |
This kind of argument is by no means COM |
plimentary to the intelligence of the people |
of Terre Haute. 1t is that well known ma |
terial called flap doodle. and is defined as the
stuff that fools are fed on. Does |
not Senator Morton feel himself
in any degree responsible for the |
overthrow of civil government in Louisiana, |
and the maintenance of set of usurpers in |
power? Could he not with his own indi- |
vidual strength have put an end to that
monstrous iniquity il he had resolutely set |
himselfto work to kill it? The fact ofthe mat |
ter is that the republican party is pledged, rs
Senator Morton declares, "by its history, by |
its sacred prime piles. to stand faithinily by |
the 5000 600 of newborn freemen," and the
consequence is that it forgets that the white |
people ofthe South have any rights which the |
negroes are bound to respect. If the demo- |
Gratis arc tyrsnnicaI and mean for |
their propensity to trample on the blacks,
the republicans certainly deserve as fierce |