National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-05
SENAToRMORTON'S SPEECH
OPENING OF TIE INDIANA CAM
PAIsH At TERRE BAUTE,

THE POLITICAL ISSUES BEFORE THE
COUNTRY REPUBLIOAE VERSUS
TUE DEMOCRATIC PARTY-A NcoAPRE-
HENsIYE REVIEW OF TEE sITUATIoS-FI-
NANCE, RAILROADS AND CIVIL RIGHTS
THE GREAT PROBLEM TO WHICH THE
REPUBLICAN, PARTY MUST ADDRESS
ITszBF. 49,.
The following Is the great speech OF Mr..
Morton at Tsrre HAute, Ind, 70 which Allusion
was made In TEE NATIONAL REPUBL1ckN'on
Monday: ..,
The Democratic party is out Of power and is
struggling TO regain it. It is the opposition,
and attempts 70 seize upon every popular dis
content, and to aEan itself Of every local pas
sion 70 injurs the Republican party. Il pre-
sents no vOlioy for the administration Of the
Government, and makes no Gstempt to pre-
serve consistency. 1t feels At liberty 10 profess
in one locality what It denies in another, and
to take any position IN ore State to strike the
Republican party blow, without regard TO the
ground which u occupies upon the same queS-
ton in other States. It does not hesitate TO
use any weapon Of assault, knowing that there
is little responsibility attached to those Who
are struggling 70 gain power as compared Tith
those who are in possession Of 1t and who are
responsible for its exercise.
As an illustration Of this, / mey refer to the
fact that in the State Of Maine the Democratic
party has Just declared for absolute free trade
and for raising the revenue BY direct taxation.
In Pennsylvania u declares In favor Of pro-
tective tarif, while IN Indiana It afirms rs be-
lief in revenue tariff, to be. 90 adjusted and
framed with such nice discrimination Is to
afford no protection to American industry.
On the temperance question the Democratic
position is as varied IS the circumstances sur
rounding It In the States and Territories; with
this qualification, however, that there is q gen.
eral leaning to the side Of intemperance. 1t
may be said, generally, to 60 as far in favor Of
the unrestrsined traffic in Intoxicating liquors
as It can, not 70 wholly forfeit the respect and
friendship Of those who are inclined to the side
oftemperanos. If the temperance men are for
prohibition the Democracy are for g license
law, always striking lower and making bid
for those who traffic In intoxicating liquors.
nthe temperance men asked only for q license
law, then the Democracy would put the liceOss
very low, or Lave DO license at all, gtiu Offer
ing inducements for the support Of that claSs
Of men. Whatever measure MAJ be proposed
in any State or Territory whereby to diminish
the evils Of intsmperance, for some reason n b
sure to come shoEt q Democratic support; and
they never fan 70 ind some excuse for oppos-
ing It, although they may deal in glistedng
generaiitie5-R ANog Of temperance and neform,
II is the geDsTal tsndency and pfocliVity Of The
Democratic party against the temperance re-
form to which ] call attention.
SPIRIT o. F8R REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Resolutions against corruption ere the obSsp
clap-trsp Of parties. All parties profess % b
opposed 10 coEEupt5on, and are ready enough
TO expose aud prosecute It in other prties
The true tea Of - honest party Il in in SELF
examinations, and the exposure and puniSh-
meut Of corruption m tie own ranks, In It's con
tlnued vigilance fF selfpuriHeation in doctrine
and practice. Tried BY this test, the RepubB-
can party ia distinguished above every other In
the history Of this country. Nearly aIl that h
known Of corruption in the Republican party
has been shown BY its diltgent selEeKsmina-
ton and the promPt exposure Of every oficIal
delinquent who has been discovered. Nobody
believes thst the Democratic party is psrticu-
larry sensitive abo1t corruption. In fact, when
It was in power ID Was noted for the industry
and SKIN with which It covered up .he peculS-
tons Of its own members. Committees 70 IN
vestigate the of6cial conduct Of its own mem
bers were 50 rarely appointed by Democratic
majorities in Congress as not to be remembered.
The Democratic and Republican parties seem
to have proceeded upon different principles for
selfdefence and preservation. The Democratic
party sought 70 protect itself against public
opinion by Oonesaling the dslnqusncies Of its
members; whils the Republican party has pro-
ceeded upon the principle that determination
and the expoSuBs and punishment Of lie delin-
quent member Uas the best guarantee for its
continuance IN power.
There are good and bad men 10 all parties
and &c all human organizations; and the bad
men viii ultimately corrupt and take poSSes-
sion Of all organizations unless they are re-
pressed, exposed and brought 70 punishment.
The detection and exposure Of the Credit No
bilier, sanborn and District Of Columbia trLDs-
actions were the voluntary and earnest work
of the Republican party; and while 10 may
show here and there diseased member, yet II
clearly reveals the healthy tone, vigoE and
condition Of the mass. The principles and
constitution Of the Republican party pun u
naturally upon the side Of temperance Gs
against irtsmperance, OF freedom Is against
slavery, Of the people as against monopoly, Of
labor, free schools, intellectual and moral pro
gresB. Il iB . progressive party, and whenever
& ceases 70 b % and becomes conservative,
then you may begin 70 talk about It's mission
being performed. Il is qualified to grappls
with every new issue that lie presented, has lie
49, 80. - Ill . 49, -
reform is tie normal and necessary condition.
For years 20 some The contest viii 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 ephemeraI. These parties represent
different ideas, tendencies and modes Of thought
which are in irrepressible conflict.
TIE PANIC.
Last fall there came upon the country q
panic, which prOstrated business and produced
disastrous consequences. Il was not caused BY
any defect in the currency or In our financial
system, or BY Observation-Disclosures. A panic in
finances Is like panic in the army, and is gen
orally causei by some sudden aud unexpected
event that eonflEes the minds Of men and de-
stroys confidence. Panics occur quite as fire.
quently whero the currency is gold and silver
as where it is paper convertible into coin or
ineonvertble paper. During this panic the
people had unbOunded confidence in the cur
rency and boarded it as they had gold and
silver upon foUmtr occasions, and Government
securities we're the only ones upon which
everybody relied. The panic came upon Us in
period OF unequsled prosperity, and was IS
unexpected as the shock of an earthquake.
twas produced by the failure OF great bank
ing-house, having extensive connections, which
had rashly undertaken to build railroad across
the continent. The question Immediately
arose how the panic should be trested-what
policy should be adopted TO mitigate its conse-
quences and bring about speedy restoration
Of confidence, business and prosperity.
CURRENCY.
The financial question was first presented to
Congress at the last session by the President In
his December message. In that message he
asserted that the currency Of the country,
based as it was upon the credit Of the country,
was the best that had ever been devised; that
the volume Of currency was not more than
sufficient for the dullest season Of the wear:
that since 1870 there had been an actual con.
traction 70 the amount of S6S, OO9, 900, and that