New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-15
THE SPEECH OF SENATOR MORTON.

this morning his speech at Crbana
which will not only repay pefusal but re
ward study. 1t is mainly confined to tw'
propositions:
| /. The Democratic party would reviv
the organizations and issues which cul
minated in the war.
2. The faith Of the nation is pledged &
the public creditor for the restriction o
greenback circulation within its presen
limits.
{ The peroration of his speech is the fra
ternity OF the whole people at the ap
preaching centennial.
! The objection to this speech. by the
opposition. is expressed by the New IoiI
Tribune. in complaining that it revives
the issues Of reconstruction. It would
be, no doubt, very unfortunate if the eel
ebration of a successful nationality should
occur in the nids: Of campaign to de.
termine whethe. we are zone out OF
many" or many out Of one. The issue
| Of union Or disintegration may be again
| under discussion. though it can only
result in confirmation Of the decision
already rendered: but upon whom will
the responsibility OF further agitation
rest-upon those who have established
the doctrine of nationality. and enacted
the legal guarantees to enforce it, or
upon those who. having referred the ver-
bal dispute Of seventy years to the arbi-
tramen: Of arms, appeal back to the orig.
inal forum Of words, and would reverse
the decision Of the ultimate tribunal by
the verdict Of the subordinate judicature
in which the dispute arose:
: Whatsoever others may say or think
about the propriety of this issue, Senator
Morton, who was called, as Governor of
Indiana, TO take the side of the nation
against the Confederate States. can not
be supposed Indifferent to the consum.
nation of that work to which be com.
mitted himself. Neither can the thou.
sands disregard this issue who at his call
gave up everything and marched to
war fraught with such carnage and ruin.
These men say that this issue has been
forced upon them; that they have been
disturbed in the peaceful avocations to
which they had returned by the incessant
agitation OF an issue which they had
deemed settled forever by the decision of |
an arbiter to which each disputant had
appealed. !
Mr.. Morton demonstrates tina: the |
OF the constitution confirm
ing the military abolition Of slavery were
a part of the capitulation Of the Confed-
crate armies. the dissolution of the Con.
federate government and the acceptance
Of nationality by surrender embodied /
in the funda mental law of every Con.
fsderate State. He contends that the
legal guarantee Of the personal rights
given by the constitution was but coz
ollary of capitulation, and that the citi-
zens Of the United States We're as much
bound to obey this evidence Of national
will as to have laid down their arms in |
to the national authority.
1t is upon . conviction honestly
adopted that the terms OF capitula,lon
nave not been in good faith observed by
he Democratic party. that Mr.. Morton
makes this the paramount issue in the
,ext campaign. His argument. that the
Republican, party has complied with the
,ational obligation to observe the terms
u capitulation. is this: I. There was no
personal prosecution. The property con-
iscated for war purposes was held accord.
ng to the limits of the fundamental law.
There was general amnesty granted, ex-
mpting from it's provisions about one
hundred persons, for the political enfran.
hisement of whom. to take effect on the
entenary Of universal freedom. Mr..
Iorton avows himself ready to vote.
With a demonstration that the Repub.
can party has complied with the ma.
ional obligation. he proceeds to show :
hat the Democracy OF the South and
forth have not accepted the conditions
nd consequences Of the capitulation in {
God faith. His belief is based on au. ,
aentic and documentary evidence, judi. i
ial and legisla tive. that the Southern
democracy have sought to nullify the t
gal guarantees given by the national {
overnment. by private and concerted ac- '
on and agitation. In proof that these de- I
uctions are correct. Mr.. Morton cites the i
Of a political society working I
nder disguise and with signs Of secrecy | a
terrify the guaranteed citizens from the G
kercise Of their acknowledged rights. He {
firms from similar authority that spirit ,
social sectionalism excludes and expels
ON certain sections Of the South every
erson who acknowledges the obligations !
, accept the terms Of capitalization as +,
gnifed by national law. The same !,
brit exists with social and business pro.
,riptions. and asperses with the most
uel denunciation even those who periled r
fe and los: fortune in the Confederate :,
use. T.
The evidences OF general determine.
Oh on the part of the national Dem. s.
,racy to revive and reargue the decisions e
corded in the constitution, place the il
outhern and Northern wings of that party o
shameful position. The Democracy o
the South has voted for an abolitionist s