The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-10-13
Morton to the Rescue.

The World seldom feels inclined t,
thank Senator Morton for any of hi
acts or utterances, but dalsug the pre-
sent canvass he has twice earned on
} best Acknowledgements. When Il,
went into Maine and reduced the Ro
publican majority more than sever
thousand votes by tapping the bloody
! shirt in the Northern breeze, he wor
the gratitude of all earnest Democrats
and certainly when he stood forth on
Thursday night in Pittsburg and vim.
dieated. to the good people OF Pennsyl.
vania the character of the Democracy
as Hard Money party, lie did knight.
ly service in our cause. For his clear
aud convincing argument to prove that
Democrats opposed the Legal Tender
act and consistently resisted every at
tempt to establish aud multiply ire
deemalfe paiSer currency he deserves
all praise.
In his Pittsburgh speech Mr.. Morton
sets out to show that the imitation res
olution adopted at Erie is tlelusion
and q snare, and that the only party
which has consistently maintained the
cause of paper money is the Republi-
can party. In proof of this position
he appealed to the declaration of prin-
ciples made by the Democrats of New
York, and sustained, as lie asserted, by
those of Massachusetts, Nebraska, and
sixteen other States, He recalled the
facts attending the first issue of green
backs in 1862, when in it's extremity
the Republican party created tile legal
tenders under the war power of the
Constitution. "The Democrats" said
the distinguished speaker, "declared
the nation had no right to make money
and they fought the measure with in
tense earnestness." Mr.. Pendleton,
who was then in Congress, distin-
guished himself by his opposition to
the act, the constitutionality of which
he does not acknowledge even to this
day. although advocating an increase
of the currency which, he asserts, it
was q violation OF the fundamental
law Of the land 10 issue. After arro-
eating to his own party the invention
of the greenback, the Senator proceed
ed to show that to the Republicans al
SO belonged tho proud distinction of
maiutaing its constitutionality when
that quality essential to its stability
was attacked by tho decision of the
Supreme Court in 1868, In a few
naive words Mr.. Morton tells the story:
''The Democratic party hailed that
decision with applause and held it up
as the grandest decision with reference
to constitutional rights known in the
history Of this country. Next year,
however, there was a change in the
complexion of the Supreme Court, and
some new judges put upon the bench
two good Republican lawyers. The
question came before it again, and tile
former decision was reversed"
And to exhibit further the invete.
rate enmity ofthe Democracy to ire
/ deemable paper currency, and the 10y
atty ofhis own party to the cause of
the greenback, the gentleman from In
diana adds Will, great truth that the
Democratic leaders in Congress and
throughout the country fiercely de-
Iounced the reversal as infamous, and
accused the President of having packed
the Supreme Court to obtain the deci-
sion; but the Republicans, by re-elect-
ing G ant in 1872, once more viGdica-
ted the best currency the world ever
saw. With the same eager confidence
in the efficacy of abundance of rag
money the President and the Secreta-
~ of the Treasury, as Mr. Morton tri-
umphantly remarks, issued the forty
four millions Of reserve at the time of
the panic, and a republican Congress
approved of their action.
In view of these facts Mr.. Morton is
assuredly justified in his conclusion
that the Democracy is Hard Money
party and that Republicans are the on
ly true friends of irredeemable paper
currency.-[N. Y. World.