The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-07
Morton to the Rescue.

The World seldom feels inclined to
thank Senator Morton for any Of his acts
or uttGrances, but during the present can
vass he has twice earned our best acknowl-
edgements. When he went into Maine
and reduced the Republican majority more
than seven thousand votes by Tapping the
bloody shirt in the northern breeze, he
won the gratitude of all earnest Democrats;
and certainly when he stood forth on
Thursday night in Pittsburg and vindi-
Gated to the good people Of Pennsylvania
the character Of the Democracy as hard
money party, he did knightly service in
our cause. For his clear and convincing
argument TO prove that Democrats OPP
posed the legal tender act and consistent
ly resisted every attempt to establish and
multiply irredeemable paper currency, he
deserves all priase. =
In his Pittsburg speech Mr.. Morton sets
out to show that the initiation resolution
adopted ut Erie is delusion and snare,
and that the only party which has consist
emily maintained the cause of paper money
is the Republican party. In proof Of this
position he appealed to the declaration of
principles made by the Democrats of New
York, and sustained, as he asserted, by
those of Massachusetts. Nebraska, and six
teen other states. He recalled the facts
attending the first issue Of greenbacks in
1862, when in its dire extremity the Re-
publican party created the 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 meas
ure with intense carnestness." Mr.. Pen
dleton, 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 currency which,
he asserts, it was violation of the funda-
mental law Of the land to issue. After ar
rOgating to his own party the invention OF
the greenback, the senator proceeded to
show that to the Republicans also belonged
the proud distinction of maintaining its
constitutionality when that quality essen.
tial to its stability was attacked by the de-
cision of the supreme court in 1868. In
few naive words Mr.. Morton tells the
story:
1.-THE Democratic party hailed that decision will
applause, and held it up as thesgrandest decision
with reference to constitutional rights known IL
the history Of the country. Next year, however
there was u change in the complexion OF the gu
Preme court and some new judges put upon tn
tion came before II again, and the former decision
was reversed"
And to exhibit further the inveterate en-
nifty of the Democracy to irredeemabl
paper currency, and the loyalty of his owl
party to the cause of the greenback, the gen
tleman from Indiana adds with great trutl
that the Democratic leaders in congress
aud throughout the country fercely de
nounced the reversal as infamous, and &C
cused the president of having packed til
supreme court to obtain the decision; bu
the Republicans, by re-electing Grant i
1879, once more indicated the best cul
rency the world ever saw. With the sam
eager confidence in the efficacy of ra
money the president and the secretary ,
the treasury, as Mr.. Morton trium phantl
rcmarkS, issued the forty-f four millions {
reserve at the time of the panic, and RI
publican congress approved of their az
ton.
In view Of these facts Mr.. Morton is a.
suredly justified in his conclusion that tn
Democracy is a hard-money party, an
that Republicans are the only true friend
Of irredoemable paper currency.-W orlc