The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-09-09
RetrOspective.

When the history OF the Republican rule
in Indiana under Oliver P. Morton is writ
ten, it will record some OF the greatest crimes
ever perpetrated against good society and
republican government. From 1861 till 1865
the Republicans lorded it over the Demo
Gratis of Indiana as though they were of a
different race of beings. Democrats were os-
tracizsd from society and driven from tbei;
membership in the Christian churches. The
venerable Samuel Beck, although Metho-
dist from his youth and Christian gentle
man of the highest character, was denied the
right of citizenship and prohibited from
trsnsacting his ordinary business on the
ground that he was disloyal. DR.. James S
Athon, whose reputation throughout the
state for professional attsinments and pOlit-
ical rectitude is second to none in Indiana,
was charged with desire to become gov
ernor through murder and treason, and sub
iected to annoyance and indignity that he
might be forced out of the church OF his
choice. The brave and gallant General John
Love was insulted and driven from the polls
because he dared exercise the rights OF citi-
zen under the government for which he had
fought. Gentlemen of the personal charac
ter of John r. Elder were forced to take
the oath of allegiance under the pretext
that they were disloyal. For years no
Democrat was allowed to make a
public speech in this city. From
the day that the Democratic
convention, presided over by the Hon. d.
w. Voorhees,, was held in the State House
al f1a hot Tnh
broke with the radical party, no man that
voted the Democratic ticket made public
address in Indianapolis, advocating the
election of his party's nominees. The lead
ers asserted and their followers believed
that the president was the government, and
to doubt the wisdom OF the one was treason
to the other. So thoroughly were they
indoctrinated with this idea that even Gov
ernor Hendricks, then a senator in congress,
made speech in this city the day after Lin
coin was asssssinated, in which be said
he should support the administration of
Andrew johnson in every measure that
he believed to be for the public good. he
was booted by the msddened crowd, because
he intimated that there might be measures
adopted by the president that, as senator,
he could not approve. Absolute and uncon-
ditional support of the administration was
the doctrine of the Republican leaders at
that time, no matter where it led.
After Andrew Johnson quarreled with
congress, these leaders changed their tune
and asserted that congress, and not the
president, was the government When
tire president was at Indianapolis, on his
celebrated "swing around the circle" they
treated him in a manner that would have
disgraced a body OF Digger Indians. When
he attempted to speak from the Bates House
balcony, his voice was drowned by
drunken mob under the leadership OF a
man who was formerly the postmaster of
this city. The maudlin voice ofthis ex-officisl
rang out upon the night air with shouts for
sGrsnt! Grant," and his satellites and fol-
lowers Joined in the cry. Here were men
who for years had proclaimed the sacred
ness Of the presidential Office, insulting it,