The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-04-21

The arrival in this city of the dis
tinguished champion of Louisiana in
the recent two years struggle before
Congress excited warm interest
among all classes of our citizens.
There is not a Republican in this
State, old or young, rich or poor, black
or white, who would not esteem it a
special privilege to grasp the great
Indiana Senator by the hand and
thank him for what he has done for
us. There were many callers at hls
rooms in the hotel, though thousands
denied themselves the pleasure for
fear of being deemed intruders, and
of adding to the fatigue of one who
has earned the right to brief season
of repose.
Senator Morton was first heard of
by the Union men of this city as one
of the good governors by which
phrase those State executives were
designated who were prominent in
assisting President Lincoln at the be-
ginning of the war. Whoever may
have been his colleagues in the pecu-
liar works which gave them all this
popular appellation, Governor Morton
was worthy of being called the chief,
for it is in our recollection that none
excelled him in zeal for the cause or
in the thoroughness with which he
discharged his official duties. Gov
ernor Yates, of Illinois, and Randall,
of Wisconsin, were in the same cate
CORY, and he must have been worthy,
indeed, who could claim to be the
equal of these sterling and unfinch-
ing patriots. To stand at the head Of
such a trio is an honor that has fallen
to the lot of but few men in this world.
Governor Morton has represented
his State in the Senate for eight years,
and though his associates will COM
pare favorably for ability with the
best of their predecessors, he has for
a long time been recognized as the ac-
knowledged leader of that august
body, fortunately, for his own sue
cess and the country, there we're other
Senators as true as himself. Without
such men as Cameron, Chandler,
Howe, Frelinghuysen Anthony Conk
ling. and other faithful and able coad-
tutors, the struggle would have been
a vain and hopeless one, not only in
the contest over reconstruction, but
in the support required by the Presi-
dent in enforcing the laws passed to
give effect to the constitutional amend
ments. Senator Morton has maintain
ed the cause of the Republicans of
Louisiana almost single-handed. He
stood quite alone in the Committee on
Privileges and Elections on the policy
to recognize the validity of Governor
Kellogg's title Mr.. Carpenter and
three other members proposed a new
election as the best solution, while
Messrs. Trumbuli and Hill gave their
votes for McEnery We all remem-
Der the gallant struggle in the Senate
which finally resulted in defeating
Carpenter election bill. The able
and Ingenious Senator from Wisconsin
virtually abandoned his own project
before the vote was taken, and came
very near to deceiving US into the be.
lief that his great Indiana antagonist
had made a convert of him. The
work thus begun in 1873 was finally
brought to success in 1875, by the
formal recognition of Gov. Kellogg by
both Houses of Congress.
We can not contemplate the picture
which this State would now present
had Senator Morton been less devoted
to the grand principles for which he
so gallantly contended, or less able to
cope with our formidable enemies.
We are too tn ankful for the triumph,
and profoundly grateful to the brave
men through whose untiring exertions
and sleepless vigilance we are indebt
ed for it, to turn to the dark side
which might have been presented to
us.-New Orleans Republican.