The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-05-17
MorfOn,s War Record

1t is possible that many people of other
states have been deceived into believing
that Morton's record in the military man.
agement of the troops raised in Indiana
was something commendsble and merit
orious. IL has been reiterated so often in
connection with the charge OF disloy atty
on the part of Democrats, that it would be
strange If those who live at a distance and
are unscqusinted with the facts, should
not conclude that one half or more
of the people of the state were disloysl,
and that 1t was only by heroic devotion
and courage that the governor prevented
the state from seeding and joining the
Confederacy outright. Nothing could
be farther from the truth. In
stead of deserving praise for his
acts at that period he deserves
the sharpest blame from every citizen who
has a spark of true loyalty in his breast.
If there was any seeming opposition to the
raising Of troops and the vigorous prosecu-
ton of the war in this state, il
arose from the partisan unjust and
infamous conduct of Morton himself
\
of danger and peril, arisen to the height of
the occasion and in a non-psrtissn spirit
appealed to the citizens of Indiana to rally
under the standard of the stars and stripes,
there would never have been any necessity
for single draft in any county OF the
state. But Morton, on the contrary, made
the increased power and patronage with
which he happened to be clothed means
to further political partisan ends. His
acts and general bearing toward Demo
Gratis were offensive and insulting in the
extreme, driving them into seeming oppo-
sition to the government, when really
they only opposed the infamous
and arbitrary acts of Morton. A so.
called Union party was improvised
all over the state, snd clubs were formed
for the special purpose OF advancing his
political fortunes of Indiana. Morton was
consuming with an inordinate desire to 90
to the Senate of the United States, if not
to the presidential chair, and every lever of
power placed in his hands was
used to that end. In strong
Democratic districts, where Democrats
took the stump and raised regiments and
companies of troops and offered them to
the government, Morton either delayed or
declined commissions, aad not unfre-
quently accepted the troops, and then
placed over them some partisan in
competent whose only merit con-
sisted in burning incense TO the
great war governor. Il was in rebuke
to this spirit that Democratic Legislature
was returned two years after Lincoln had
carried the State. Thai Legislature, that
the military affairs of the state might be
conducted In q fsi7 and non bipartisan
spirit, prepared the Military bill that
would have prevented Morton's outrage
GUS conduct toward Democrats. and given
all those desiring to enter the service
fair and equal chance without contribu-
ting to the personal sggrandizement OF
Morton.
1t was then that Mr.. Morton raised
the hue and cry of treason
at home, because,D Democrats didlnot care to
make of themselves mere tools for his
own glory. His infamous and arbitrary
public acts and his ignomihiouf
private life forbade such a thing
The falsity of this charge of want
of loyalty on. the part Of Demo
Gratis was ,abundsntly proven at that very
tiins, Tor when Morgan made his raid int
; Indiana in the belief that thesesislse state
ments were true, he net the most deter
mined opposition in that Democrsti
, stronghold, the Second Dist riot, which
i he Invaded where undisciplined mill
tia gathered in squads and compsnie
and hsrrassed him at every point. 1t wa
q signal vindication of the Democracy a
an appropriate time. and hushed the lynn
mouth of slander. 1t was Morfon's coward