New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-07
SENATOR MORTON EXPLAINS HIS
WAR RECORD.
Some Facts Evolved By Mr.. Springe.'s
Investigation.

/ "
Some Facts Evolved By Mr.. springe-'a
| Investigatien.
IridsWc. May 8, says:
It was strange scene which the Senate
witnessed to-day when the war Governor
| OF Indiana rose to answer as to his manner
| OF helping carry on the war for the Union,
both in the field and against the Sons OF
| Liberty ut home, and stranger still that
this answer was called out by Springer,
former member of this order. The
| spectacle of the Sons Of Liberty investigat-
ing the conduct of the war is now on ex.
hibition at the national CspitOl. The gross
ness of this attack on Governor Merton has
bean the source of great disgust and an
nOyance among many Democrats, and all
recognize in it a most serious blunder. The
full sympathy Of every Union man and
| every fair man has been extended to Gov
ernor Morton. This explanation was not
needed except to complete the record
| against those who assaulted him. There was
general and hearty Indignation, however,
over the fact that q man who had con-
tributed go much to suppress the rebellion,
! and did it honestly, as everybody knows,
should be thus arraigned by men who,
| though desperately dislOyal, had not the
| courage to fight Cor their belief. Few men
IN Washington have ever been 60 cordially
congratulated over the manner in which
they met attacks of this sort as has Gov
| ernor Morton to-day and tonight.
Senator Anthony followed with the first
| pronounced utterance on the floor of either
house in denunciatioa of the methods pur-
sued by the Democratic committees. The
| universal response to his words showed
plainly how keenly the gross unfairness OF
these Investigations has taken hold of all
| classes here, and how great the disgrace is
deemed to be which they have brought upon
the majority which controls them.
In the Senate this morning, after reports
from various committees were received,
Mr.. Morton arose to a personal explanation.
He had read an article recently published
in the New York World, in regard to $780,
600 received by him from the general gov
eminent while he was Governor of Indiana.
out of the appropriation of $1,000 900 to
pay the expenses Of transporting and de-
livery of arme. etc, to loyal citizens in the
States in rebellion. He said:
Mr.. President, the President of the United
States in the spring OF 1865 advanced to me
$3.50, 900 900 to enable me to carry forward
military operations in the State OF Indiana.
OF this sum l expended $l33 302 in the
services of the State, and with which
charged the State in my settlement with 1t,
and the remaining $il6.67S were not ex-
pended. This amount l returned to the
treasury of the United States, as is shown
BY the following voucher and receipt:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, April IL, 1865.
SIR-YOurs of the sixth instant, inclOsing
a duplicate certificate of deposit, issued by
the First National Bank of Indianapolis,
Indiana, in your favor. No. 500, date of the
sixth instant, for Sll6.69 on account of
money due and refunded to tne United
States, has been received.
am. very respectfully.
GEORGE HARRINGTON,
Assistant Secretary OF the Treasury.
To the Hon. O. P. Morton Indiana.
The Sl33, 3O2 which I had expended ON
behalf of the State were paid back to the
government by giving the government
credit for that amount upon the advances
which had been made by the State in the
conduct of the war, which advances were
duly audited by the Treasury Department,
and allowed as just and valid claims against
the government in favor of the State. This
settlement and final adjustment Of the
whole sum of $3.50 900 are shown by the
following voucher anu quietus from the
office of the second auditor of the treasury:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Auditors Office, November 8, 1885, )
S1R-Tae charge of $3.50, 600 on the books
of this office on account Of supplying arms
to loyal citizens in revolted States has this
day been closed on the books of this office,
to wit: by the deposit by you of $ll669S,
and a transfer of $l33, SD2 of funds from the
books OF the third auditors Office to your
credit on the books Of this Office.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN NJ. SIMS, Secbnd Auditor.
To His Excellency 0. P. Nor ton, Governor of In.
diana.
From these vouchers it will appear that
the whole sum Of $250. 900 was accounted
for and repaid to the government. 1t will
be proper in this connection to state the
circumstances under which the $3.50 900 was
advanced to me by the President, and the
use made of it, to show that it was not mis-
applied. At the October election in 1862. in
Indiana, the Democrats carried the state
by majority OF over 5000, elscting large
maj arity in each branch of the Legislature
and their candidate for State officer. The
Democrats had the Legislature, all the
State officers and the judges Of the Su-
preme Court and possessed the whole
power in ths State government except
the executive. When the Legislature
assembled in the first week in January,
1863, it's conduct was characterized by the
most intense hostility to the administration,
my messages to the two houses on the sec
Ond day of the session The Senate re-
ceived, read and printed it il the usual
way. The House refused to receive it, and
directed the clerk to return it to me, and
on the next day adopted a resolution az
proving the message of Governor Seymour,
Of New York. The revolutionary policy
thus inaugurated was pursued with in
creased violence and open disregard of con-
obligations. The time was chiefly |
by the introduction of disloyal |
the utterance of factious and
reasonable sentiments intended to excite |
the people against the government and de- |
stroy its power to suppress the rebellion.
On the fifteenth Of February bill was |
introduced into the House, which was III |
.ended to strip me, as Governor, of ali mill |
.ary power in the State. 1t provided that |
Iii arms should be placed ia the custody of |
The Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary. and Al
Orney General Of the State, to be issued or |
disposed Of only by them. 1t deprived the
Governor of all power to call out the mill
ia for any purpose whatever. 1t provided |
hat all officers of militia should be ap-
pointed and commissioned by these four
State officers, and not by the Governor, as
equired by the constitution OF the State.
{ provided for the repeal Of the existing
militia law, the dissolution Of all brigades,
hat law, the surrender OF their arms into
he hands of agents to be appointed by the
our State Off GERS, and rendered null and
old all outstanding commissions. In short,
his bill transferred to the four State Off
ers the military power which was vested
a the Governor by the constitution, was
and uncon stitutional in every
eature, and intended for disloyal purposes.
he bill was ordered to be engrossed and
cad third time by strict party vote.
The legislative history of this bill could
Ot he better given than in the lanpuaya |
mployed by Union members of the Legis-
allure. in their add reas to the neonla of fha |