The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-02
The 99ailg Areas.
MORTON NEXT.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDI.
DATES Honesty rMPuaNED.
Alleged Misapplication Of Two Hun.
dred and Fifty Thousand Dollars.
,speeial despatch to the N. Y. World


WASHINGTON, April 2S-Several days
ago a correspondent Of the World was in
formed that there were important docu-
ments 10 the second comptrollers office of
the treasury which would reveal another
Republican presidential candidate, Senator
Morton, is an unpromising light. The
correspondence, whatever it might be, was
between Morton and one Of the state
agents in Indiana during the war and is on
file in the department.
The facts of the case, as alleged, are
these: In the thirty seventh congress an
act making an appropriation to pay the
expense OF transporting and delivering
arms and munitions of war to the loyal
citizens of the states OF which the inhabi-
tants now are or hereafter may be in re-
bellion against the government of the
United States. and to provide for the ex-
pense of organizing them into companies,
battaiions, regiments or otherwise, for
their own protection against violence, in
surrection, invasion or rebellion, was passed
July 81, 1861. Two million dollars were
appropriated under this act 1t will be
observed that the title is very loosely
drawn, and is susceptible Of various con-
structons Among the list of war ex-
penditures in connection with the above is
this item: For supplying, transportation
and delivery of arms and munitions of war
10 states 10 rebellion against the government
of the United States, o. P Morton, gov
| ernor of Indiana, $250,00O." Indiana was
never in rebellion against the government
| of the United States, and it was a query
why Morton should have $25O,OOO when
| there was no purpose under the statute
making the appropriation for which the
money could have been legally expended.
1t was brought to the attention of the
correspondent that in the Indiana legisla-
ture Of 1861 some difficulty had occurred
between the Democrats and Republicans
| The two parties were a tie In the senate
and the Democrats had majority in the
house. The Republican senators broke
the quorum to prevent some party legisla-
ton, and the time of the session slipped
by until compelled to adjourn without the
transaction of any business. No appro-
priations were made, not even for the ex-
penses OF running the state government.
Everything seemed to be in danger of
coming to stand still in Indiana, when
Morton made trip to Washington, and
upon his return to indianapolis he opened
the paymaster's Office and began to pay
the expenses of the state government. No
one except Morton's bosom friends knew
where he got the money; but very few
know to this day. The proper way to
have obtained money to run the state
machinery would have been to convene
the legislature for the purpose of passing
appropriation bills, This the Radical
Morton would not do, as the legislature
was Democratic That Morton obtained
his money from the 100000 appropria-
ton above referred to is certain; that be
misapplied $25O,0O0 the correspondent in
the treasury department will show Three
unsucc5 ssful attempts have been made by
members Of congress to obtain this cores
pondence Secretary Bristow, perhaps
with desire to avoid doing anything tina,
would iniure candidate in the preslden-
tial race for which he is an aspirant, seem:
to be unwilling that it shall be made pub
lic Upon the first request for the cor
rcspondeace, Mr.. Brist0w signlfed wish
that Mr.. Morton should know what wa:
coming before any steps were taken in tht
I case. The member prosecuting tht
: search acquiesced and was soon inter
, viewed BY Morton, who was considerably
excited, demanded to know if public in
vestigatinn into the affair was to be made
and said he should summon witnesses
from Indiana to testify in his behalf III,
did telegraph for man by the name o
Sturm, who arrived in this city to-day
Sturm was arsenal agent in the stat;
during the war Another attempt t,
obtain or at least examine the CORES
pondence pertaining to the case will b.
made on Monday. and Secretary Bristov
will do well 10 open every avenue that cal
place light on the transaction. 1t will b.
investigated by Mr.. Glover's committee o,
the real estate pool