The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-05-18
MORTON.

We believe we stated some time age
that our first choice for President of the
United States is Senator Morton. lie is
the ablest, greatest, purest, best man oi
all those named.
Last week the rebel brigadiers got af'
ter him about money he had expended
during the war to keep down Democrat
ic traitors in Indiana. Senator Morton
replied in the Senate, in the course Of
which reply he gave little history of
the Democracy during the rebellion. He
said:
The intermediate history between the
event have described, in the spring Of
1868, and the meeting OF the Legislature
in January, 1865, will refer to but brief
ly, although it was extraordinary in its
character, and unlike that of any .other
State. The State was honey-combed with
secret societies, formerly known as the
Knights Of the Golden Circle, but at that
time as "Sons of Liberty" They claim
ed, in 1864, to have forty thousand mem
bers in the State, were lawless, defiant,
plotting treason against the United
States, and the overthrow of the State
Government. In some counties their op-
erations were so formidable as TO require
the militia to be kept on a war footing
and throughout 1863, and until the final
explosion Of the organization in August,
1864, kept the whole State in an uproar
and alarm. So bold were their demon
strations through the summer of 1868,
that General John Morgan, of Kentucky,
was induced to invade the State with his
forces, in the belief that there would be
a general uprising in his support. In
1864 so numerous were these reasonable
organizations, and so confident were they
OF their strength, that they matured a
plan for general uprising in the city of
Indianapolis, on the 10th of August, to
be under the cover of mass meeting Of
the Democratic party, to be attended by
members of these organizations from all
parts of the State. The plan, as shown
by subsequent confessions of some of the
leading conspirators, was on that day to
release 1000 rebel prisoners confined in
Camp Morton, seize the arsenal and arm
these prisoners, overturn the State Gov
ernment and take possession Of the State.
This plan could not be kept secret. H.
was developed some three weeks before
the time fixed, and was abandoned by
the leading consplrators, and orders Is
sued countermanding the march OF their
forces upon Indianapolis. Subsequently
the discovery and seizure OF large
amount OF arms and ammunition, collect
ed at indianapolis for reasonable pur-
poses. and the seizure OF the records and
rituals oil the Order of Sons OF Liberty,
giving the names OF the principal conspi-
rators, and the arrest OF some eight OF
the ringleaders, had the effect to break
up and destroy the power OF the organi-
zation. And | regret to have 10 state
that in the list of the principal members
of this organization were found the
names of three of the State officers into
whose hands the Legislature OF 1868 had
attempted TO place the whole military
power of the State. Upon trial of these
ringleaders before a military tribunal ap-
pointed by the President under act of
Congress, some OF them turned State 5
evidence, and disclosed the full charac-
ter and extent Of the conspiracy. -Four
of them were convicted and sen
fenced to death, one of whom made his
escape, another was pardoned outright by
President johnson. and two others
Bowles and Milligan, had their punish
ment commuted by President johnson
TO imprisonment for life, but were alter
ward released by the decision Of the Su-
preme Court of the United Statea, TO the
effect that q military commission had nc