The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-05-23
NORTON.

HE REVIEWS HIS ADMIN
ISTRATION WHILE GOV
ERNOR OF INDIANA.
AND ARRAIGNs THE DEMOCnA
az FOR ITS CONNECTION
WITH THE SONS Of
LIBERTY.
WAsHIsoroS, May 3.-Mr. Morton
rep, Ind. arose to personal explain
alton. He sent to the Clerk desk and
had read Washington dispatch TO the
New York World in regard to $3.50, 600
received by him from the General Gov
ernment while he was governor of In
diana, out Of the appropriation Of g.,
600, 900 to pay the expenses OF trans
porting and the delivery OF arms, etc. +,
to loyal citizens in the States in rebel
lion. He said:
Mr.. PRESIDENT. The President OF
the United States, in the spring Of
1863, advanced to me $3.50, 900 to ena-
ble me to carry forward military oper-
ations in the State of Indiana. OF this
sum expended sl33, ,302 in the service
of the State, and with which charged
the State in my settlement with it, and
the remaining SllG,69S were not ex-
pended. This amount / returned to
the Treasury Of the United States, as
is shown by the following voucher and
receipt:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON. April IL. 1868
sIR--Yours Of the 9th inst. inclosing a dup
licate certificate Of deposit issued by the First
National Bank Of indianapolis, Ind, In your
fayer, No. $50, date OF the 9th inst, for sll6.-
COS, on account Of moneys due and refunded
10 the United States, has been received.
am, very respectfully,
(Slgued) GEO. HARRINGTON,
Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury.
To Hon. o. T.. Merton, Indianapolis.
The s133, ,302 which / had expended
on behalf Of the State were paid back
to the Government by giving the Gov
emment credit for that amount upon
advances which had been made by the
State in tie conduct OF the war, which
advances were duly credited by the
Treasury Department and allowed as
Just and valid claims against the Gov
eminent in favor Of the State. The
settlement and final adjustment of the
whole sum OF $3.50. 900 is shown by the
following voucher and quietus from
the ofiics OF the Second Auditor OF the
Treasury:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND AUDITORS oTFIcE,
November 4, 1866.
sK-The charge Of s250, 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 a deposit by you of sll6,0aS and trans
fer OF slS3, soc of funds from the books Of the
Third Auditors office To your credit on the
books Of this oiiice-
Very respectfully, your obedlsnt servant.
JOHN VI. sIMMs,
Second Auditor
To Ills Exccllrncy q. 2. Morton. Governor Of
Indiana.
From these vouchers it will appear
that the whole sum Of $3.50, 900 was ac-
counted for and repaid to the Govern
ment; and il will be proper in this cou-
nection to state the circumstances un.
der which the S2J0, 900 were advanced
to me by the President and the use
made OF II, to show that was not misap-
piled. At the October election in 1862
in Indiana, the Democrats carried the
State by q majority Of over 10000.
electing large majority in each branch
OF tie Legislature, and their candi-
dates for State officers. The Demo
Gratis had the Legislature, all the State
officers, and the judges OF the Supreme
Court, and possessed the whole power
/ in the State government, except the
Executive. When the Legislature as
sembled in the first week in January,
| 1863, its conduct was characterized by
the most intense hostility 10 the admin
istration, and to the prosecution OF the
war. / sent my message to the two
Houses on the second day of the ses-
sion. The Senate, received, read and
printed it in the usual way. The
House refused to receive il, and direct
ed the clerk to return it to me, and on
the next day adopted n resolution APP
proving the message OF Gov. Seymour
Of New York. The revolutionary poll
cy thus inaugurated was pursued with
increased violence and open disregard
Of the constitutional obligations. The
time was chiefly consumed by the in.
PRODUCTION OF disloyal resolutions; the
utterances Of factious and reasonable
sentiments, intended TO excite the peo-
pie against the Government and to
destroy its power 10 suppress the rebel
| lion. On the 18th Of February bill
was introduced into the House, which
was intended to strip me as governor
of all military power in the State. IL
provided that ali arms should be plac.
ed in the custody OF the auditor, treas.
ursr, secretary, and attorney general oi
the State; to be kept, issued or dispos.
ed OF, only by them. IL deprived tho
governor OF al power TO call out the
the militia for any purpose whatever
II provided that all officers OF the mill.
tary should be appointed and commits
stoned by these four officers and not by
the governor. as required by the Con
stitution OF the State. II provided foi
q repeal OF the existing militia law, the
dissolution of all brigades, regiments
and companies, formed under that Law
the surrender Of their arms into th,
hands OF agents, TO be appointed by
the four State officers, and rendered
null and void all the outstanding com
missions. In short, this bill transfer
red TO the four state officers the militia
~ power which was vested in the gov
ernor by the constitution; il was revo
lutionary and unconstitutional in ever,
feature. and intended for disl oyal par
poses. The bill was ordered to be en-
crossed and read third time, by
strict party vote. The Legislative his
tory OF this bill could not he bette
given than in the language cmploye,
by Union members OF the Legislature
in their address TO the people OF Oh,
State, as follows:
The Military bill had come from Tia,
midnight caucus 10 tue House; ha,
been printed and forced to its engross
nent without the change OF n word o
letter. All amendments and substi
tutes had been voted down, all refer
ence to committees being refused, al
though every other bill OF geners
character that had gone 10 a secon
reading had been referred 10 some com
mittee. The previous question ha
been sustained, the gag applied, an
all debate cut of, and the bill engross
ed. Nothing was left for ns but 10 81
| by and see this infamous measure pas.
ed through the revolution consummal
ell and the civil war begun, or quietl
retire and leave the House without
quorum. There was no other peacefr
| and constitutional remedy. III ID ha
been left TO the courts to annul il b.
fore the question could have been d'
termined, the law would have done II