, 1876-05-05
"REMINISCENCES OF DARE DAYS


We hope aIr. SPRINGER, of Southern nli-
nois, aud tho New York World arc now sat.
istied. Their uusecm1y partisanship, az con-
scionceless rs it was zealous, betrayed them
into giving Senator Monrou m admirable
aud entirely proper opportunity for rostasing
tho obstacles he encountered from tho Demo-
cratic party In tho prosecution of Indinna's
Bharo in putting down the Rebellion. Tint
the statement is powerful ono iA sufficiently
evidenced by tho fact TINT 1Er. b1oRroN made
it. So far as the account Of moneys are con-
corned, he hns put it briefly, plainly, and
comprehensibly. The chnrge laying been
Investigated by tho Democrats in Ills own
Stats, who wero unable to report eyen sus-
picion Of corruption, 3lr. MORTON vas ablo
promptly to present tho exact figures nnd
uses Of tho $3.50, 900 which ho received as
Governor of Indiana from tho General Gov
ornment, and which, with tho mid
Of liberal contributions from tho loyal
people of his own State, enabled him to
equip tho Indiana troops and put them in tho
tiold and keep down tho Rebels at home, in
spite Of tho refusal Of tho Democratic Lcgis-
laturo and State officers to givo linn the
proper appropriation in tho proper way. It
is as we'll, perhaps, TINT all this should bo
recalled ut the present time, when tho Con-
fcderate clement in Congress- is asserting
itself In 60 offensive a manner, especially
since it naturally comes up at tho instance Of
tho Democrats, who are seeking to find cor-
ruption in every case of distinguished loyalty
aud eminent services during the War.
llr. Alonrox's statement should DO aupplo-
mented by m explanation of tho circunl-
stances which at that time placed tho Demo-
Gratis in position to worry him and leopard
ize his usefulness na Governor OF Indinna,
ns they did also with Gov. YATES, Of Illinois.
The Rebel element in the Northern Dcmoc-
racy had asserted itself in this Stato as well
as in Indiana. They had gained n temporary
superiority of numbers mud asaumcda bold and
| defiant attitude on account Of Berics of
ovonts unfnvorablo to tho Union cause. Prior
to the State elections OF 1869 tho Union arms
hRl suffered severe reverses under McCLgL-
Ian and PopE in tho East. mud had necessi-
tinted the call for G0U, 400 moro nlen for thrco
yeRrs. The response for tlsis call camo nain-
| ly from the Republicans, and, while it filled
loyal mon, 1t decilnated tho ranks Of tho Ke-
publican party at homo, and enabled tho
Democrats In Indiana and 1llinoiB, Oh we'll aa
IN several other States, to cleot tho 1,egisln.
tures To show tho liforenco which this
call for troops made in tho relative strength
Of the two parties, it ia only necessary to ro.
| fer to the vote Of those States in 1860 and
1869. In 18G0 L1scoLas majority in Indi
a1.a over DOUGLAS was 23,524 i; yet In 1BC4
tho Democrats carried the stato by o,54s.
So In Illinois, L1NcoLN's majority over DOUG.
Las was II, 600 in 1860, and i'll 1859 the Demo
osatseloctcd tho Stato ticket and both bsanchc.
of tho Legislature by q majority Of ,440. Ar
evidence TINT this change had been brought
Rbout by tho response to tho Presidents
call for thrce-yeara troops il fount
In tho fact TINT tho Republican yots
In Illinois fell of from l72,000 Ii
1860 to le0, 600 in 1862, and in Indiana from
1so, 600 In 1860 to $4,000 in 1sca, while tht
Democratic vote In Illinois In 1869 was a1
largo as, and in Indians larger than, the Dcmo
cratic vote Of 1860. In many OF the Stnte
tho Union party saved itsolt from simila
result by calling special sessions Of the Leg
islature and passing laws enabling the sol
dlers to vote In the fold. Illinois and In
diana were inhibited from adopting thla pol
10y by The peculiar wording Of their Consti
tutons, and it was not Till 1864, when Hecre
tary STANTON furloughed scores Of regiment
from these 8tates to come home aud voto
that they were redeemed from tho taint O
disloyslty aud the clutch Of Copperheadis1n
and It was then that tbs dls!oyal Democrac,
OF Illinois received blow from which 1t la
uaver recovered.
Senator MonToN has shown how scriousl
he WAS embarrassed by the organization Q
the Democrats into reasonable secret socie
ties known NJ the "sons Of Liberty" au
BY tho effort Of the Democratic Lsgislatus
to aivsat the Governor Of III his constltu