Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-16
Southern Purposes.
SENATOR MoRToN's OREGON SPEECH

SENATOR MORTON'S OREGON SPEECH.
DANGERS TO THE UNION FROM SOLID SOUTH,
THE NEED OF A SOLID NJKTH TO AVERT THEM,
PAYMENT OF REBEL CLAIMS CERTAIN TO BE
PRESSED.
The Portland Oregonian prints full report OF
the speech delivered by Senator Morton at Salem,
Oregon, on Friday evening, July q. That he
spoke with directness and point the following lib
eral extracts will show
i shall speak to you for a short time, my flends'
tonight, in reference to the political situation.
did not come to Oregon for that purpose. | did not
think of speaking, but now that my official duties
have terminated, and at the request OF large num-
Der of my political and personal friends, have
agreed to say something upon the general situa-
ton. 1t is divided in its powers between two par
ties. The democratic party had majority in the
last House Of Representatives, and will have in
the new one about to be organized. The republi-
can party have elected President, patriotic, able
man, who has entered upon the discharge of his
duties under circumstances Of great difficulty and
embarrassment. \ condition of things has come
to pass which many believed would never take
| place in this country, and which had hoped to
| see long deferred, if 1t ever should happen. We
| are now at period OF retrogression. There is no
use in Disgusting the situation from ourselves for
one moment Whenever we are in danger the best
thing to do is to confront it, meet IT boldly. There
is nothing to be gained by Disgusting the situation
| of affairs Let US understand il fully, and cour-
| ageously address ourselves TO it.
RAPID REVIEW OF FIFTEEN YEARS.
| When the war was over, the republican party,
be ing in the ascendency in every part Of the gov
| eminent, having majority in each house of Con-
giess, and having the President, proceeded to the
work of reconstruction. But very soon Presi-
dent, elected by the republicans, deserted the par
| ty and went over to the democratic party. But
the republican party was still left in possession OF
both houses OF Congress. 1t proceeded in 1867, at
ter long debate and consideration, TO the work OF
reconstruction. 1t devised and adopted system
upon which the States which had been engaged in
the rebellion might return to their normal cond-
ton in the Union and exercise full political power.
l nder the circumstances. 1t was one of eXtraordi-
nary mag nanlmity. SO far as generosity was con-
ceIned, it exceed anything in the history of the
world allowing all those men who had been in arms
against us to take part in the administration OF our
government. All those who had been engaged in
the rebellion were at once forgiven. Their oenses
were at once wiped out-iorgotten they never can
be. The mass of the Southern people were al
once admitted TO the enjoyment of political rights.
Now, there were great many wise men in the
North who thought this was unwse, and that the
time would come when they would regret it. Am
uesty was conferred on all except few of the
leaders of the rebellion. those who had been MEM
bers of Congress before the war, those who had
been in the army and navy, those in the diplomatic
service of the country who had occupied positions
Of high trust-most OF those were excepted for the
time being. But the rules were relaxed, even in
gard to them, until now there are not more than
200 persons in the United States under political
disabilities on account OF their connection with the
rebellion. Most of the military officers and those
who had been in the Congress of the Coniederacy
were pardoned or amnested, and many of them
are now in the Congress OF the United States,
making laws for the government of this people.
We had hoped that this magnanmity of the re-
publican party-that party which had been in
power all these years-we had hoped tn is magma
nlnity on the part of the republican party would
have been met in the same spirit and that the
publicans in the South whether wEite or black
| Union men OF ConfedeIates, would be regarded as
having political rights, and permitted to enjoy
them IN security. This was what he had right
| to expect. Our ideas comprehended perfect sys-
| tenn oil freedom of action to carry out our views
IN any legitimate way, by having liberty of speech,
by having liberty to publish, by having the right
| to meet IN conventions, by resorting to any ma
chlnery necessary to carry on government, in ev-
| cry act recognizing their right to do all these
| things. There is no liberty without this. 1t is
| condition of slavery, and just so far any class
OF people come short of this, jus! far their lib
erty Is abridged la the reconstruction of the
| southern States we voluntarily restored them to
equal political rights. But when the democratic
i"iS III the ooutu iuto power Nnty set out TO
| destroy and annihiate the republican party, not
simply to beat II as you would beat it in that way
but TO destroy it to make it impossible to be a re-
| publican, so that man cannot be a republican
without mourning the danger of losing his busi-
ness, perhaps his life, losing all chance of social
happiness, that bis children cannot 90 to school
in other words, to destroy him politically, com
nerclally, and especially professionally. This has
| oeen the penalty for being a republican in the
southern States. This was the plan adopted 10
Alabama They proceeded afterwsra in the same
course throughout the States of North Carolina,
| Arkansas, Mississippi and now in South Carolina,
| Louisiana, and FLORIDA. State by State the re-
publican party has been desti owed by force yio-
| lence, persecution. The democratic party has Blu t
small majority in Georgia. think not over
1000 or Scotland yet they gave majority for
! Iilden OF 200. In Mississippi the republicans
have majority of not less than 80 900 or IS O00
| and yet in 1906 that State gave a democratic
| majority of 10000. Alabama has a majority of
over 30,000-nearly 10000 South Carolina.
| the strongest republican State in the Union. in
proportion TO its population, having a clear ma
Jority brought down to mere song, TO mere
nominal number. How did il happen 1t
done by murder. 1t has been done by opprcs-
sion. 1t has been done by persecution. Ii has
been done by all the means that the tyr
| amy Of man can devise. The colored men were
Killed by hundreds, and may say by thousands.
Ihe evidence is complete and over-whe lining
rake the campaign in Mississippi in 1875, in
winch there were hundreds of murders and crimes
OF every description. 1t is a tale of horrors too
terrible for belief, yet the vast volumes of evi.
ueuce TAKEN 10 prove it Is sealed book because il
j. a task TOO huge to read H.