The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
O. P. MORTON,s VIEWS

O. p. Morton had sufficiently improved II
health 2 week ago 10 admit of his removal
from Richmond, Ind, to his home in Indian
apolis, although all hope seems to he aban
doned of his ever being able to re-appear in
the senate Either the vista of eternity that
opens before him has greatly modified his pc
litical views, or his protracted illness mus,
have affected his memory, for the Indianapo
| lis Jou7al, having interviewed the distn
guishcd invalid soon after his arrival in that
lefty, processes in a carefully prepared editorial
to give his present views of the political stu
alton, in which, for Morton, there are certain
" some strange utterances. Speaking of Hayes
Mr. NJ is made to say
"The presidents paramount duty is to the
country and if he were to place SIMPLY party
success above public interest he would render
himself hateful TO every right-mindcd man
and infamous in history"
This from the author of the Richmond Key.
note" speech Il year ago, in which Mr.. Hayes
was stated 10 be the embodiment of his party
and that if elected he would be such pres
dent as his party would make him. Noprcsi,
dent this country ever had more completely
subordinatcd public interest," to party sue.
cess than Grant, and certainly no politician
supported him more jealousy through it all
than Mr. Morton.
Again, in regard to Mr., Hayes southern
policy Mr. Morton is credited with this sur.
prising utterancc:
but President Hayes has seen proper to &C.
ccpt the assurance Of the people of the South
that they will maintain the law and respect
the equal rights of all classes, and if they keep
faith with the administration his Southern poll.
cy cannot fail. The same policy might have
been inauguratcd at any time since the close
of the war had the people of these states come
forward with an honest purpose and protlcred
the same pledges"
Had the people prohcred the same plcdg,
es" Can Mr.. Morton have forgotten that from
the day when Grant was sent by Andy John
son to the south to spy out' the sentiments Of
the people up to the advent Of Hayes there was
not day when the people of these states" did
not come forward with an honest purpose and
profered the same pledges" over and over
again. Why the federal government turned a
deaf ear to them, Morton knows as well or bet.
terthan any other man; for he was the ablest and
the bittcrest opponent Of everything looking
toward reconciliation.
And lastly, Mr. Morton is represented as
heartily approving the Hayes civil service poll
cy as follows: Hu- .Fa.r-
"Thc president was elected under pledge
of cvil-scrvice reform. The pledge was made
by his party and was fully approved and in.
dorsed by him. The votes of the people had
been procured for him npon his solemn prom
Use made in the Cincinnati platform andin his
letter OF acceptance, that he would inaugurateI
the reforms demanded
This again from the author of last years
" Keynote" in which the voters, who seemed
to be somewhat uneasy over Mr.. Hayess sweep
ing civil service pledges, were assured that our
civil service was the best in the world and
needed no reform, and that Mr.. Hayes if elect
ed, would he controlled ia that matter by the
men who elected HIM, is certainly sufficiently
curious. However, whether as sign of men.
tai decay or of honest conversion, there is no
disputing that these uttcrances in ertfemis, sol
so to speak, Of the great Hoosier indicate a.
change towards the side of better wisdom and
craftsmanship, and though it may be harsh to-
suggest it, one could almost hope that SINH.
lar though of course not fatal illness might
seize some more Of our eminent republican
politicians