Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-11-08
SKETCH OF SENATOR M0RTON'S
LIFE.


Tity. lie was apprcnticed TO halter at the
age of fifteen. aud worked at the trade four
years. During this time his mind showed
signs of activity. and at the age of twenty
he entered Miami college at Oxford, Ohio,
where he remained for two years, attrac-
ting no teachers attention during the
time, but becoming noted among his class
mates as a ready debater and extemporan-
lege and began the study of law in the of
flee of John s. Newman, then a lawyer of
Centerville. He was admitted TO the bar
in Wayne county in 1S47, when twenty
four years old. He won a good solid
standing, and in 1852 was elected circuit
Judge by the Legislature. lie resigned the
office ut the end of tie year and until 1860
kept constantly at law practice, DEPRESSING
occasionally into politics. He had cast
his first vote in 1914 as democrat and re-
manned an active member OF that PARTY un-
Ill the Missouri compromise repeal in 1854,
when he cease1 TO the act with the organ
ization, made public avowel of his oppo-
sition TO slavery, and in 1856 was one of
the three delegates sent from Indiana to
the Pittsburg convention which organized
the republican party. In the same year
the new party in this state held its first
convention and Mr.. Morton was nomina-
ted for governor. His democratic oppo-
nent, Ashbel p. Willard, was elected by a
large majority. From this time until 1860
Mr.. Morton practiced law. The conven-
ton Of that year nominated Henry S. Lane
for governor and Mr.. Morton for lieuten-
ant governor, it being understood that
Lane Was TO 60 IN the senate and Morton
become governor if the party was success
ful. The latter engaged actively in the
Campaign rs he had done years before, but
with the advantage this time of being
known all over the state. The repubi
cans were successful by a majority of near
ly 10000. In the following month, No
vember, on the 22d, the republicans met to
| rejoice ut the election of Mr.. Lincoln,
which had taken place few days before.
Mr.. Morton was one of the speakers, A
call had already been issued in South
Carolina for convention TO consider an
ordinance of secession. The only topic of
the time through the north was the pre-
servaton OF the union. The new republi.
can party was divided ms to whether the
union should be PINNED together by bay
onets," as Greedy expressed it, by concilia-
tory measures, or whether the discomfort
ed states should be allowed to go in peace.
Dir. Morton took grounds in favor of the
first method Coercion was emily enforce.
ment of the law, and if ;his required force
1t was not the choice of those whose duty
1t was to execute the law. This speech
was in the direction aiterward pursued by
Senator Morton throughout his whole CA.
reer. In it he advocated the doctrine of
nationality, and the last speech he ever
made, the one at Salem, Oregon, last July,
he reafiirmed the same doctrine with the
same vehemence he did 16 years before.
In the following January Henry S. Lane
was inauguratcd governor, two days later
was elected TO the United States Senate. and
was succeeded in the state executive office
Lieutenant Governor Morton, January 10.
1861. South Carolina had previous to this
passed an ordinance of secession. In the
30 days following the constitution of con.
fecerate States of America was adopted,
Sumpter was b)mbaFded and taken, Lin.
coins call for $1,000 men issued. Ninety
days precisely from his Inauguration
Governor Morton issued call for troops.
supplementary TO the presidents call and
war organization began. The people of
the state required little incentive. then or
any time thereafter, to respond promptly;
The executive was rather crowded with
tenders than crippled by dearth. His eff
fort in organizing and pushing troops TO
the front, and his care for Indiana soldiers
in the field. are matters of recollection.
He was fertile and active in all details for
crowding the armams Mt of forces, and no
state responded more quickly to the var
lous calls of the government, sometimes
anticipating its needs. Governor Morton
was foremost in the organization of the
hundred days" movement, which by en-
rolling volunteers for a summer ampaiyn
forguard duty, would relieve the veterans.
and thus allow the force in the field TO be
largely increased in fighting strength.
At the outbreak of the, war there was
practically no party of opposition to the
government in the state. The Indiana
democracy, which afterwards became infa-
NOUS by its leprous Legislature and its pes
tiierious participation in the organization
OF the Knights of the Golden Circle, for
negative obstruction and positive resist
ance. in the outset were tractable enough.
This is not the place to find causes, but To
state facts. The charge may be alluded 10.
however, that the exclusive elbowing poll
icy alleged against the executive tended TO
identify democrats with rebels or southern
sympaihizers. Their efforts, repulscd or
colby accepted, they crystallized into an
opposition party of which the most dar-
ing and despicable became intact southern
sympathizefs aiders and abcttors, necessi-
ty in a position which did not find an en-
tire echo in their hearts were made to pose
before the world to their own dctriment
and doubtless to their lasting regret.
The fact is, that in the fall of 1862 the
democrats carried the Legislature, which
declined to receive Governor Morton's
message, endorsed fIoratio Seymour's mes.
sage then governor of New York, refused
to pass any of the appropriation bills,
were deserted by the republican minority
so as to kill a quorIn, and finally aljour-
ned covered with the opprobium o: the
state Governor Morton met the emer-
gency by tie organization of bureau Of
finance. made private loans of tho people
andthc binks, borrowed quarter of a
million of dollars from the general gov
ernmelt, organized new form of state
Oovprnn,nnf and from, mil 1891 g.,