The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-16
THE LATE SENATOR MORTON.
An Episode of His Career-How He BE-
came Governor of Kentucky"

An Episode OF His Career-How He BE- |
came Governor of Kentucky"
from the Cincinnati Commercially
When, in April, the attack upon Sum-
ter had startled the North, and the Pres
ident Issued his call for 70, 900 troops
ndiana's quota being fixed Mt six regi-
ments of $50 men each-Gov. Morton
issued proclamation which, in eight
days, rallied over IL, 900 men to the de-
Tense of the national flag. In fact. on
the very morning, April 10, before re-
ceiving the Presidents message, Gov.
Morton sent dispatch to Mr.. Lincoln
rendering 10000 men from Indiana to
defend the nation and uphold the author
ity of the United States, thus securing
to his State the honor of being the first
to proffer troops to the General Govern
ment. Indiana's quota of six regiments
was rapidly filed, and her Governor,
foreseeing the future need, offered six
additional regiments without regard to
length of service, and pledging his word
to organize them in six days, if accepted.
The first six regiments marched prompt
ly forward to the field, attracting admit
ration and surprise at the perfection of
their equipment; and Gov. Morton's
efficiency was held up as IN incentive for
other State Executives to follow in near
! ly all the Northwestern States. Hardly
had these first troops reached the field
before the ever thoughtful Governor
sent agents to follow their footsteps, at
tend to their wants, and see that all
their little needs were supplied while in
health, and that they were properly
cared for when sick. With Gov. Nor
ton, indeed, may be said to have origi-
mated the plan of sending State agents
to visit and care for troops in the field !;
and throughout the war his agents uni
formly distanced those of all other
States. A few days after, the Governor
rendered an additional six regiments to
the President, His message to the
Legislature, which he had called in ex-
ira session, was full of determined and
lofty patriotism. Laying aside all party
prejudices, he required only loyalty and
capacity as the necessary qualifications
for positions of influence and so great.
indeed, was the liberality shown by him
to the Democracy as to arouse the jeal-
ousy of the Republicans, who criticised
his course with much severity during
this special session.
Meanwhile, the neighboring State of
Kentucky was in very precarious state.
Its Governor, Magoffin, assumed for it
the position of armed neutrality, and
sought for this policy the cooperation
of neighboring States. Gov. Morton,
however, was not deceived by this spe-
cious plea Of neutrality. lie firmly re-
jected all propositions to that effect from
Gov. Magoffin and, DESTROYS of keeping
Kentucky" in the Union" he dispatched
thither numbers of his own secret agents,
by whom he was promptly advised OF
the plans and operations of the seces-
sionists in every part of that State
On the 10th of September, 1861, Gov.
Morton received from one of these agents
information of Zollicoffer's advance into
Kentucky, to point some fourteen
miles beyond the Tennessee line, and of
a corresponding advance by Buckner's
force toward Louisville. The Governor
promptly countermdnded an expedition
under Gen. Rousseau, which was Just
starting for st. Louis, and ordered the
force to cross the Ohio into Kentucky
at the same time fastening every availa-
BILE man in Indiana to the defense of
Louisville, the safety of which was thus
assured beyond doubt.
Fully convinced that Kentucky's neu-
trality was at an end, and that her soil
was actually invaded by the Confeder-
ates, Gov. Morton withdrew his secret
agents; and, appealing to his State for
help to rescue that State from the enc
my, sent forward regiment after regi-
ment into Kentucky, and before many
months had passed the Federals held
Bowling Green, Zollicoffer was killed,
his troops defeated at Mill Spring, and
the soil of Kentucky cleared. This con-
duct endeared the Governor to the Union
lists of Kentucky, who virtually adopted
him as their Governor.