The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1877-05-31
THE osKALoosA HERALD.
LEIGHTON 8 NEEDHAM, Editors.
THURSDAY. MAY 81, 1877.
SENATOR MORTON'S LETTER.

In the present political crisis the peo-
pie are somewhat anxious to know how
the leaders of the great Republican par.
ty stand; not that it would any differ
ence in The minds of the masses, who
form their own opinions, but gener
al anxiety to know who is faithful
in these days Of recreancy. Many
eyes have turned to Hon. Oliver p.
Morton, whose championship of South
ern Republicans in the past, and whose
honest, sturdy blows in their defence had
won the gratitude Of the whole party.
Elsewhere will be found the Senator's
letter in full, and it places him squarely
astride the fence.
When the war for the rebellion broke
out Oliver P! Morton was just coming
into notice, and was by the election of
Henry S. Lane to the U. S. Senate, thrown
into the Governors chair of the State Of
lndiana-the lower half of which State
was no more in sympathy with the Union
than Kentucky and Tennessee. The
Legislature in 1868 was Democratic and
/ intensely rebel and it will be remembered
that that body refused 10 vote appropria
| tons for arming and equipping the troops
and defraying any State expenses. 4 Then
Oliver P. Morton, by one act, placed him
self before the whole nation, as one worthy
to be a leader. He allowed his rebel leg
islature to depart, organized B GARD Of
Finance, raised over a million dollars
! from private subscriptions and from
county appropriations loaned, and thus he
carried on the government without The
aid of his rebel legislature, just as Pres
ident Hayes could do. This one act gave
him more prominence and national repu-
tation than any other act of his life; and
yet in his letter he attempts to excuse
President Hayes for not using the same
nerve, when the Democratic Congress cut
his army sofswithout shilling. Capital-
lists all over the land would have rendered
the money freely lin fact they have done
| sol and if need be the President could
have had million volunteers to carry
out his orders, had he tried to give Packard
and Chamberlin the aid they deserved.
We know what we are talking about when
we say, that for an organization was il
existence in Oskaloosa to offer the goyern-
ment men armed and equipped, to sustain
Packard if he made fight for his rights.
TheSepator speaking of "the Democratic
House" admits that the President, elected
by Republican votes, is onlya fgure-head
to carry out Democratic orders but how
much better would it have been for the
Republican. party, had the President had
the nerve to recognize the men that Sen
ator Morton, says were undoubtedly elect
ed, and then throw the responsibility of
their defeat, if they were defeated for
want of appropriations, upon the Demo
cratic party, instead of abandoning the
men who elected him, to the m,ercies of
rebels Who never knew the meaning of
the word. Had Hayes acknowledged
Packard and Chamberlin, as he should
have done when they called upon him for
help, not q dozen troops would ever have
been needed, and most likely neyera gun
would have been fired. This the Sena-
tor acknowledges. The moral effect of
recog nition was needed, and Morton says
Packard was undoubtedly elected, and
legally so declared, hence should have
been recognized, even though it cost
war. All of us want peace, but not at
the sacrifice Of principle. In govern
ment like this, the sacrifice of right and
principle to an armed mob, is the most
dangerous act that can be committed.
The two mobs in South Carolina and
Louisiana we've experimental, but a pre-
cedent was set, and dozens such will be
found hereafter, at every election, if the
Republicans ever'carry any election South
| aoain