The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-15
Hon. william 5. Holman.


To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
Oliver P. Morton was unquestionably one of
the foremost men who in civil life participated in
the events of our great civil war. He came upon
The stage Of public affairs when the contest over
slavery, which for years had grown in intensity
and bitterness, was preparing for an appeal to
the arbitrament of arms. AT this crisis he be
came Governor of great State whose geograph-
zeal relations to the impending conflict rendered
its policy subject of the highest moment. He
was possessed of qualities and powers which in
peaceful times would have given him, slowly but
steadily, high standing among his fellow cti-
zens, hut in period Of public peril at once ad-
vanced him to the front.
Governor Morton comprehended from the be-
ginning the magnitude of the contest He saw
how completely it would absorb all interests
subordinate all questions and control all current
events So that, during the period OF
the war his policy was compre-
hensive bold and aggressive. He
understood as we'll, if not better, than any man
of that period, holding responsible executive
Office the overmastering cXactions of war, and did
not hesitate at any measure or shrink from any
policy which III his Judgment the cXigencies of
the times might demand: and whatever might
have been the conflict of opinion at the time and
through the years which have since elapsed
to the wisdom necessity of many measures of
the hour. the fact remains and goes into history
that the great State of which he was the chief
executive, and at whose capital monument is
erected as a grateful tribute to his memory. bore
itself with high courage and honor through that
prolonged conflict standing from the beginning
in the front rank of the great States which up
held the Union.
Governor Morton during the whole period of
the war. displayed an executive capacity, an
ganzing power without an equal among the eX-
ecutives of the States. He infused ms own reso-
lutte spirit into the men whom the pelils of the
time had gathered around him. and, nimatedby
his presence with confidence and Devotion the
great body of citizen soldiers organized in his
State for the defense of the Union.
While Governor Morton, in breadth of
views cearness of Judgment, frmness of pur-
p)se and unhagging energy. was not equaled by
any of the war Governors. and by few if any
of the men in civil employment at that period,
nor was he surpassed by any of them or per
hans equaed in radicalism OF method or courage
of conviction in the conduct of the war but in
public policies and craftsmanship in time of
peace his leanings We're conservative The nat
iil4l tendencies of his mind unbiased seemed to
favor conservative methods. hence he does not
seem to have perceived rs clearly as some of his
contemporaries Of less stength of Judgment how
far conflict of arms, for the time, ovfrtuns
the traditions of people and rcv0luti0nlzeS
opinion. But i'll the field of action, in organic
inc pOwer in resources for great emergencies
in capacity to animate people with higl pur
pose, in clearness Of Judgment and courage Of
conviction, Governor Morton was mquestion
ably great man. and as such. i'll the midst of
men whose greatness was developed by great
emergency, will 90 into history. As a senator
Governor Morton will live in all the great
political measures which succeeded the
war. for while not suggesting he was
identified with them all, and will share in the
Judgment which the future will pronounce on
the measures through which the Union of the
States will go down to posterity. In the pres