The Indianapolis journal., 1895-11-03
MORTON AT HIS BEST
Powerful and Convincing Oratory
a. Nothing Else Could.

uonal demonstration vas made at Cam
bridge City, Ind. The movement was partici-
pated in by men of all parties, but seemed
to be headed by such prominent Democrats
as the late Lafe Develin, Henry Cockefair,
John Lutg and others, and my recollection
is that Major Frybarger, Of Connersville,
was also connected with it, although he was,
at or near that time, actively engaged in the
country's service as an officer Of artillery.
There was then still lingering in portions of
Fayette Rush and other eastern counties
strong sentiment of opposition TO the
policy of the government in the suppression
OF the rebellion. Many an otherwise good
man had caught the rank infection of dis
loyalty which the Sons of Liberty had been,
and the knights of the Golden Circle were
then disseminating through many neighbor-
hoods. Young men who had enlisted in good
faith were besieged by discouraging letters
from their friends at home, and, in some
instances, successfully urged to desert. In
truth, the infection had sent its poisonous
roots into every county Of eastern and
southern Indiana. Where the Union senti
ment was strongest 1t seemed that the small
residuum of disloyalty was bitterest and
most determined.
In those days we had the Union League"
and used to send out spies who entered the
lodges of the Sons OF Liberty and the Golden
Circle freely, and reported upon their pro-
ceedings There was, of course, a strong
temptation to the fellows who played the
double part, to exaggerate what they saw
and heard, but events of larger than local
importance, that were constantly transpir-
ing, prepared us to believe that many of
the seemingly absurd stories of the murder
t., $tos~
ings, for reprisal and revenge upon their
Union neighbors. which were received from
time to time, had strong foundations in fact.
AS a rule, it was safe to trust the wiser and
| better men of the affected communities to
prevent actual attempts to carry out
schemes that would have involved neighbor-
| hood warfare, incendiarism and slaughter of
the worst types. and have brought the dis
loyal element into armed conflict
| with the national government. But
the fear was always present that
| the irresponsible hotheads who did
most of the frothy spouting in their
secret meetings might break away from the
| control of tho more conservative leaders
and begin a work that would inaugurate
| scenes of terror and constitute a danger so
alarming as to require that the men at the
| front should return to protect their families
| in sections where the Union sentiment was
| comparatively weak and very large per
cent. of the loyal men were already in the
| country's service. While the more elderly
| and better-informed of the Southern SYM
| pathizers were restraining their followers
| from acts of violence, they were still active
| in keeping alive a spirit of antagonism to
| the government, and were evidently sus-
| tanned by the hope of sweeping political
changes In the North that would lead to the
| concession of the claims set UP by the rebel
| lious States and also carry Indiana into
i tie Southern confederacy.
This sentiment was at its flood when the
| old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration
| was announced at Cambridge. AS it was
| heralded under Democratic auspices, these
| restless, dissatisfied elements jumped to the
| conclusion that it was in reality meeting
| to denounce the emancipation policy OF the
| government and take decided action look
| ing to peace at any cost" and the SUBJ
| stantiaI recognition of the confederacy.
| But the men who were in charge OF the
| affair were far more deeply imbued with the
| spirit of patriotism and devotion TO the
! Union than their fellow-partisans in the
| out-townships supposed or otherwise they
were dominated by Union men whose names
| did not appear so prominently upon the
| posters, the probability being that both
| influences had much to do with the out
come.
MORTONS ORATORY.
| Thus it happened that Governor Morton
was invited to deliver the principal ad-
dress, certain leading Democrats being also
| announced to speak. The latter announce
ment served to hold the interest Of the
| Southern sympathizers who, naturally, an
ticpated an oratorical tournament in which
the war Governor would be unhorsed. dis
| armed and driven from the field in dis
| grace.
The day was beautiful. The grove was
| pleasant and cool, the crowd large
and eager, and about equally divided be-
| tween Republican and Democratic Union
lists and the Southern sympathizers who
| gathered with high hopes that an hour of
| victory for them was at hand. 1t must
also be conceded that the latter represented
| much of the wealth and influence of farm
ing and business communities that were
then among the richest and most COM
| mandng in the State. They were mostly
members of old Virginia and Kentucky
| families, who had, through all the years
| that they had enjoyed the freedom and
! prosperity of State that rejected slavery.
| still maintained their allegiance TO the pa
ternal institution and those extreme doc
! trines of States rights that grew out Of 1t
as naturally as a fungus grows upon a
| decaying log.
| Governor Morton was in excellent trim
that day, as he certainly needed to be.
A splendid opportunity lay before him.
and most splendidly did he meet its re-
] auirements. Looking back at his career
after the lapse of so many years / do not
| believe that he ever did a more effective
| service to his State or to the country than
| he did upon that occasion. He had not
spoken twenty minutes before the hopes of
| the enemies of the government began to
| fail, and the lofty bearing with which they
| had assembled showed signs of giving way.
Hestook UP and discussed the causes that
| had lee to the war. defended the policy
of the government. and illustrated It's ap-
plication to the existing conditions, prov
| ing by an unbroken and unbreakable chain
| of argument that the future Of the country
and the fate Of human liberty
was depending upon the answer
that the people should give to
the men at the helm and in the
ranks of war at the front. 1 have fire.
| ouently listened to Morton, have heard
him when, as a young lawyer he was
making impassioned appeals to juries;