The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11

The final chapter of the first volume re-
views other speeches made by Morton In
the same campaign, a campaign which re-
suited in the election of Republican Leg
islature and in the choice of Morton as
senator from Indiana over Daniel w. Voor-
hees, who had been nominated by the Dem
ocrats. The two candidates were fit types
Of their respective parties. Morton had been
the embodiment of the war feeling and was
now the embodiment of the feeling which
demanded security for preserving the result
of the war. His opponent was the incarna-
| ton of the opposite sentiments.
The second volume begins with Mortons
entrance into the Senate. As Sumner said of
him: He the first senator who ever
entered that body who mounted the saddle
and led his party from the beginning of his
official duties" On the 24th of January, 1868,
Morton delivered his great speech on recon-
struction, which is given in full IN Mr.
Foulkes biography. His views had changed
since the deliTery of his Richmond speech
upon the propriety of granting negro sui
frage in the reconstructed States. His
speech was a logical statement of the con-
stitutonaiity and the necessity OF the re-
construction measures of Congress.
Another chapter is devoted to the financial
views and measures of Morton during the
early part of his senatorial career; to his
discussion of the laws providing for the is
sue of greenbacks and for the $40 bonds
He maintained Incorrectly, as Mr.. FOulke
thinks) that these bonds were legally pay
able in national currency, and not neces-
Sarily In coin; but Morton at this time was
an advocate of early resumption and he in
troduced a bill for this purpose in Deem
Der, 1868 which was quite similar in its pro-
visions to the resumption act passed many
years later. Copious extracts are given from
his speech in support of this bill, which,
however, was not then acted upon by the
Senate.
DECLINED ENGLISH MISSION.
Mortons important work in securing the
passage and ratification of the Fifteenth
amendment is described in one of the chap
ters of this volume. Morton was not salts
| fled with the form of this amendment He
preferred an affirmative provision prescrib-
ing who should have the right to vote and
| making suffrage uniform throughout the
| United States. He predicted that the amend
ment would be evaded In the South in pre-
cisely the manner in which it has been
practically set aside but he voted for it in
the shape in which it finally passed and he
did more than any other statesman Of the
time to secure it's ratification by three
| fOurthS Of the States.
MortonS opposition to the tenure of-off1ce
law, his speech at the dedication of the
| Gettysburg monument, and his refusal Of
the English mission rendered to MIN by
Grant are next related. Then follows the
debate upon the proposed treaty for the
| annexation of Dominica, which Morton
| strongly favored. An account is given OF
| the bitter attacks upon Sumner in the Sem
| ate; of his personal difficulty with the
| President and with Hamilton Fish, the sec
| rotary of state and of his removal from the
committee on foreign relations. Mr.. FOulke
considers that this removal was justifiable
MortonS work in securing the ratification
of the Washington treaty is now related
and his answer to the attacks made by Sum-
ner on President Grant. A sharp contro-
versy with SchurZ is introduced in regard
! TO Summers criticisms upon the Presidents
action toward the Republic of Haiti. An
| other chapter of the book is devoted to the
| investigation of the KukluX Outrages in the
South. Morton moved for committee of
| inquiry and upon the report of the COM
mttee Sherman introduced a resolution for
| a Kuklux bill. Morton supported the reso-
| luton in an elaborate speech.
Morton's speech in opposition to the bill
proposing universal amnesty is given, to-
gether with the long debate concerning the
sale of arms to the French during the Fran
co-Prussian war.
In 1872 Morton was reelected to the Senate
and earnest efforts were made by him to
| secure an amendment to the Constitution
abolshing the electoral college so that the
President might be elected by direct vote
of the people.
An important part of Morton's career in
the Senate was devoted to uphOlding the Re-
publican party in Louisiana; to the recogni-
ton of the Kellogg government in that
State and towards securing recognition of
Pinchback as United States senator; in
which, however, he was unsuccessful. His
discussion of the Caldwell bribery case; his
course in regard to the Salary Grab as it
was called and his participation in the Ohio
campaign of 1873 are fully set forth. Next
| follows a chapter describing the panic of
>
regard to the resumption of specie pay
mentS
DECLINED CHIEF JUSTICESHIP.
1t is not generally known that Morton re-
| ceived assurances after the death of Chief
Justice Chase that he could be appointed to
the vacant place, yet such is the fact Nor
ton considered, however, that he was not
well suited to such an Office and he de-
clined it.
An argument in favor of womans suf-
| frage, of which Morton was an advocate,
was made by him upon an amendment to a
bill to establish the Territory of Pembina,
bill which was rejected by the Senate.
An interesting chapter describes a con-
troversy between Morton and Hendricks
| which was nominally Waged in the two lead
! ing papers of Indiana, the Sentinel and the
| Journal and afterwards in the speeches of
| these two leaders Of their respective parties
| in the Ohio campaign of 1875, which resulted
| in the election of Rutherford 3. Hayes for
Governor.
| ton of 1875, which he insisted, was carried
! by fraud and violence, is next related. to-
| gether with his admirable tribute to the
memory of Andrew Johnson.
Then follows an account of the Cincin-
! natl convention. where Morton a cam
| didate for the Republican nomination. His
| speeches during the HayeS-Tilden cam
| paign are quoted in extenSo, together with
| his challenge to Governor Hendricks to
4
cepted
Then follows his report as chairman of the
committee to investigate the question Of
| Chinese immigration and an account of the
| dispute over the election and of the de-
| bates which preceded the passage of the
| electoral bill and the appointment of the
| electoral commission. The arguments before
| this commission and Mortons opinion upon
| the questions involved are given in consd-
cradle detail. followed by q discussion of
| Hayes's Southern policy, after his inaugu-
ration. Then comes the story of Morton's
| journey TO Oregon and of the second attack
! of paralysis at San Francisco, of his final
/ illness and death.
The last chapter is devoted to Morton's
| characteristics and is a very able and
| sympathetic estimate of the character and
| characteristics of this great man.
This biography, as a whole is so admir-
| able a presentation of the career of one
whom most unprejudiced persons will agree
/ to have been Indiana's greatest man. in so
! far as force, and will, and adaptation to
emergency are concerned. and is so com
plete picture CT the most stormy period of
| Indiana'S history that it should have
! place in every library. The outline here pre-
scented gives but a slight idea of the work
| and conveys nothing of the fascination with
which it is invested as a narrative, but it
| will serve to show something of what Nor
| ton accomplished in his comparatively short
| term of life. 1t is a book whose importance
| is by no means local. 1t should be read by
| every man. wherever he may be, who
aspires to active part in political life, if for
no other reason than to show how a strong