The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-10
ECHO OF THE CIVIL WAR
CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN ID. w.
VOORHEES, AND GOV. MORTON.
some Remarks by the Latter that 0p.
ponents of Philippine War Poll
icy Night Profit BY.

last he described some of the difficulties put
in the way of the war Governor by South
ern sympathizers and opponents of the Lin
coin administration. The journal, in COM
menting on the speech, expressed the opin-
ion that in view OF the attitude taken by
the anti-expansionists in giving encourage
ment to the enemy. this bit OF civil war his
tory had a present application and IL was
Well to recall il. Since then a copy OF the
following correspondence between Daniel
w. VOORHEES, and Governor Morton has been
received from Mr.. Foulke who says the
original came into his hands after the pubs
LEGATION of his biography of Morton, and he
thinks they have not before appeared in
print Mr.. Foulke adds:
THE light in which we naturally view
such a correspondence at the present time
should be instructive 10 our friends who are
giving moral support 10 men IN arms against
the government, and should, L think, con-
vince them that, however pure and patriotic
they may believe their course TO be at the
their conduct. LII must not be forgotten
that those who sympathized with the South
during the civil war also claimed 10 be sup
porting those who were struggling Tor inde-
pendence."
Mr.. Voorhees, letter, which was written
| at Washington, ID. c., Dec. II, 1863. had
pasted at its top a newspaper clipping read
| ing thus:
Il warn those in the North who are UNI
| derstood Cor supposedly 10 sympathize with
the rebellion, or with traitors to flee from
| the wrath to come. When the war was sue
cessfully over that class would be outlawed,
their homes would be made desolate and
| their wives and children would become out
EXPLANATION ASKED.
| Mr.. Voorhees, says:
| ''Sir-I inclose what purports to be an ex-
| tract from speech recently made by you
| at Masonic Hall, in your city. | do so for
| the purpose of asking you whether YOU
have been correctly reported claim no
| right thus TO interrogate you except that
which belongs TO the humblest citizen in the
State 1t is the right OF all to know whether
| exterminating civil war against majority
of the people over whom he presides.
| North whose members sympathize with
| treason or rebellion, save, perhaps, the ex-
| IRENE Abolition wing of your party. there
| fore would appropriate none of your threat
/ to mine if you had not yourself al
ready given ii an application. You have often
charged that the Democratic party was IN
doctrines by which IL is maintained. The
| entire press of your party has clamored
with similar accuse tons. BY you. then. the
| Democratic party is understood sup
posed TO sympathiZe with the rebellion or
| with traitors This understanding and this
supposition on your part know TO be false.
but IL shows unerringly towards whom you
| aimed the atrocious threat which inclose,
| if you gave utterance to IL at all These
two sentences attributed to you, simply. i'm
| your view of politics, propose 10 outlaw one
| hundred and thirty thousand Democrats in
outcasts of their wives and children. You
| will perceive at once that such proclama-
ton Of savage, barbarian warfare s;a made by
people whom IL Is his duty 10 protect ana
| defend cannot pass unnoticed: Hence re-
| specially request an answer from you as to
| the substantial correctness of this report
| In the absence of an answer, after a reason
| able delay, / shall assume that IL Is correct
4 hadi mt NJ
| I'd. w. VOORHEES,"
| DIGNIFIED REPLY.
The letter was addressed TO Governor
| Morton at Indianapolis, but his reply was
dated at Washington, Dec. g. and reads as
| follows:
"Sir-Your letter bearing date Dec. IL was
received yesterday, having been forwarded
| Il deny entirely your right to interrogate
| me as to what may have said at public
meeting. in a matter not personal to your,
| self; but as / have said nothing 1 would
| disavow on about which i can hesitate TO
answer, / chose TO reply TO your question.
| The reported extract of my speech at Ma
| sonic Hall, about which you desire informa-
| ton, was In the Indiana State Sentnel OF
| Dec. :, accompanied by an article much In
| Indianapolis Journal of the next day quoted
| from the Sentinel the alleged passage ana
| appended to it the following editorial ar
I'VE can appeal to every honest man
| who was present and heard the Governor
speech that the second sentence or last
part of the above statement is utterly false.
| and that he said nothing that could be tor
| tured into such meaning What he did say
| attempted to weaken the power of the gov
eminent are in great danger OF being ban
ished by public opinion, as were the Tories
be done by law or legal authority, but by
| public opinion. He took care by especial
phrase to negative the sentiment 10 wnlch
1 he icrv fad
tinel. He was heard by hundreds and every
one will bear witness that we state Truly
| late homes" the wives and children out
| casts are pure inventions intended 10 cir
culate over the State and affect the recruit
| ing service
sThe above statement of the Journal OF
| what 1 said i indorse as being substantially
and almost verbally correct In my speech
| / named no party, but If you know OF any
| party or persons who have opposed the war
and attempted to weaken the power OF the
government rest assured that what did say
"You further say in your letter that
| have often charged that the Democratic
| and with the doctrines upon which IL Is
maintained and that the understanding en-
my part by which made the charge you
taken. 1 have never charged the Demo-
| cratic party with being in sympathy WITH
the rebellion. What have said and when
| organization calling itself the Democratic
| party' to which name IL has no just title.
| the leaders of which, by their opposition
| to the government and resistance TO the
adoption of every measure calculated TO
suppress the rebellion. have given great ala
and comfort TO the enemy. This opposition
| and resistance, in my opinion, can only
spring from and be sustained by an abSo-
lutte sympathy with the rebellion, and THIS
opinion is strengthened by the fact that
in the speeches and publication OF these
leaders they charge the origin and contln-
| uance of the war upon the government and
its friends. and are wholly silent as 10 the
guilt and responsibility OF the rebellion In
| arms or chide them but gently. Many
| thousand true Democrats have laid down
| their lives for their country during this
war Many thousands are now In the army.
but they do not belong to the organization
of which / have been speaking. On the
| contrary, they repudlate and abhor IL.
Again, you say that you know OF no
party the members of which sympathize
with treason or rebellion. save perhaps the
| extreme Abolition wing of the party TO
which / belong. Sir, the party 10 which /
belong has no wing that has not voted men
and money and given freely Of its blood TO
suppress the rebellion. II TO do that Is to
| be in sympathy with rebellion can readily
understand how the so-called Democratic
party is not
1.-The question as TO who have sustained
the government In it's time OF trial and
who have opposed IL and attempted by di-
rect or indirect means 10 destroy IL. Is not
an open The history OF the last three
years cannot be blotted out or altered.
Every man has made the record for him.
self and not another for him, and as he
has made II so IL will remain.
Respectfully. etc. O. Il. MORTON.
Taboocd.