The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-05-19
EuIoEy Rnn Mad.

ty Convention, pronounces on him the fol-
lowing extravagant eulogium:
"Of Hon. Daniel j. Morrell the declared
choice of Cambria county for Congress, is not
necessary to speak in multiplied words of Gu
logiGm. He is q representative man OF the time,
and his name is household word throughout
the land. An earnest and original Republican,
a firm supporter of the administration of Pres
ident Grant steadfast friend of protective
tariff, a clear thinker, and a logical reasoner
ia short, statesman-he has made for
himself reputation to be enyied.'
Whether this was meant for "sarkasm,"
as AItemas Ward would say. might admit of
considerable doubt. Lord Byron was accus-
toned to say that he woke up one fine morn
ing and found himself famous. a similar
stroke of unexpected greatness peems to have
been in reserve for Mr.. Morrell.
1t has been the standing reproach of
Pennsylvania. fer period of time "whereof
the memory of man runneth not TO the con-
trary," that she could produce more great
men and more distinguished statesmen, on
paper. than any other State in the Union.
We are entirely willing to acquiesce in
any reasonable demand on the score of abil-
ity that Mr.. Morrell's friends may make in
his behalf, but the foregoing political rhap-
sody is beyond all established precedent
We cannot, however. refrain from congratu-
lating the people of Cambria county that
they have m their midst so great man aud
so pronounced a statesman as Daniel j.
Morrell. without apparently being conscious
of the remarkable fact.
This is a nice thing for Cambria-it is a
tall feather in her cap-that amidst the gen
eral decadence of Radical intellect in the
high places of the nation, there has suddenly
loomed up among her "frosty sons of thuu-
der" a statesman as is statesman. But
to be serious. Mr.. Morrell Is gentleman of
fair attainments and of excellent admins
trative abilities, and in his management Of
the complicated affairs of the Cambria Iron
Company, of which he is the Superintend-
ent has exhibited first rate business capacity.
When this has been said, however, the subs
ject is exhausted, and the effort to make
statesman out of Mr.. Moirell is simply an
attempt to create mountain out of mole
hill.
''Pignies, though perched on Alps, are pig1nies
still,
And pyramids in wales are pyramids"
What has Mr.. Morrell ever done to enti-
tie him to. the horors of craftsmanship? If a
slavish support of all the obstructive legisla-
tion of Congress ever since he has been
member of that body--if his vote in favor
of the causeless impeachment of President
If his advocacy of all the villainies of re-
placed in the hands of six hundred thousand
ignorant negroes in the South, and the same
boon has been withheld from three hundred
thousand intelligent men of his own color
! if his votes coercins three States into the
ratification of the fifteenth amendment, un-
der the penalty for noncompliance of
being denied representation in Congress-if
his votes in favor of giving away millions of
acres of the public domain to land grabbing
railroad corporations-if his active support
of all the iniquities of high protective and
| plundering .tariff-if all this, and much more
of the same sort, constitute a statesman,
then is Mr.. Morrell eminently entitled to
that appellation. So is John CoYode, and
70 likewise is John Cessna.
! In reference to Mr.. Morrell's peculiar ex
cellencies, and especially his disnterested-
ness as a legislator on a question involving
his own pecfniary interests, there seems to
| the following extrac: from a late article in
the New York Evening Post, leading Rad
ical paper:
''Mr. Morrell, of Pennsylvania, one of the
| three owners of the Bessemer patent for ma
! king steel, is the most active man in Congress
/ in promoting an enormous increase OF duty on
steel rails. which, if adopted, will multiply the
value of his patents, at the expense of the
travel and traffic of the whole country.
"This case is peculiar one, in its shame
lessness. Mr.. MOrrell came forward prom-
nently in the discussion on the subject, and
! when the votes were taken, ne the most
Jealous whip on the floor, carrying his pro-
tectIonlst friends as well as voting on each
question himself. His vote was challenged in
Committee OF the Whole. by Mr.. Cox, on the
ground than Mr.. Morrell had a direct pecuni-
! ary interest In the result. The Chairman
| could not entertain the challenge, because the
House, and not the Committee, had jurisdic
! ton of it. But Mr.. Morrell took advantage
of this technicality and still used his position
and vote to fill his own pocket.
"On Tuesday the question came up again in
| Committee. Mr. Cox and Mr.. Men eely again
challenged Mr.. Morrel's vote, and a motion
was made to go into the House in order to
determine his right to vote a tax on the people
for his own benefit. This motion was rejected
by forty six ayes to seventy eight noes This
does not, of course, indicate that the majority
in Congress think it proper to use their power
as legislators to enrich themselves but only
that they were in hurry and thoughtless.
We ask them now to consider the question: %
! New NTewIcO