San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-11-17

We have noticed that as is custom.
ary on the death of men Of note, the
comments Of the public journals on Mr..
Morton have run greatly to indiscrimi
nate eulogy. The following estimate Of
his character, which We copy from the
New York Sun, is the fairest we haye
seen, and even this leans to tho favor
able side:
MIR. Morton was endowed with sur
prisiag talent, audacity, and intellectu.
al agility. He was u muscular, bold
character, one of those who naturally
rise to distinction in times of commo-
ton ard passion. The civil war was
his great opportunity, aud being Gov
ernor Of Indiana Ut the time, he iln-
proved it to the utmost. Originally .
Democrat and master OF the arts OF
political management, he was converted
to Republicanism. and it was as Re
publican that he took his first political
Office, that OF Lieutenant Governor.
Ever since then he has steadily adhered
to that party, aud more than ten years
ago he took rank as one OF its most
determined aud influential leaders. AS
was natural to an Indiana man, he was
at first strong opponent OF antl-slav-
cry agitation, and when the civil war
ended and the question of negro SUIT
trape was raised as an incident in the
reconstruction of the Southern States,
Mr.. Morton was at the start decidedly
opposed to it. His disposition was to
support Andrew johnson in his breach
with the Republican party; but be did
not long indulge SO dangerous a pro.
clivity, and when he turned about he
did it without a qualification. Since
then no man has exceeded him in
fidelity to the negro cause, or in the ex'
treMe radicalism Of the measures he
has advocated.
We cannot say that Mr.. Morton was
a statesman. He was cunning, wary
aud unscrupulous-a politician Of won.
derful fertility and success but those
large views and firmly beld principles
which are indispensable in the higher
type of public mau were not his. lie
aimed always at the advantage OF the
moment, aud was just as ready to gain
his ends by means which high con.
soieutiousness would reject as by any
others. That thing was tricky or
immoral did not make it odious in his
eyes provided it could be made useful
in politics. Yet lie was patriot: He
loved his country sincerely. Every
fibre in his nature was American. even
when he resorted to doubtful measures.
The good OF the country he really be-
Iieved could only be promoted by the
SUCCESS of the party to which he was
devoted; and while he was carried
away by the intensity of his sparty feel
ing into regions ana into actions where
a man of nobIer nature would not con.
sent to 20, there was yet such an
abounding force in his mind and such
frank demagogism in his conduct
that he commanded certain kind Of
respect even from those who condemn.
ed him. We add also to his credit In
these times. that he was not avaricious.
or venal, and did not get rich through
the use of political power.
Without the advantages OF extern
sive culture or any great accumulation
of knowledge, Mr.. M'rton's intellect
was so quick aud fertile, and his power
of expressing himself in language suit
ed to the popular ear was SO great, that
he was formidable athlete in any
public contest in which he chose to
enna2e. He had also the great ad-
vantage of never laboriDg to maintain
or defend his own personal consistency.
The opinions of to-day he advocated
with extraordinary vigor, but he vast
ed no time in seeking to reconcile them
with his opinions OF yesterday: ltwas
enough for him to explain and enforce
the views he now held. and it was
generally enough for his audience.
His argument was often of almost
matohless point and cogency; and if
he had been man Of better regulated
habits and if no physical weakness had
broken down his great natural powers,
he might have risen to the highest emf
nence. He was a very ambitious man,
desiring to be President; but his party
was not willing to risk itself with a
candidate so stricken with disease.