Smyrna times., 1877-11-07
A Sketch Of Senator Morton.

sad. The silence in the room was un.
broken except by an occasional question to
the dying man. Once when the Senator
exclaimed " am dying!" his sister-n-la law,
Mrs. Holloway, inquired, You are not
afraid to die, Oliver?' he indicated "no' y
by swaying his head. Soon after a similar
exclamation, question and answer passed
between him and DR.. Thompson. At ten
minutes past five o'clock he exclaimed, 81
am dying! | am worn outw and these
were MS last words.
From this on it was difficult to discover
that life remained. On the doctors an
nouncement " He is going" the gaze Of his
wife and sons became fixed on the face OF
the husband and father, with now and then
piteous look of inquiry towards the
doctor, until his further announcement, 60 1t
is over"
The widow clasped her sons to her, ex.
claiming quietly but in tones never to be
forgotten, My darling boys!' The friends
withdrew, leaving them for time, when
they were led from the room.
Senator Morton was born i'm Wayne
county, Indiana, August f. 1923, and had
therefore just turned his filty-fourth year.
His parents were of the humblest class in
labor and learning. BY them he was ap-
prentlced to a halter; he learned the trade
well, and ever aftcrward took an interest in
1t. During his apprenticeship he picked
up some knowledge 10y desultory but dill
gent study, and finally went to school
teaching. He earned enough that way to
enable him to graduate at Miami Uni
versity. Then he studied law; then he
got to be Judge; then Governor; then u.
5. Senator.
Here is what the n. Y. Tribune says of
him
"Senator Morton was not a stateman of
the first order, but he will live in history
as one of the great political forces of an ex.
citing and important time. Few men in
the present generation have more deeply
impressed their ideas and will upon the
current Of affairs. He was an intense
partisan, but the bent of his character was
fixed at time when partisanship and pa
trlotlSm went hand in hand-a time of
great National peril, when men who found
excuses Tor treason were usually its secret
accomplices. Called from comparative OBJ
security TO the GOvernOrShip of Indiana at
the outbreak of the rebellion, he develOped
IN position of great responsibility and
difficulty, rare qualities of firmness. courage
and saEacty. All the southern part of the
State was honeycomhed with treason, and
while furnishing a full quota of men for
service in the South. he had to deal with 4
dangerous conspiracy at home that theat.
ened to open fire in the rear of the loyal
armies and infict immeasurable disaster
upon the Union cause. His conduct in
this trying position is the most luminous
feature in his career, and the one which
history will remember longest.
His was an iron nature, and the fierce
emotions of the war fired it and nodded it
into a shape which no subsequent events
could modify. 1t was rigid and unyeldinr.
resisting the soft influence Of time and i'm.
perviouS to the mlder ideas, that gained
strength with years Of peace. TO him the
war was not ended. He believed the men
OF the South to he still rebellouS, and he
wanted to make them feel the heavy, re
pressive hand of the General Government
until their submission should be complete.
All the harsh legislative measures of the re-
construction epoch found in him a sturdy
champion. He had no faith that the
South would obey the Constitutionalamend.
ments and accord the negro and the white
Republican their rights unless forced to do
so, and he was in favor of using force
sternly and unsparingy. He was incapa-
hle of seeing more than one side of ques-
ton, and so he only saw the dark side OF
the Southern question. A wiser statesman
ship perceived more than four years ago,
that there could be no permanent peace in
the South save through selfgovernment
and reconciliation; that the Southern peo.
pie could not he forced by the bayonet to
love the Union and to create a public
opinion that would execute its laws; and
that IN ho e I
will lay the only remedies for the evils
affecting the South. Senator Morton could
not understand the Republicans who took
this view, and they seemed to him weak or
uniaithful. TO the last he held tenaciously
to his opinion. With his nature he could
not dO otherwise. Often he seemed mar
row, prejudiced and bitter, hut in a time Of
much mental and moral flabhiness il was
wholesome spectacle to see one man who
stood like n rock for what he believed to be
right. He was actuated by one idea-tn
secure lrrcvOcable the results of the terrible
war in which he had born a daring and i'm.
portant part
There was something essentially heroic
about the man. lie came to the surface OF
ai1alrs IN horolc epOch-a time of deeds
not words-and when that epoch passed
away, and an era of argument over what
had been done took its place, his words re-.
sembled deeds, and every sentence had the
force OF blow. He was no douhter; he
believed in his beliefs and in himself, and
this, with his indomitable and compelling
will, was the secret of his strength. All.
though burdened for years with a physical
disability that would have conquered one
less resolute, he was nevertheless the
strongest individual force in the Senate.
Carlyle says that the word king (konig)
comes from the German kOnnen, to can, to
be able TO do; and in this sense Oliver p.
Morton was king among men. He never
wavered or rctreated, but did the thing il
seemed right to do. A character like this
cannot disappear from the scene of action
without leaving gap that will not soon be
filed
ave have found much to blame as well
as to praise in Mr.. Morton's recent career
in the Senate, but standing by his open
grave we would not revive any criticisms
that are not essential TO just estimate of
his character. We remember with satisfac.
tion, that whatever may have been his
errors of judgment, his sincerity was never
questioned. No suspicion of unworthy
motives ever attached to him. His integ.
rity was above reproach. lie accepted no
retaining fees covering payment for Sena.
fal t,N IL