Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-11-09

Senator Morton Dead,
The death of Oliver p Morton, [. S.
Senator from Indiana, occurred at half past
FIVE o'clock Thursday afternoon, at his home
at indianapolis. whittier he was removed from
his mother-in-laws residence at Richmond,
Ind. a few weeks ago He had been gradual
ly sinking during the last few hours. and his
death had been looked for at any moment
during the last twelve hours Of his life
Mr.. Morton was born in Wayne County.
Ind. on the 4th of August 1928 His grand
father. who came from England 100 years or
more ago. and settled in New Jersey. bore the
name of "Throckmorton, but his father on
leaving New Jersey for the West cut in two
this cumbersome surname. and ever after
wrote himself down us William r. Morton.
Oliver =. Morton was the offspring of his
fathers marriage with Sarah Miller of Eliza
beth. n j. his second wife When he was 3
years old his mother died and lac was sent 10
live with her father and mother in Ohio. near
Chenille. From the district school he went
to learn the matters trade of his brother. but
in lS37 he was placed in seminary in Indi-
ana where he remained until he entered Mi
ami University at Oxford. Ohio. IN 1913. He
left college at the age of - before graduation.
1917 he was admitted ~ the bar. and five
years later was appointed judge of the Wayne
county circuit court. In SD he ran against
the democratic candidate for governor of H.
diana and was beaten. Previous to that cam
paigu he had been democrat, but after the
repeal of the Missouri compromise he had be
come an active and influential republican. In
1860 he was elected lieutenant governor and
two DAYS later succeeded 10 the governorship.
GOV. Lane having been elected 10 the Senate.
His position was undoubtedly the most trying
Of that of any governor in those trying times
of the early days of the war, but how bravely
he proved himself equal to the emergency is
a matter Of history. and the people of the
state showed their appreciation of his services
by re-electng him governor in the following
year. a position which he held 10y reflections
till 1865. OF Nj Morton's splendid record as
the great war governor Of Indiana suitable
note is made il % paragraph farther on III this
column. IL 1867 GOV. Morton was chosen
United States Senator, and in 1873 was re-
elected for n second term. Soon after taking
his seat in the Senate he made a speech in de
Tense of the constitutionality Of the recon-
struction laws, which not only established his
place at once as a debater but did more than
any other one effort to instruct the public
mind on that subject. II 1869 he secured the
ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment by
an act a. bold as il was effective The most
important legislative scheme with which Mr.
Morton's name has been associated in recent
years was his plan for the reform Of the cleo
toral system OF him it has been truly said
that The was one Of those who seemed to be
proydentially raised up TO meet Il stupendous
national crisis. and he so nobly matched the
occasion that his name will 90 down in his
tory with those Of Lincoln and Grant. sum
ner and Andrew ever cherished as n prcciuu-
legacy to every patriotic mind. and serving a-
a perpetual Indictment TO the ing nuoue you'll
OF our country
On Sunday morning the remains Of the
dead Senator were borne. under military els
cort to the court house at Indianapolis, where
they lay in state during the day and were Wis
tied by at least 10000 people On Monday
morning at half past 10 the body was return
ed to Mr. Mortons late residence where. a~
/ soon as practicable. the house was cleared
and the family were left for a brief hour with
| their dead and their grief The time between
| the opening Of the door and the removal of
/ the remains to the hearse was occupied by
the committees from the Cabinet. Senate and
| House of Representatives, distinguished
guests and the letter-cnrriers in taking a last
/ look. after which the funeral cortegc was
| formed and the remains were taken 10 the
! church where the funeral ceremonies were
| held Both the house and the church were
deliberately AID tastefully decorated with
mourning emblems. and there was proiu-
sion of costly and beautiful floral offerings,
prominent among these tributes being an an
| Choir of tuberoses and carnations. with the
motto Rest" in purple immortelles, the Of
fering of the President and Mrs Hayes. The
exercises at the church occupied an hour and
three-quarters. The sermon was delivered by
Rev Joseph i. Cleaver and the eulogy, IA ten
der and affectionate tribute. by Rev. J. II.
Bayliss AT the conclusion of the services thu
procession formed and escorted the remains
to the Crown Hill cemetery where they were
deposited III the vault OF the chapel. The
streets were lined with spectators and the
greatest honors were everywhere paid the cor
tege. The Odd Fellows had charge of the
ceremonies from the time when the body wa.
taken from the CHURCH. but, rs it was then
about ! o'clock the exercises at the grave
were necessarily shortened