The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-08
From the Baltimore American
THE LATE SENATOR MORTON.
A pR1EF srErcH OF HIS CAREER

From the Baltimore Americana
THE LATE SENATOR MORTON.
BRIEF srETcH OF HIS CAREER
Oliver Perry Merton was born in Wayne couu
ty, Indiana, August 4, 1923, and consequently was
fifty four years of age at the time of his death
He came of an English family, his grandfather
who traced his ancestry quite distance along an
honorable line. having emigratad trolG Englane
about century ago and settled in New Jersey
HIS father, VIM. II Morton. was native of New
Jersey. and man OF sterling worth. HIS mother
was woman of amiable disposition and rare
force OF character. Removing to the West at an
early day. they soon became identified with one
of the rising communities of the young State OF
Indiana, of which their son was to become SC
distinguished and honored citizen. Young Nor.
| toms early years were passed amid narrow oppor.
tunities, but. often happens in such cases. thew
were more highly priced and assiduously inn
at the age of fifteen he followed the business for
four years and seemed likely to devote his life to
that trade; but Providence had not so decreed
During this period all his spare hours were
spent in reading, and the info rmation thus ac-
CURED pegetting thirst for more knowledge,
he quit his trade and in January, l3i3 at the are
of nineteen, entered the Miami University Mt
Oxford, Ohio. Here he remained two years, his
vigorous and healthy mind eagerly grasping and
| appropriating all the means OF knowledge placed
within his reach. One of his teachers saws .rIe
was a d1llgent, earnest student: modest, but not
timid; plain. but not verdant, and more anxious
to acquire knowledge than to display it," He also
had the reputation OF being the best extempora-
ent which, doubtless, shaped his career in life
and accounts, in large degree. for his great sue
twenty-five he left college and immediateiy bef
gan the study OF law in the office of the Hon. John
S. Newman, at Centreville, Indiana. Mr.. Morton
brought q t this new undertaking the energy Of
purpose and conscientious effort which had now
become a recognized trait of his character and
grappled with the law as one who meant to Iesrn
it, He admitted to practice in 1877 Though
he did not leap at once to fame, as indeed few
lawyers IN this or any other country have ever
thn
Within ten years from his admission to the bar
he had q very large and lucrative practice and
age OF twentynine Mr.. Morton was elected cir
cult Judge by the Legislature. The position of a
and though he filled it to the entire satisfacton
of the profession and the public, he willingly re-
signed it at the end OF year Being naturally
OF acontroversial cast OF mind. he preferred the
bar to the bench. and professional combat to iu-
dieial service He was good Judge, but a bet
ter counsellor and advocate.
Mr.. Morton began his public life as q Demo-
GRAFT. The early traditions of thai narty exercis-
ed peculiar power over the minds of ambitious
young men, and the public conscience was com
paratively dormant npon the slavery question
The repeal OF the Missouri Compromise in 1884
opened the way for large number OF an.e and
ambitious men to leave the party, ana Mr. Nor
ton was one OF the first to apray himself on the
SIDE e., OF liberty and human progress. He was one
OF the three delegates sent from Indiana to the
Pittsburg Convention, which met on the 22d day
OF February 1856, and was the first Republican
National Convention held in the United States
Some months afterwards the new party held a
State Convention in Indiana and nominated MI
Morton their candidate for Governor. There
was no prospect OF his election, but Mr. Morton
Went into the canvass with all the energy and en-
thusiasna of his nature. Wherever he went he
MADE deep and lasting impression by the yigor
OF his attack. the force OF his logic the evident
earnestness OF his convictions, and the lofty CON
fdence which he evinced in the ultimate triumnh
OF Repub lcan principles.
After the unsuccessful campaign of 1851 Mr.
morton resumed ss the practice OF law which he
party again demanded his services When the
Republican State Convention met in 1860 Henry
8 Lane was nominated for Governor and Oliver
2. Morton for Lieut.. Governor. The compaign
lasted four months and Mr., Morton smoke in ey-
a In tne state a. Zoo The Republican State
Legislature met Governor Lane was elected to
the United States Senate, and Mr.. Morton became
his career as national man. On the 2sd of Nov.
1850 before any State had seeded From the
he gave utterance to the patriotic determination
OF the loyal people OF the country to maintain
the Union at Al hazards in language which star
tied the timid conservatives of the North Hr
boldly laid down this proposition, that secession
or n9illhcatlon can only be regarded by the CEN
eral Government as individual action upon indi
vidIal responsibility. Those concerned in Il
cannot entrench themselves behi nd the forms of
me me saa.e 50 as to give their conduct
the semDl ance OF legality, and thu4 deyolye the
responsibility upon the State Government. which
OF Itself is irresponsible. ME Constitution and
ais, but not upon States and precisely as if there
was 10 States. He then showed that the Con.
M prog'ded no way for escape to get out of
PRESIDENT was to enforce the laws or acknowl-
edge the III dependence of seeding State, and
ne ne, eould only do that by authority of Congress
Said he, I'VE must cling to the idea that we are
nation one and indivisfble, and that altbonnh
sapalvloed az state lines for local and domestic
purposes we are but one people. the oitizons of a
common country. having like Institutions and
manners, and possessing q common interest in
our fathers. We must, therefore do no acf. ys
must not tolerate no act, we must concede no idea
W W i LOOKS 70 or involves the dismem berment
OF the nation Seven years is bat day in the
life OF anation. and would rather come out of a
struggle at the end Of that time, defeated in arms
and conceding Independence to successful reyo-
luton. than TO purchase present peace bv the
concession of the principle that must inevitably
explode the natcn in small and 1ishonored frar
ments" 80
1t is doubtful if any speech ever delivered in
the United states produced more immediate and
quotations are made. 1t was W hat the country
had been waiting for-the voice of leader able
sighted enough to trace them to their legitimate
results, and bold enough to assert the right and
duty OF the Government to protect itself against
secession and disint egration. A prominent gen
t!eman who visited the President-elect short
time afterward at his home at Springfield, found |
him reading the speech, and commenting upon |
it Mr. Lincoln said: "Itcovers the whole ground
and declares the whole policy of the Govern |
is the pey sha Oh ro sda the
the ocean. and it was regarded with such poiti-
cal significance that the English authorities APP
piled for COPY. 1t constituted railyfng Point |
for public opinion throughout the North. and |
gave an immense impulse TO the Development of |
the loyal sentiment, It lifted M. Morton at once
versal recognition as one OF the ableSt Zen in |
the Republican party.
The caaeer of Mr. Morton as Governor of Indi-
ana is part of the history of the civil war. There
was discomfort at home, which ripened into open
revolt, but the ''war-G Governor equal to the
emergency. He responded to every call made by |
the President for troops. and sent them to the
field fully equipped for service. Governor Nor
ton had great influence with the national admin
position the leader of the Republican party, ;
but more to the remarkable energy Judgment /
and sagacity which he displayed. He was the
Stanton. His frequent Visits to Washington |
brought him into close personal contact with and
correspondence. with both OF these. great men,
pending question OF Importance. In October,
1852 he addressed letter to President Lincoln,
advising change OF leadership in the armies
Not long after this McCleIlen and Buel were re-
moved. While contributing largely and constant
ly to the national army, he organized effective
military force in Indiana to meet the emergen-
cies which he foresaw would arise. When Gen,
Kirby Smith made his formidable raid into Ken
lucky in August, 1852 Gen. Buel appealed to Gov.
Morton to send as large portion of his reserve
force into Kentucky as he could spare. During
the next ten days frem one to three regiments
per day left Indianapolis for Louisville Many
of the men had left their homes suddenly, with
out providing for the maintenance of their fami-
lies, expecting to receive the stipulated bounty
money in time to remit it before going to the
field. They felt natural reluctance to leaving
the State with the chances of battle in the imme-
date future unless the wants OF their families
could be at least temporarily provided for. Gov.
gent necessity for their instant departure and
to send the money to them as soon as
it could be obtained. Every murmur was hush
ed, and the men with cheerful alacrity shouldered
their guns and started for the front.
On the morning of the 18th OF August, 1862, the
Governor effected an arrangement with the citi-