The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-11-03
SENATOR MORTON'S DEATH.

Senator Morton died at indianapolis, on
Thursday afternoon, at - o'clock. Before
five o clock it became evident that he had
entered upon his last hour on earth. He
had rested the greater portion of the day
in a half lying and a half sitting position.
AS he grew weaker, the supporting pillows
were withdrawn, SO that he lay prone upon
the bed. The silence in the room was I'M
broken except by an occasional question to
the dying man. Once when the Senator
exclaimed, - am dying" his sister-in-
law, Mrs. Holloway. inquired: ''Y GU are
not afraid to die, Oliver" He indicated
No" by swaying his head Soon after
similar exclamation, question and answer
passed between him and DR.. Thompson.
At 5:10 he exclaimed: 90 | am dying-I am
worn out" and these were his last words.
From this on it was difficult to discover
that life remained. On the doctors an
nouncement, ''he is going" the gaze of
bis 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,
cit is over"
The family have decided on Monday at /
O'Clock as the time for the funeral. Ser
vices at Roberts Park VI. E. Church, and
the intermeut will take place at Crown
Hell Cemetery. The services will be con
Quoted by Rev. Professor 5. X. Hashour,
Mrs. Morton's former pastor, and the Sen
ator's preceptor, assisted by Rev. 5. j. b.
Cleaver, Henry Day and J, II, Bayliss
The body will lie in state during Sunday
in the corridor of the Marion county court
house, now used as a State House, giving
the people Of the State an opportunity to
view the remains, for whose accommoda-
ton special excursion trains will be run on
Sunday and Monday.
Oliver Perry Morton was born in Wayne
county, Ind, August 18th, 1923, and conse-
quently was fifty four years of age at the
time of his death. He came of an old En-
glish family, his grandfather, who traced
his ancestry quite a distance along an hon
orable line, having emiglated from Eng
land about a century ago and settled in
New Jersey. His father, William 7. Nor
ton, was a native of New J ersey, and a
man of sterling worth. His mother was a
woman of amiable disposition and rare
force of character.
Mr. Morton began his public life as
Democrat. The early traditions of that
party exercised a peculiar power over the
minds of ambitious young men, and the
public conscience was comparatively dor
mant upon the slavery question. The re-
peal of the Missouri Compromise in 1854
opened the way for large number of able
and ambitious men to leave the party, and
Mr.. Morton was one OF the first to array
himself on the side of liberty aud human
progress. He was one of the three dele
gates sent from Indiana to the Pittsburg
Convention, which met on the 22d of Feb
ruary, 1856, and was the first Republican
national convention held in the United
States.
After the unsuccessful campaign Of 1886
Mr.. Norton resumed the practice Of law,
which he continued for four years, when
the Republican party again demanded his
services. When the Republican State Con
vention met in 1860 Henry S. Lane was
nominated for Governor and Oliver L. Nor
ton for Lieutenant Governor. The cam
paign lasted four months, aud Mr.. Norton
spoke in every county in the State. The
Republican State ticket was elected by
10000 majority. When the Legislature
met Governor Lane was elected to the L.
5. Senate, and Mr.. Norton became Gov
ernor of Indiana. This was the beginning
of his career as a national man.
The career of Mr.. Morton as Governor of
Indiana is part of the history of the civil
war. There was discomfort at home, which
ripened into open revolt, but the g war
Governor " was 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.
We pass over Gov. Morton's struggle
with the disloyal secret organizations that
sprang up in the State during this period.
In 1864 he was reelected Governor. his
competitor being the Hon J. E. McDon-
aid, now Senator from Indiana. His ma
.ority was 20, $50, the greatest popular tri
umph ever achieved in the State.
His administration of the Executive of
flee during his second term was not less
vigorous than during his first term. When
the Ley islature met in January, 1867. Gov.
Morton was elected to the United States
Senate. He was re elected in 1873, and at
the time of his death had been a member
of that body nearly eleven years Great
as were Gov. Morton's services to his coun-
try during the period that he was known
as " lndiaua's War Governor they were
eclipsad by his subsequent services as
national legislator
As d Senator he was distinguished for
broad and comprehensive views and M
der all circumstances was as true TO liberty
as the needle to the poles. Firm and I'M
yielding in his devotion to the cause OF
right, he was immovable as rock in sup
port of Republican principles. Ii it be true
that no man did more to sustain the Gov
eminent during the war, it is equally true
that no man has done more since the war
to secure its results and to establish the
nation on solid, broad and enduring foun
GiatiouS.
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