The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-11-08
DEATH OF SENATOR NOR
TON.

A true patrlot-a great statesmau-has fallen
md the nation mourns tho loss of one Of her great
,st publIc men, whose place In her highest council
viii be difficult to I'll.
Oliver p. Morton, Indiana's great "War Cover
loT- aud L. S. Senator, and the Nations honore'
statesman, closed his earthly career at bis HON.
n Indianapolis, Oh Thursday last, Nov. LIST, aDou
~ O'Clock T. NJ, aged 81 years and months
The sad event, though not unexpected, seemed t.
.hock the nation, more than any that has occurre'
since the death OF President Lincoln.
Senator Morton was Of English descent, the fam
jly Dame having originally been Throckmorton
which his father abbreviated TO Morton, on emigra
ing from New Jersey 10 the West. Oliver was bon
III Wayne county, Ind, August (, 1923. At the aG'
If three years he lost his mother, and was enrust
ed to the care Of his maternal grand parents, who
lived near Springfield, o. After receiving e com
mon school education. he vas sPP7eDticed OF an
sarv age to the trade Of halter but soon showed
such love for reading aud desire for learning
That he was sent to Wayne county Seminary, aud
afterwards, at the age Of 70, entered OXfcrd Uni
versitv. where he remaircl two years. Here he
showed q great talent tor debate and fOudness
for politics, and on leaving COLLEGE he began the
study Of law in Ceutcrvic, Ind. On completing hi'
studies, he commenced practice in that town, and
3rapidIy rose in his profession. At the age Of .!
he was elected circuit judgc, but resigned at the
end ofthe year and resumed bis practice in which
he was so successful that In single case be re
,ceived fee of $4,000.
Meantime his taste for politics increased, as th
political condition Of the country became more e:
fffng and in 1854, VIXEN the repeal Of the NjssouE
'ompromise convulsed the whole nation, he abal
oned the Democratic party and joined the Re-
Jublican party, then first organized 70 resist th
.ncroschmeuts of slavery. In 1856 he was the Re
publican candidate for Governor Of Indiana, 6u
vas defeated. In 1852, however, he was eieCte,
lieut.. Governor, on the ticket with Henry ). Lam
or Governor. Gov. Lane was soon elected L. 5
senator, and Morton thus became Governor, OF
he 1lth OF January, 1861.
His. public career from that time is known to all
md forms one of the brightest chapters in the his
-ory of his country. His prompt, ardent and ef
fectve support of the GOvernmnet in its efforts t.
,ubdue the rebellion his paternal care for the Tud
ana soldiers IN the field, his mastery aud sigma
lefeat of the trcssOnablc order Of "Sons Of Liber
tvv arc all fresh in the recollection Of every patri
OF, who remembers that trying period of our couu
i try's history, and earned for hin the honorable
title Of "the Great War Governor" Of the Union.
Ia 1864 he was reelected Governor by a MAORI
sty of q, 600 In the fall of 1865 be was suddenl.
attacked with the paralytic affection, which daai d.
resulted in bis death. BE went u Europe for med
sical treatment but received little benefit. Return
ing home the next spring, he resumed his duties al
Governor, crippled as he was, and continued tC
discharge them until January, 1867, when D,
was elected L. s. Senator, and resigned the Cover
norship.
From his entrance into the Senate, he assumed
the leadership in the Reconstruction measures
and the general legislation ofthat body, and easily
retsiued it To the last OF his active service. in
hody containing such iIlustrious men as Sumner
Wilson, Sherman, C0nbliDg, and others, he ws
recognized as the equal if not the superior Of eDy
and his influence was perhaps greater than that O
any other Senator.
His last public service was as member Of tn
Congressional Committee to investigate the Chi
Z 'nese question in California. OverwOrk and i'm
prudence in eating brought on another attack o
paralysis, while thus engaged, and he was brough
home to die.
He retained his mental powers almost to the las
breath and his last audible words were, q am dy
.tng-I am worn ont.
His last dying advice to his party and his ooun
I shv, was to sustain the administration Of Presi
dent Havcs, and its Southern and civil service POI
icy.
i His funeral took place on Monday last, aud wa
attended hy every mark of public md priyat
smourning,as became the sad and solemn occasion