The Portland daily press., 1877-11-02
SENATOR MORTON DEAD.
Affecting Scenes at His Bedside.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND PUBLIC
SERVICES.

resled during the greater p0rCl0n OF the day in
half.lying and half-stting position. As he
grew weaker the supporting pillows were
Withdrawn SO that he lay prone upon the bed.
A deeper silence now prevailed in the room
and remained unbroken except by an occasion.
al question to the dying man. Once when the
s s% %s 7 dydDg his sstsrn.
afraid to die. Oliver? He indicated no by
swayiDg his head. Soon after similar ques-
ton and answer passed between HIM and DIR.
Thompson. AT tel minutes past five o'clock
he exclaimed. Il am dying; am worn out"
ana those were his last words. From this on it
was difficult to discover that life remained.
On the doctors announcement, 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 at his further announcement, SIT
is over," the widow clasped her sons to her, ex-
claiming quietly but in tones never to be for
gotten, my darling boys" The friends with
drew, leaving them for time when they were
tenderly led from the room.
This evening by the direction of the Mayor
the city bells have been tolled 81 strokes, indi-
eating the dead Senator's age. The bells will
also be tolled each day at noon till after the
funeral. The family have6ecded on Monday
at o'clock as the time for the funeral at the
Roberts Park M. E. church aid the interment
will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery: The
services will be conducted by Rev. Prof. s. K.
Hashour, Mrs. Morton's former pastor, assist
ed by Revs. j. B. Clever, Henry Day and J.
ii. Bayless. The body will lie in state during
Sunday in the corridor of the Marion county
court house, now used as state house, giving
the people OF the state an opportunity to view
the remains. Special excursion trains will be
run on Sunday and Monday. The Indianapo-
lis Light Infantry have rendered their services
as guard of honor. The Montgomery Guards
of Charlottesville have also rendered their ser
wees The family have requested Hon. E. B.
Martindale, Hon. James A. Widmar and ex-
Gov, Conrad Baker to represent them and act
for them in making all further arrangements.
The Mayor has called meeting of citizens
in the United States Court rooms tomorrow
morning, when he will decide to invite the
President and Cabinet and the governors Of
several states to attend the funeral. Members
of the Bench and Bar of the city and state are
requested to meet at o'clock tomorrow. Re-
ports from many cities and towns in the state
announce the tolling of bells. Governor Will
liams will close the state offices on Monday and
Mayor Cravens the offices of the city govern
ment. They will jointly request the citizens to
close business houses from noon to o'clock on
that day.
Senator Morton's parents were natives of
New Jersey, but moved west and settled in
Wayne county, Ind, where he was born Au.
gust 4, 1928 AS a boy he was fond of study
and eagerly improved such opportunities as he
had for gaining an education. His parents saw
in him no sign of superior tale nts or else were
too poor to furnish him means for their cult.
walton, for at fifteen be was apprenticed to a
halter and served four years. His thirst for
knowledge did not forsake him however and
at the end of that time he cont rived to enter
Miami University, where be remained three
years, graduating at the age of twenty two.
Immediately fter leaving college he COM
menced the study of law with the Hon. John
s. Newman of Centreville. He was admitted
to the bar in 1917 and soon rose to eminence in
his profession, both as an advocate and coun-
sellor. At the age of Twenty-Five he was
elected Circuit Judge by the Legislature, but
the duties of that position were not to his taste
and after serving year he resigned and re.
sumed prectice at the bar, which he continued
till 1860. During his early years at the bar he
made frequent incursions into the political field
and his voice was often heard on the stump.
Up to 1854 he was Democrat, but ever since
he has been staunch Republican. He was a
delegate to the first National Republican Con-
vention in 1856 where his abilities produced a
powerful impression. On his return home he
was nominated for Governor of his state by The
Republicans. The stats was overwhelmingly
Democratic but, notwithstanding, Mr.. Morton
entered vigorously into the campaign an
worked zealously to the end. OF course he
was defeated, but the Democratic majority was
greatly reduced.
During the next four years Mr.. Morton de-
voted his time to his profession, but in 1860 the
Ro N rtu IF tha utota a.
his leadership and he was nominated for Lieu
nt!Governor, with Hon. Henry S. Lane
the president of the Fremont Convention, for
Governor Throwing aside his professional
engagements and melted to gre,ter effor. by
the defeat of the last canvass W. Morton
entered into and worked vigorously through
another long campaign, the result of which
was in favor g. President Lincoln and the
Republican state ticket by 10000 majority
Ine excitement consequent upon the election
of Mr.. Lincoln is well remembered Many
Northern men were for compromise; others
were paralyzsd at the prospect of impending
revolution, The Southern leaders had the
advantage of close communion with the Ad-
ministration aud the prestige of long suprem-
acy in the national councils. Amid this tur-
MOL. confusion of opinion and uncertainty of
action, Mr.. Morton, in speech at Republican
mass meeting in indianapolis on Nov. %, 1860,
sounded the keynote CT a strain which vibrated
through every patriotic heart of the North
Denouncing the doctrine of peaceable secession
as pernicous, he demanded the enforcement of
law and order in all the states, North and
South. His words were recognized all over the
country as those of a brave leader, and his
subsequent action amply justified that belief.
On the 9th Of January, 1861, Governor Lane
resigned to take seat in the United State s
Senate, and Mr.. Morton became Governor of
Indiana. He came to the office with the repu.
tation of an able counsellor at law, powerful
dsbater, and fearless champion of Republican
principles; and he soon developed great ablli !.
ties as sn executive. He was thiIty-seven years
of age, and, with one exception, the younge ST.
Executive in the United States. The political
opposition to him was strong, and embittered
by his known radicalism on the question of
compromising with secession. He found the
state finances confused and embarrassed after
the succession of loose and corrupt admins
tratioDs, and the civil service was in a deplor-
able condition. His first attention was turned
to reforming the latter, and he worked wonders
in the first three months. Again, in February,
Just after the adoption of the Confederate
constitution Morton spoke words
that thrilled the loyalists from Maine to the
Pacific. President Lincoln, while en- route for
the capital, made brief stop at Indianapolis,
where he was addressed by Governor Norton
who laid down this broad principle:
Submission to the popular will is the essen
tional principle OF Republican governments, and
80 vital is this principle that it admits of but
one exception, which is revolution. To weaken
it is anarchy; to destroy it is despotism 1t rec
ognizes no appeal beyond the ballot box, and
while it is preserved liberty may bs wounded,
but never will be slan.'
After the fall of Sumter, on the same day
that President Lincoln issued his call for 75 600
troops Gov. Morton talegraphed rendering
$1,000 men to defend the Union. Thus he Sc
cared for Indiana the honor of striking the first
blow for the salvation of the Republic. Indi-
ana's quota of six regiments was rapidly filled,
and her governor foreseeing the future need,
offered six additional regiments without reg ard
% length of service, and pledged his word to