The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-11-15
From the Philadelphia Weekly Press.
Death of Oliver Perry Morton.

great Su1fercr 1Of Twelve years. Ills
physical disabilities were harder to
bear, because his mental activities
were prodigious. Partially stricken
with paralysis in 1865, he result of
his incessant efforts as Governor Of
Indiana during the whole period Of
the civil war, his really historic career
may be said to have commenced with
that calamity. So for twelve years he
has done the work of giant, weak
ened by the infirmities of an invalid
Originally of splendid physique. with
the frame of gladiator, a flashing
black eye. the voice of a Stentor, and
the manners ola Chesterfield, the sud-
den collapse of his lower limbs com
PEELED him to do his work by secretar-
les, often to read by deputy, and when
he spoke to speak like George McDuffe,
of South Carolina, seated But with
all these disadvantages, he was the
most industrious man in the United
States Senate after his election to tt at
body in January, 1867. Sympathetic,
earnest, and tenacious, he was at once
patriot and partisan. His opinions
were generally convictions, and his
mind store of memories always
ready to utilize and apply. 1t was
like diversified arsenal, in which he
never failed to find the proper weapon.
He was at once ingenious and pro-
found. His retort was as keen as the
scimetar of Saladin his argument the
ba,tle-axe of Richard. We have
never seen him foiled in debate Dur
ing the mortal grapple between An
drew johnson and the Republican
Congress, from 1867 to 1869; and the
prolonged conflict on the amendments
to the National Constitution, Morton
supplied the chief material which
built and sealed those powerful but
tresses of the fundamental law, and
made the new addition harmonious
with the early edfice. He was, not in
the strict sense an oritor of the mag
netic school. He did not charm by
melodious tones or graceful gestures
He captured the intellect more than he
captivated the heart. 1t was by the
force of logic that he vanquisheo
rather than by the deduction of philo'
sophy. He hurled his facts like can
non balls, and if he dealt in figures
they were rather the figures of stats
tics than the figures of fancy. He
was never an actor in the Senate
Chamber, yet some of his situations
were unconciously dramatic. His
broad, white brow, his pale cheek, his
flashing eye, the difficulty of his walk
his deep tones, as he spoke from his
chair often in pain, and his almost
constant presence in his place, were sc
many accessories to scenes which
crowded 10y almost unbroken success
would have made inspired the pen O
historian like Macaulay or Bancroft
He was a natural-born statesman. In
no sense special society man, though
always at his ease, ambitious for the
Presidency, of simple tastes, a vora,
cious reader, deep thinker. quick tc
act and sure to hold on, frequently q
stern partisan, he never degraded
himself by exhibitions of vanity, and
we think, with a full knowledge OF
the man, he never lost sight of his
dignity as Senator, or dealt in per.
sonal elimination. He was power in
the land, because he spoke what he
believed. He was leader, because he
was always ready to take the first risk
himself. He was followed because ht
never faltered. He was feared by, be
cause he never retreated from his foe
He struck out straight, and he never
had cause to apologize, because h'
never took an unknightly advantage
Such men as Oliver Perry Mortor
come to States like planets in th'
skies. They light and lead Thousands
from darkness to safety. How sal i
is that, like these planets. they do no
come to stay!
Something like the slow wasting o
these splendid faculties was the death
bed of Oliver Cromwell. Like Morton
he died comparatively young. H
was past so when, on Friday, Septem
ber 3, 1858, the great Protector passe'
away. What Carlyle said of him ap
plies strangely and truly to Olive
Perry Morton, who passed to his las
account on the lst of November, 1877
a little over 81. We quote literally
"Oliver's health was but uncertain il
late times; often indisposed the sprinl
before last. His course of life had no
been favorable to health ! Incessan
toll ; inconceivable labor, of head, an,
sorrow manifold, continued for nea
and heart, and hand: toll, peril
twenty years now, had done thei
part; those robust life.energies, it al
terwards appeared, had been gradual.
eaten out. Like tower strong to tn
eye, but with it's foundations under
mined, which has not long to stand
the fall of which. on any shock, ma.
be sudden" Morton dead is an objec
of praise to those who assailed hin
living. They stand over his corps
and praise him for the great qualitie
which they denied when he held then
all at bay. We do not write in cen
sure. This is the curse of partisan
shin. IT. was so with CLAW Wehste,