Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-07-07
SENATOR MORRILL,.

Not long ago in the pleasant parlors
of Senator Justin S. Morrill, of Vermont.
happened" on one evening. friend after
friend, till at last it dawned upon the
gentle host that he sat amid a genuine
surprise party" who came to wish him
joy and long continued honors on the
eve of his sixty-ninth birthday. Judge
Ferriss of New York, took from his
pocket delightful poem, written by
himself for the occasion, which he read
to his astonished host. Refreshments
appeared upon the scene, and, with
mingled mirth, wit, and good wishes,
the happy hours passed on to midnight
Referring to it in private note, Sem
ator Morrill, said: "Such a manifesto
tion, occurring on the anniversary of my
birth, could not fail to reach the tender
est sensibilities Of my heart, and in some
degree to reconcile me to old age, by
showing that am not wholly without
its highest satisfaction in modest troops
of friends It is true that no man in
public life in Washington possesses more
entirely the personal respect and conf
dence of his friends than Justin S. Nor
rill; and few men in so quiet way
have rendered to their country such long
continued faithful service. This year
closes one quarter of century that he
has served in the Congress of the Unit
ed States. To one who recalls the mu.
tations of the last ten years-the names
of men who during that space have pass
ed out from honor or from the face Of
the earth-it is a comfort to behold a
man who. true to truth long before the
storm of revolution begun, after all
stress of time and battle, is no less true
to it to-day.
When Mr.. Morrill, entered the House
of Representatives, in 1854, the only
man in either house of Congress to-day
who was there then is Senator Hamlin
of Maine. The only senators left in the
Senate who beheld him take his oath of
Office therein, twelve years ago, are Sem
ators Anthony, Edmunds, Chandler, and
Conkling.
Mr.. Morrill, saw every secessionist
swept out of Congress, and lives to see
Lamar. Stephens, Butler. Gordon, and
their comrades again in the majority.
He has pronounced eulogies on many of
his peers, including Thaddeus Stevens.
Collamar, Foot, Fessenden, Sumner and
Wilson.
Mr.. Morrill, served in Congress with
Cass, Hale, Douglan, Crittenden, Grimes,
Seward, Fish, Chase, Foster of Conn.,,
Wade, Lane of Ind, RumseY, Reyerdy,
johnson, Morton, Sherman, Morgan,
Lovejoy, Baxter, Burlingame, Grow.
Colfax, E. B. Washburn, Tom Corwin,
Schenck, Henry Winter Davis, R. B.
Hayes, and with many whose names
have become conspicuous for their at
tempts to destroy the government, as
JEFF. Davis, A. H. Stephens. Pryor,
Toombs, Lamar, Clingman, Wigfall,
| Slidell, Macon, Hunter. Mr.. Morrill,,
never sensational or self-seeking. has
originated and been identified with some
of the most important bills and meas
ures which have passed Congress fol
the last twenty-five years. He was the
author of the "Morrill Tariff of 1861
and is largely identified with all the
revenue measures which provided funds
to carry on the war. He delivered i'm
portant speeches on the impolieY Of
making paper money legal tender. made
many speeches in defense of the public
credit and against imitation of paper
currency, in favor of the resumption o.
specie payments and on the remonetiza
tion of silver, and against the annexation
of Santa Domingo. the eight hour law
and reciprocity with Canada. For many
years Mr.. Morrill, was chairman of th'
Ways and Means committee of tn,
House. of the committee of finance ant
of public grounds and buildings in tn
Senate.
He was man of aesthetic tastes ant
cultivation, with practical knowledg
of architecture, all of which are o
great value in member of the commit
tee on public grounds and building. Th
country owes to Mr.. Morrill, the settin,
apart of the old house of representative
as national statuary hall, slread
nearly lined with noble statutes of illus
trious Americans. His taste has bee
utilized in enlarging and beautifyin
the public grounds. especially those Ell
circling the capitol. He was an enel
getic mover of the bill for the new maj
BILE building for the state and navy de
partments. also for the grand natio
, museum. which is soon to be begun,
cover an acre of the Smithsonian grounds
must leave unmentioned the create
portion of the vast work for the publ
accomplished by Senator Morrill,
: twenty-five years. But that touche
upon will give you suggestive idea (
the amount and value of his service
the people.
, The state of Vermont shows its intel