Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-11-13
The Last Days of Morton and
Chandler.

by fitting observance the death of the
famous War Governor.
The coincidence in the death of the
two Senators recalls conincidences in
their lives. In truth, they were much
alike. The resemblance between their
checkered lives begins away back in
youth. Chandler was ten years older.
They Were poor boys, and received only
a moderate education. Each was obli-
ged to work for his own maintenance
at an early age. Chandler was salesman,
Morton learned the hatter's trade.
Both possessed the robust nature that
finds its satisfaction in strong deeds and
strenuous excitements. When the Re
publiaan party originated Chandler, and
Morton alike joined their fate to its for
tunes, and remained to the end. Nor
ton, in Indiana, and Chandler, in Michi-
gan, were among the earliest candidates
put forward by the young Republican
party. They held high Office of one kind
and another almost uninterruptedly.
The stirring days of the war brought to
the front small body of brave, execu-
tive whose courage and perseverance
never deserted them. After the defeat
of Bull Run, on Senator Chambers mo-
ton, Congress appointed a Joint Com
mittee on the Conduct of the War. Sew
eral Stalwarts who believed in pushing
matters were on the committee.
Chandler was elected U. S. Senator
four times. Morton was serving out his
second term at the time of his death,
Morton, as the War Governor, was moy-
ing heaven and earth to provide for In
diana soldiers at the front, and protect
his State from treacherous enemies in
the rear, during the latter part of Chan
dler's first term in the Senate. A flood
of the memories of that old time seems
to have poured in on the Michigan Sem
ator that last night of his life, when he
made his great speech in Chicago. It |
was full of "reminiscences. His eve
sparkled with unwonted brightness as he
told how, before the war, the South had |
said to the North: do this or we will |
destroy your Government; fail to do
that, and we will destroy your Govern
ment.' 1t made the old man laugh
again as he recalled that, one day, one of
these braves made his usual threat to
stprdy Ben Wade, who Strengthened |
himself up and answered:
Don't delay on my account"
All of the old guard are dead now
Morton, Stanton, johnson and Wade.
Zach Chandler is the last. ...E. &
Some resemblances in the lives of
Morton and Chandler are remarkable.
The Indiana Senator was elected to his
seat in 1867 almost without a dissenting
Republican voice. Last spring, when
Chandler was chosen for the place vaca-
ted by Senator Christiancy, it was by
the unanimous vote of his party. No
other candidate was thought of. Nor
tons work, however, perhaps because of
falling health, seemed to be done. To
Chandler, on the other hand, although
he was the older man, the eyes of his
were turned with the best
hopes. -"
As we come down to the last DAYS of .
the two Stalwarts the parallel becomes ,
though in one respect the end .
was widely different. Morton, for weeks ,
before his death, had suffered such phys !
cal agony as falls to the lot of few NOR :
5als. He died slowly, inch by inch. :;
Chandler's last hours were among the .
brightest of his life. " -.
Both Morton and Chandler were pre-
pairing to return to~their places in the
United States Senate when they were :
'vertaken by death. u
The thoughts of their closing days ran "
n an Identical channel In his cam =.
'aign speeches, just before he was fatal !.
y stricken, Senator Morton almost en-
irely ignored financial questions, re-
,arding the condition of the South and
he insecurity of the blacks as the vital :.
acts of the time, of such overwhelming !,
as to overshadow all else. =,
lis very last public expression shows
nxious thought on this point. 1t con- h
aimed the following sentence:
"When these States (the 'Southern) II
all to maintain the law and protect the o.,
quail rights of all classes, we shall ex- Il
ect the peace policy to be aban- Il
oned by the Administration, and OF
)rce policy inaugurated." ri
In his speech on Friday night Senator Sd
handler alluded only briefly to green h,
acks and the "Ohio idee," saying, 81 III
lall devote myself tonight chiefly to
he history of a crime, crime against dc
lis Nation" Further on he repeated
ord for word that famous charge sh
hich so infuriated the ex-Confederates be
| the Senate last spring: Twelve men,
ers of the Senate occupy their seats by ,
aud and violence" Towards the close I'll
, exclaimed: ol
''The mission of the Republican party ~
not ended. / tell you furthermore, st;
I. Chairman, that it has just begun in
}heers.l. / tell you furthermore that it oil
ill never end until you and can start 20
ON the Canada border, travel to the u"
uif of Mexico. make black Republican tel
'eeches wherever We please [applausel, sh
tie the black Republican ticket wher- co
'er we gain a aresi,ence [cheersl, and do on
with exactly the same safety that a ..'
bel can travel through the North, stop MI
herever he has mind to, and run for fat
ldge in any city he chooses" int
But Zach. Chandler was tired. He had fu
'rne the heat and burden of the day, an
I'd he was wearier than he knew. That Su
ght when he bade good-bye to the last sa