Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-13

| Mr. Speaker: 1t Is my painful duty TO an
nounce to this House the death of Honorabl,
Lot NJ. Morrill,. After lingering illness o.
months. surrounded BY his family and friends
he passed away into that other land, which
to Us ignorant of the deep mysteries of the
great hereafter, seems the "blind cave OF
eternal night.
For quarter of a century he has honored
Maine by his public service. Here. in these
halls he began; b. re in this the home of hi.
adoption. But such broad power; demanded
larger scope, and the people Of his State
called him to the Executive chair.
| There the iashings from the angry clouds
behind which muttered the thunderings OF
civil war. found him, strong in his strength
loyal in his loyalty, the fearless statesman
the bold executive true Gaberaator in the
storm. But the Nation needed him. At an hour
when treason reared its awful head, when
men were saying:
sour country sinks beneath the yoke;
| 1t weeps, it beeds; and each new day cash
Is added to her wounds
he entered the National Senate, the col,
league of the lamented Fessenden. the peer o!
| Douglas, Morton, Wilson, Summer. long
since gone to their eternal reward With them
in the dark hours of the Rebellion, he held up
the hands Of the martyred Lincoln.
The common soldier found in him a friend,
the country a true and faithful servant.
Years rolled on. The sun of prosperity
shone upon a reunited land: and the great
Captain of the age called him to his Cabinet
| the Western world.
| We now stand at the conclusion of this
remarkable career of continuous public ser
vice, looking back through its history, con-
| teppOraneous with the second birth of the
| Republic, and its lessons mingle in our
memories with the disasters and the
triumphs, the weakness and the powsS.
the adversely and the prosperity of the
country we love and he loved so much.
Legislator, orator, statesmap,--he was
| more,-''God's noblest work, an honest
man." His spotless life stands for the
emulation of the young men of to day. The
tongue of slander never raised its hideous
| hiss against him. Even in the heat of party
| conflict, ''when charity is chased hence by
rancOrs hand" calumny froze upon the lips
! of him that willed to utter it. To his State
he leaves the heritage of IA spotless reputation.
In truth
death makes no conquest of this conaueror
For now he lives in fame, though not in life
None knew him but to reverence his noble
manhood. My feeble words can add no
laurels to his well-earned wreath. / would
speak no empty words, nor yet in the cold
ness of formal duty Out of the depths of
my heart l lay upon his grave the tribute due
to him who was my townsmap, nv neighbor.
nay more, my friend. To-day, the people of
his State and Nation, mindful of his great
virtues, will say in all sincerity, ''Well done.
thou good and faithful servant" | offer the
following resolutions:
WHEREAS, The House has received the painful
information of the death of ex Governor Lot NJ.
Morrill,. therefore.
Resolred. That in his death Maine has lost true
citizen. an upright servant, a statesman distinguish
ed by high endowmens of brain and heart, of char
acter and soul, whose unstained reputation will
remain an impcrishsble monument.
Resotred, That a committee of fifteen be appoint
ed by the Speaker to represent the House at the fu
| neral of Mr.. Morrill,.
Resotred, That a copy of the above resolutions
signed by the Speaker and the Clerk, be presented
to the family OF the deceased as an expression of
sympathy and coincidence.
Resolred. That as a further mark of respect to
adjourn.
Mr. Talbot of East Machias
Mr.. Speaker-I rise for the purpose
of seconding in a few words the res
olutions which have been offered as a fitting
tribute of respect to the memory of the dis
tinguished dead. My first acqu aintance with
Mr.. Morrill, was when I came for the first
time as Representative to this House. We
were then young men admitted to the bar at
| ABOUT tue SAME tltne- anu ne I0en III pTdttlct
as a partner of Hon. J. w. Bradbury vino still
survives. l found in him friend, and after
ward served with him in the legislature. and
although in later years our paths have been d.
vergent, our friendship has never been broken
and I trust is only suspended by this sad
event. have studied the man, and know
something of the materials out of which he
built up for himself successful life. He
was a man whose energy of character. prompt
ed BY laudable ambition, and supplemented
by genial disposition and gentlemanly de-
portmeGt, gave him high rank in his chos en-
profession, and when afterwari he was called
irto the service of the State, and to assume
the responsibilities of the varons offices
up to the highest in the gift of the people
and of the Legislature of the State, the same
traits were developed in the statesman; and
by his fearless adherence to his honest con-
victions of right, his courteous bearing and
the faithful discharge of the duties with
which he was houored, he himself conferred
honor upon his beloved native State. Let
us initiate his virtues and respect his mem
ory
Mr. Powers of Houlton:
Mr.. Speaker-The people of Maine and
this Nation are again called to mourn the loss
of most eminent and honored statesman
who has been summoned by death to join
'The innumerabIe caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death"
and who is now numbered With our ilustrious
dead
Governor Morrill's intellect was of the
highest order. In all his walks in life. as
citizen, as a lawyer, as legislator
as Governor Of his native State, as a
member of Congress during many years
service in the United States Senate, and as
Cabinet minister he takes rank with
the Nations noblest, its wisest and best.
In the great struggle for National existence
and the preservation of his government, he
wa. true to his country and the Union, and
in the darkest hours of that terrible conflict.
he never faltered or despaired of the Re-
public, and he would not consent that one
star should be erased that giitters in the
galaxy upon the American flag.
Through all his public life he was untiring
! in his efforts to secure to the humblest
citizen the inestimable rights of man. and to
all throughout this broad land of ours, re-
gardless Of birth, race or color the blessings
of liberty and equality before the law.
He took an active and prominent part in
the framing and adoption of the National
legislation and constitutional amendments
which have so changed the phase of thi:
government. that the assertion in the
Declaration of Independence ''that all mer
are created free and equal ha.