Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-11


TO rise before daylight, often as early as three
O'Clock in the morning, and pursue his stud,
several hours by candle light before going 70
his daily task at the school-room. Persever
ance won, as it usually does. and in due time
he was admitted to the bar of Kennebee
county and opened law Office at Readf;eId
AT about the same time that young Morrill,
started in the law business, another vouno
lawyer, of Livermore, named Timo,b,
U. Howe, came to Readfield and opened an
Office Morrill, was a democrat and Howe ,
wing, and the two divided the law business OF
the place between them, having doughty en-.
counters In magistrates courts, and occasion.
ally cases in the higher courts After a few
years, finding the field too narrow for thei,
abilities, both left the town to trv their for
tunes elsewhere. Howe went to Wisconsin
IN ls45, and Morrill, came to Augusta in
ls47. In January, ls4s, upon the dissolu.
tion of the law firm composed of James w
Bradbury and Richard ID. Rice, conseQue nj
upon the latter having been appointed to and
accepted position as Associate Justice OF
the Supreme Court, Mr. Bradbury invited
Mr.. Morrill, to enter into co-partnership with
him. The invitation was accepted Bradbury
& Morrill, succeeded the firm of Bradbury &
Rice, and Morrill, was installed in the active
mana cement Of the business of one of the
largest and most lucrative law offices in the
State. In ls4s he was associated with Sam
uel II. Blake, attorney general. and H. W.
Paine, county attorney, as counsel for the
government in the famous murder trial of
DIR. Coolidge of Waterville, opening the
case for the government. The opposing
counsel were George Evans and Edw in
NOyes. He soon became one of the most
eloquent jury lawyers in the State The
business of the firm fourished. Mr.. Nor
rilTs fairness, candOr and well known integ
rity secured him great influence. In 1856
Joseph M. Meserve was taken into the firm
and its name became Bradbury, Morrill, &
Mtserve. Mr.. Morrill, took an active part
IN obtaining the necessary legislation for the
Somerset and Kennebec Railroad, and was
several years director in the corporation.
Until he was elected Governor he devoted
himself to his profession and obtained a very
high standing at the bar. He enjoyed the
practice of the law, especially the manage
ment Of cases with the jury before the court.
He had legal mind of high order, and very
copious flow of choice language. A gentleman
of the legal fraternity who had good oppor-
tunity to test his capacity. and an intimate
acquaintance with the best lawyers in the
State says that ''if Mr.. Morrill, had continued
''to devote himself exclusively to his pro-
''fession he would have been one af the most
distinguished lawyers in New England
After he was elected Governor he devoted a
portion of his time to his profession, hut in
1869 the firm was dissolved, and Mr.. Morrill,
gave bis attention after that chiefly to his
official duties. His partner, Mr.. Bradbury,
though democrat, was his fast friend
through life, visited him almost daily in his
last sickness, and was admitted to the suffer-
er's bedside like one of his own family.
ENTERS INTO PoLIrICs.
But the allurements of politics, always
tempting to lawyers, gradually drew Mr..
Morrill, away from the pursuit of his chosen
profession. In 1852 he was nominated with
Ruel Williams, as democratic candidate to
represent the city of Augusta in the legisla-
ture. But the city was whig in politics, and
Morrill, and his associate were beaten at the
election. The next year he was again nomi-
mated for the legislature and elected, serving
in the legislature of 1854, while at the same
time his brother, AnsonP. Morrill,, was Gov
ernor of the State. This success was the be-
ginning of the long and honorable career
life was distinguished. 1t afforded him the op-
portunity to rise, and he was worthy and able
to improve it.
Those were stirring times in the politics Of
this State. Both the whig and democratic
parties were in the throes of dissolution.
The republican party was just making its
first appearance. The questions of slavery
and intemperance were agitating the public
utlHu ueeFiN. tedrihx uP tue iounuatlOns VI
old parties and from the fragments construct
ing party that would stand for free soil,
free speet h, free men, and prohibition of the
liquor traffic by the laws of the State. The
democratic party divided into two factions,
designated respectively as wool-heads and
wildcats, the former being opposed to the
extension of slavery into the territories of
the United States, the latter favoring such
extension, according to the claims and pur-
poses of the shareholders of the South. The
wool-head democrats, with whom Mr.. Morrill,
acted, we're finally merged in the repub-
lican party, into which the greater part OF
the whig party entered when the dissolution
of the latter took place. A small faction Of
wings, known at the time As straight. wings,
ioined the wildcat democrats. and these two
factions constituted the modern democratic
pro slavery party as it has existed during and
since the great rebellion.
In 1856, Mr.. Morrill, was elected to the
State Senate by the democrats of the Kenne-
bee senatorial district. He served in the
session of 1856, and was president of the
Senate. The next summer Mr.. Buchanan