The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-16
THE GRAFTON OF THE DAY.

| A Discriminating Estimate of the Senator's
Public Services and Character.
Colonel Richard W. Thompson, upon whom
devolved the honor of delivering the Grafton of
the day, was then introduced to the audience,
which receivedthe Old Man Eloquent with every
demonstration of affection With humorous
| twinkle in his eye, he looked over the cheering
assembly, dryly remarking; sit isn't necessary.
I've known you for forty years. He then spoke
as follows
Mr. Chairman and Fellow -citizens-Those who
have had in charge the design and construction
| of the beautiful statue we have to-day unveiled
are entitled to congratulation at the success
| they have achieved. In its exquisite workman
ship the talented artist has obeyed the instruc-
tons of the great American orator who, when
| debating the model of a statue intended to i'm
| perSonate statesman, directed that his charac
ter should be Swallowed forth, not by words,
but by actions and the success of his administers
ton To the utmost extent within the compass
of art he has admirably embodied his idea in the
| strkingly accurate outlines of face. form and
person of our Great War Governor" The nat
ural nobility of bearing-the gracefulness Of
post ure-and the whole contour of the man, com
bine into such hfe-like and vivid expression
present an impersonation so striking-as to ex-
| cite admiration, less at the ar
tistic perfection of the work, than at the
genius, which conceived and planned it.
As the flashes of light break upon
! the broad and faultless brow, can scarcely
suppress the hope that its radiance will impart
heat and life to the polished bronze, so that he
may again admonish us by such counsels of pa
triotism as we were accustomed to hear from
him when in life. Not to us alone, who person
ally knew him will it serve to keep his memory
alive in the heart. but to coming generations it
| will show how durable are the foundations upon
| which his fame built by the cops,;sI a
part he performed in the great l;fa ~ ur Ho
i Ti d efo distinguished
| before. l. 40 ;47 g. = o4i.;, &c
:, tiS inereal obsequies which followed the death
of Governor Morton. Nor are they necessary to
revive in minds remembrance of the uni
versal grief occasioned by that sad event None
of us have forgotten how gradually and pain
fully it approximations in the midst of public
labors which taxed his robust energies to
their utmost, he was stricken down by a terri
bic and almost fatal blow; how he rallied under
the influence of a will which was never con
quered how his courage remained unSubdued
81 through years of physical suffering; how he
dragged himself to the post of duty when his
obligation to the public required it, long as
his strength lasted, and went willingly in the
arms of others while it slowly wasting
away; and how as he bent under the load and
his powers of physical manhood were abating
his mind remained clear and bright and active
and vigorous to the end.
But the occasion is appropriate for some re-
cital of his public life and character, as devel-
: oped during those eventful years when all loyal
! hearts thrilled with anxiety at the thought that
the life Of the nation was imperilled. Such a
recital however, must, from necessity embrace
| only such prominent incidents as bring out in
| conspicuous relief his leading traits of charac-
ter. The minor details necessary to complete
the picture of his life must be omitted, as
they pertain to the purpose and object of the
biOgg 1pher
Before Governor Morton entered upon public
life he was known only in the vicinity of his
birthplace as a promising young lawyer, who,
4 by extraordinary energy and industry. and with
out the patronage of influential family ccnnec-
q tons, had suitably educated himself While
studying law all his professional associations
were favorable to his progress, as there were, in
the judicial circuit in which he lived some of the
ablest and most distinguished in the State.
1t is impossible that mind vigorous and i'm
pressible his was. should not have been stiulu
lated and improved by such associations He was,
therefore, from the beginning, regarded as des-
v tined to occupy position of high professional
prominence In this respect it not long be-
fore he was enabled to see the avenues to dis
tnction opening before him. He soon demon
5 strated that he possessed the properties of in
tellect which fitted him for grasp
, ing, not merely the technicalities
of the law, but its philosophy also. His mind
was thoroughly analytical and as he made himself
familiar with the rich treasures which lie hidden
in the body of the common law and the rules
and principles of equity, his faculties gradually
expanded and his arguments before both courts
and iuries, became models of accurate thinking
and logical reasoning He soon became prac
ticed debater in the professional forum, and so
well did he establish his reputation in this re-
spect that his hearers We're always impressed
with the inexhaustble resources of his mind,
the accuracy and elearuess of his conceptions.
and the great force and power of his arguments.
The bar is the training school of orators-a place
whore the best and highest qualities of intellect
have ample room for development. 1t opens
fields for thought, investigation and reflection of
unlimited extent. And while il furnishes only
| brief triumphs for mere genius--no matter how
high it may soar-it enables the possessor of
eminent abilities to win permanent fame.
This was consIicuousy the case with Governor
VghO nv he inc hp onto r,olit
ical life, had so trained and disciplined his
oning powers that the public eye, which is al
ways keen to discover the existence of rare tai
ent, was at once directed to his commanding
ability.
HIS FIRST POLITICAL OFFICE.
His first nomination for political Office was
in 1856, when he became candidate for Gov
ernor under the most hattering circumstances,
he then being only in the thirty third year of his
age. He manifestly selected from among
others more experienced and better known, on
account of the high estimate placed upon his
abilities, and as the representative of the senti-
ment of opposition to the encroaehment of slav-
cry upon the free Territories of the United States
a question which at that time was growing in
importance at each recurring election 1t
had not then been openly proclaimed
that the constitution protected slavery in
any Territory to which it might be
transferred; but events were tending to that end
so rapidly that an organized opposition to that
principle was considered 10y many to be un2Yold-
able in order to resist doctrine so at war with
| the letter and spirit of the constitution and so
repulsive to those who maintained that slavery
could not exist anywhere without the sanction
OF positive law 1t needed strong debating powers,
| backed by discriminating Judgment and an in
innate knowledge of the structure of the govern
ment and its constitutional principles to grapple
| with question of so much magnitude and such
fal-reaching influences especially in view Of the
ability and earnestness of those who had fore
Swallowed ii by their professions and pre-
pairing measures to engraft it upon the public pol
| icy of the country. Undoubtedly, Governor