The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-15
General james A. Ekin, U. 5. a.

LOUISVILLE, JAIL ~, IoOf.
To the Editor Of the indianapolis journal:
Next Tuesday the Morton statue is tie be I'M
yelled. While the people of Indiana are pre-
pairing to honor the memory of their greatest
and most useful citizen, it is well to think on
those traits of character which made Morton the
man he was; which enabled him, in his country's
darkest and most dangerous days, to serve it so
faithfully and so well. Tie stone or the bronze
we may erect to his memory will perish in time.
1t will be to us, and to many succeeding genera
tons, something of a visible sign and resem-
blance of the physical man. But long after
those of rs who seek now to do honor to his
memory shall have passed away and been for
gotten: long after the granite OR bronze we may
set up to-day has persisted, Will Morton's name
be remembered and cherished by mankind.
Those Of us to-day who We're with him. and
knew and loved him, feel that have
walked with one of the worlds greatest men;
but it is reserved for those who shall look back
from afar to be able to take il
the full proportions Of the man. He
who stands ON a mountain may see its
elements, and will see its sears and
seams. He who looks at it from a distance sees
its beauty and its grandeur. We can see what
made him great. Those who come after us can
admire the beauty and proportions of his great
ness
The foundation of Morton's greatness was his
love of country. This directed all his energies,
governed all his power, gave point and force to
his courage, ennobled all his acts.
Then he was honest always, everywhere, in
all things. in all ways. Honest and sincere with
friend and foe.
He was courageous, hopeful. Nothing could
daunt him Nothing could shake his faith in
his cOuntly's destiny to lead mankind to liberty
and to bring about in practice and in fact the
doctrine that ''the laborer is worthy of his hire.
which is the foundation of liberty and Justice.
When others grew faint and fearful of the out
come Mort0ns faith never wavered, his courage
never failed
Governing and directing his patriotism his
honesty and his courage, a wisdom and
intelligence that sometimes seemed al
most superhuman III its knowledge
of the motives and feelings and purposes of
the courage of his convictions was the key to
his success and power Doubt never betrayed
him or lost him point in the game, the great
est ever played in the history of the world be
cause the stake was the perpetllity of the
American republic. AS the director of In
dianas share in that great struggle he played
well his part.
We may by the monument, refresh our own
memories of Morton and commemorate the fact
that we lived with and knew him in the flesh.
But after we are forgotten, and what we do now
has persisted from human records, Morton will
be remembered, and after even he shall be for
gotten, way on TO tne emu OF Ume, VIII man be
benefited by the struggle of the American peo-
pie in which he took so great and so glorious "a
part
In the memorial services in the Senate it was
said: "Over Perry Morton needs no epitaph but
his name We shall best honor his memory by
remembering and emulating those qualities
which made him great and useful
to neutrality-suspicious. honesty, courage ofcon-
victions-for these are at every mans command
And for the wisdom and intelligence we must
each go according to the light we have.
Lives of great men al remind us,
We make our lives sublime,
And departing leave behind us
Footprints the sands of time
Footprints that perhaps another
Sailing 'er lifes solemn main
forlorn and shpwreeked brother,
Seeing. shall take heart again.
Let us. then. be up and doing
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving. still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait"
With sentiments of high regard
,JAaES A. EKTN
Brevet Brigadier general United States Army.