Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-02-20

The death Of Major VIM. Gooverneur
Morris. United States Collector of Gus
toms for the District of Alaska, has al
ready been announced. l avail myself
Of the kind permission of the Editor Of
the PosT-lNrELLI0EScRR to pay q brief
tribute TO the memory OF my deceased
friend. Major Norris vas descended
in direct lius from 0ouveenelr Nor
ris, Of revolutionary fame, and felt .
pardonable pride in bis honorable an
ccstry. He married IN 1870. and became
the father of con 20 whom be gave the
family name, bat Who died in infancy:
q bereavement which olouded all of my
friends after years. Major Morris was
sdscated for the bar, and was at one
time official reprter o. the Supreme
Court of California. He has also, dur
ing his long residence On this cOast,
been engaged IN journalism, and was n
writer of rare force and perspicuity.
be served bis country in responsi ~le
position during the late civil war. In
1870 he vas appointed United States
Marshal for Cslifornis. whicx position
he held until the expiration of bis term
Of Office, retiring therefrom With clean
hands TO enter upon the duties Of Special
Agent Of the United States Treasury
Department, from which, after several
years Of faithful and labori0us service,
he was removed ~ . matter Of political
expedien0y, and in direct violation Of
the principles of civil service reform,
and immediately assigned 70 tho duties
Of ColleotOr Of Customs, residing at
Sitka, Alaska. In letter received from
him some weeks since, under date Of
December 8, 1883. Major Morris said:
Thank GoL, am through with my re-
port upon the resources and industries
Of the Territory Q work of three years.
am now binding il in manuscripts
parts, for transmission to the Depart
,nsnt. IL will probably b. called for
very so0n In the Senate. 1t will be of
some use to those whs think of coming
here 70 settle"
He has passed away wishout being
permitted u behold the fruit of his Ia
bors. In the same letter my friend be-
trays the wsariness of work and waiting
by saying, II an sick and tired Of
writing" and adds, as il would seem,
parenthetioaily, Il am free TO admit
that feel the sands Ut life crawling
away fr0m me very fast. can do a.
good literary work ~ ever, but have
not the physical force ! Onoe had"
Major Morris Was ut heart one of the
kindest hearted, most charitable men
who ever breathed; especially ~ the
c:alt sf writer's was he, until sonSa-
ti0nal, inonQeriuR scribbier made hin
some years ago the target Of unmeasured
and unmerited abuse a friend indeed.
Living, he would have blushod to have
his Charitable Aots published to the
world. IL Is some slight ,nsOlatiOn to
me 70 know that he believed me not uu-
grateful for unreq quited favOrs in dark
hour. The opening paragraph Of his
last letter to me shows the kindly Oon-
sidefation Of the mans nature. He says,
supposing correctly that l was not bur-
dened with this worlds goods, Your
papers and other reading matter You
sSId me are the greatest comfort Of my
life. DO not buy for me anything new.
send me only your exchanged"
Fidelity to. the trusts committed to
his charge and fearlessness IN the dis
charge 0f his official dn les we're dis
tinRuished characteristics Of my dead
fried. undeserved .Obl0quy heaped up
on him in mere WantOnness, financial
reverses, the treachery of personal and
political associates, the loss Of his first
and only born, did much in late years
to change the gay, insouciant, light
hearted, merry companion Of twenty
yeara ago into seemingly brusqne aud
msrose man; but beneath repellxnt ex-
terror he kept warm aud faithful heart
for his true friends who will not cease
to lament his untimely loss After
lifs's fever let us trust that he sleeps
we'll; nothing eau hurt him further.
Major Morris leaves widow aud sur
viviug brother. a captain in the United
States army. who few wears ago Was
stationed at Fort Candy, w. T..
A. 4. H.
SEArrI.E, w. T.. February IL, 1884.