The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-23
SENATOR
How He Ranked with the Celebrities in the
Senate-His characteristics.
Otelia's."

How He Ranked with the Celebrities in the
Senate-His characteristics.
Ben: Perley Poore.
Governor Morton was elected to the United
States Senate in january, 1867, and, r~esigning
the goveInorship, took his seat ON the 18th OF
March, for the term ending in 1873. Many of the
great war senators We're still. in their places.
Mr.. Wade was there as President of the Senate
and acting Vice president. Charles Sumner and
William Pitt Fessenden still occupied the seats
held so many years with honor. Grouped about
them were Edmunds, and Morgan. and Wilson,
and Trunbull, and Frelinghuysen, and others of
similar character, who will ever be remembered
among Americas ablest statesmen. Originally
of splendid physique, with flashing black eyes
and the voice Of a Stentor, he gradually decayed,
as he advanced to the leadership Of the Senate,
and finally had to be carried to his seat in Il
chair by two men. If he rose to speak, ten min
utes on his feet would exhaust him so that he
would have to lean upona high rest attached to his
desk, and often pain and weakness compelled him
to finish, sitting, a speech which he began stand
ing. But, sitting or standing, sick or well, he
was the strongest debater in the Senate and the
best partisan leader either house had seen since
Thad Stevens died. His memory was pro-
digious. His powers of analysis were superb.
He was a strong logician by nature. No difficult
ties or obstacles seemed to discourage him, and
he was ever in the front rank Of Republican sen
ators, in season and out of season. As he be
came crippled in body, his intellectual faculties
appeared more powerful than before. He was
bold without being rash, sanguine without being
over confident. earnest and determined. With
out the grace of a beautiful style, never making
a quotation, rarely indulging in an anecdote. he
spoke with an earnestnesS and force that carried
conviction with his argument In debate he dis
played a bOldness and skill, and a readiness in
sudden attack or defense, which gave him great
strength in the Senate.
Although strong in his convictions, Governor
Morton never h~esitated when called upon TO re
linquish his personal views that he might be
in accord with those of the people of Indiana or
the Republican party. Neither did he ever in
dulge in vituperatiOn Of those who did not agree
with him, nor seek to plant a sting in the heart
of an adversary. He has left no enemies in the
Senate, for, although Il man Of iron will, his
ways were almost childlike, his manners modest
and his good-nature prOverbial. He was a de
voted husband, an affectionate father and a kind
friend. Amiable in his disposition. genial in his
social instincts, simple in his habits and incor
ruptibly honest, his path of glory led "buu to the
grave"
Governor Morton always lived, while at Wash
ington. at the EbbItt House, where he had a parior
and a bedroom up one fight of stairs. opening
out upon a little balcony over the main entrance,
capable of holding about a dozen persons. From
this balcony Senator Morton delivered many a
political harangue. It was a noticeable character
istic of the man that he rarely let slip an oppor-
tunity for making a political speech, and never,
so far as my observation serves, made such a
speech without throwing his whole power into it.
A serenade at his hotel by half a hundred dar-
kies, would bring him out upon the little balcony
in all sorts of weather. / have seen him more
than once standing there bareheaded on IA most
uneomfortably cold night, and heard him deliver
a political philippe for nearly half an hour,
when his whole audience would not number two
hundred, packed in the street below, and they
mainly u rabble of unkempt young darkies and
small boys. AT such times the thought has
often forced itself upon me that he was not ele-
waiting his high office; but the man could not re
sist such opportunities. The presidential maggot
possessed him like a demon. He gloried in po-
litical power. and lived on political excitement.
From 8 in the morning until 9 or 10 at night,
when he usually retired, his parlor at the Ebbitt
was almost constantly the scene of some confer
ence, except when he was at the Capitol, where
he never missed q days attendance if he was
well enough to be out of his bed.