News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-10-30
Senator Morrill, Addresses the
Legislators.


to me, not only recently but always,
by the Vermont Legislature, is pro-
foundly appreciated. My term OF
service by its extension will have
been made conspicuous, and | wish
that my resources were equal to an
adequate return for so marked q dis
tinction. You will not expect me at
this time TO give an account of my
past stewardship, as you now only
Wsspt the wit of breYity, and when it
occurs to me that the extension OF
my term may have been based not SO
much upon the record of the past as
upon what is expected in the future,
have much fear that you have
over-estimated the natural force
of an octOgenarian. To Divine Prov
| ldence | am grateful for a fair meas
ure of health, and, therefore, NAV
promise, so long as ! may continue
III public service, a fair measure of in
dustry and a heartfelt solicitude for
the prosperity of Vermont, as well as
for that of our whole country.
My past services, however account
ed, have been the best | could offer,
and L hope not altogether valueless.
To my faults Vermonters have ever
been little blind, as they have not
had, so far as | know, a quarrel with
me at any point for 36 years, and
with the recent eliminating honor
conferred by the Legislature, it
would seem rather stupid on my
part to seek a quarrel. If the Legis-
lature can stand it, shall try to do
so. Therefore, the further duties as
signed to me will be accepted, though
not unmindful of the grave response
bility to be assumed, or of the labor
to be imposed upon me. 1t will not
be expected of me, however, to do so
much that nothing will be left to be
done by the boys.
l do not wish to conceal the fact
that the abiding favor of the people
of Vermont has made my public SER
vice exceptionally pleasant, and l
have not become disgusted with it,
though often feeling that my brief re-
mainder of life might be appropriate
ly devoted to leisure and social en-
joyment with my friends and family.
Those who grow weary of public SER
vice cannot fail to remember that
designations are always i'll order and
seldom unwelcome. Some of my
dearest friends have attempted to
attune my ears to the doleful an
nouncement that they intended to
give me the chance of an exit while in
harness, but let me say to them that
L have no present eagerness for an
early exit, and am not ambitious to
be buried at the public expense.
To have preserved the confidence
iTlnd favor of the people of Vermont
renowned for their good sense and
sterling integrity, through one whole
generation with a continuance into
the next, is much more than | could
have anticipated or claimed, and |
lack words to express the full sense of
my obligations. 1t comes to me al
most like the final Judgment of pos
terity, which, it is said, no man can
ever know. The chief merit | have,
however, is one common here to all,
that | have ever believed Vermont
was not only a good State to be born
in, but the best State to live in, and
/ have a robust faith it will so con-
tinue forever.
The government of this country
must be conducted practically by
great parties, and we are left free to
ally ourselves to that party with
whose patriotism, principles, meas
ures and men we can, on the whole,
most sincerely agree. | remember
that Stephen A. Douglas, an honored
son of Vermont, used to say that the
democratic party would go down
the road to ruin if it were not for the
whig party which now and then
would put on the brake. So now,
though it may seem grievous to re-
publicans for the moment. the demo-
cratic party in Vermont are striving
to be useful by getting power enough
to put on a brake. If they can teach
us a more excellent way, let us show
that we are not too old to learn. The
constant fiction of parties Is a Pt to
rub out shame, anG, let mt ada, II all
candidates for official stations were
to receive an individual vote, it
would not fail to initiate their vanity.
But democrats, though in a minor
ity, have as much right as the most
radical republicans to demand that
the duties of public servants shall be
so discharged as to bring no discred-
it upon the State.
Ii 1 nave made little history my
self, at least | have lived in historic
times, or through the era of border
ruffian invasion of Kansas; through
the great anti-slavery debates and
the emancipation of the whole co,ored
race; through the days of Lincoln,
Grant and the great captains in the
war of the rebellion; through the dis
may of Bull Run and the olorips OF
Gettysburg and Appomattox; and
through the disasters of tariff for
revenues only to the practical and
impeachabIe prosperity of a protect
i've tariff; through the great career
of Senators Coliamer, Foot, Seward,
Sumner, Fessenden, Grimes, Chand-
Ter, Hale, Morton, Conkling, Doug
las. Cass and Chittenden, and finally
until the new birth of the nation,
with it's over sixty millions of the
people in 1890, instead of twenty-siX
millions in 1854, and with a union of
| fOrty-fOur States instead of thirty
one. The labor and responsibility in
the conduct of all branches of the
public service steadily grows and eX-
pands with the marvellous annual
growth of the country, and its terri
torial magnitude is tar beyond that
proudly described by Cyrus to Keno
phOn, when he said, "Mv fathers
empire is so large that people perish
with cold at one extremity, whilst
they are sutfocated with heat at the
other" To become even tolerably
familiar with the wants and many
requirements of a country so broad,
of a people SO vast in numbers, and
so energetic and busy with the
worlds affairs, requires a public ser.
want, if not "to scorn delights" AT
least "to live laborious days"
In this epoch Vermont has had 8
fair part. She sometimes nominates
presidents and helps to elect them
She has one of her distinguished mel
in the cabinet who commands tn,
army of the United States with con
ceded honor to the whole country, al
well as the surgeon-general, and tn,
commander of the Grand Army O
the Republic 1t is unnecessary tC
speak of my colleagues. They cal
speak for themselves, and my col
league in the Senate hasspoken NOR