Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-10-18
In Honor of Robert Morris.

Robert Morris, the financier OF the Revo-
luton, was honOred at Batavia, n l..
last Saturday by the dedication as me
mortal to him Of the old Land Office OF the
Holland Purchase, built about the year
1904 and bought in 1894 by the Holland
Purchase Historical Society, that it might
be preserved uuts future generations.
Very appropriately the chief dedlcatory
address was made by John q. Carlisle,
Secretary of the Treasury, and llnesi de-
scendants of the great superintendent oi
Finance were present amonge the multi
tude of listeners. All of President Cleve
lands Cabinet were present except the
Attorney General and the Secretary OF
Agriculture.
Secretary Carlisle spoke at length of the
valuable services of the fioancler oil the
Revolution and called attention to the neg
lect hitherto to erect monument to his
memory. He then proceeded to sketch
in detail the incident of Morris career,
beginning with his birth in England in
1734, his arrival in Philadelphia, HE early
career as a merchant and his entrance into
the politics of the revolution.
Then followed rehearsal of the financial
struggles of the Revolutionary period down
to the complications. distresses and hard
ships that befell the country under tae
Continental money" which had been put
in circulation
Morris at once directed his attention to
the establishment of a national bank as an
auxiliary or aid to the Government in the
conduct of its financial affairs, and after
much opposition he succeeded in securing
a charter for the Bank OF North America.
with q capital of $400, 900, to be located at
Philadelphia. 1t was the first bank in
America thar redeemed its notes IN specie
on presentation, and it undoubtedly Afford
ed great assistance TO the Government Dy
granting loans from time 20 time and by
effecting exchanges on the public account.
For little while the notes OF the bank
were at discount, but they soon rose to
par, and never sfterwsre deprecated.
Mr.. Carlisle then explained at length the
plan OF which Morris submitted tn Con-
grees for q uniform coinage, but which was
largely prepared by GouYernour Morris,
ard described other operations which he
introduced into the financial system OF the
Confederation, concluding with the retire
ment from the office of Superintendent OF
Finance in 1748
In 1856, at the solicitation of his fellow
citizens. he became member of the Penn
sylvania Legislature, and in 1887 he was
elected delegate to the great convention
which framed the present Constitution OF
the United States. When that instru-
ment had been ratified by the States he
and William Maclay were chosen the first
Senator'S from Pennsylvania.
Morris died on the eighth day of May,
1906, in the seventy third year of his age,
and was buried in a little church yard on
Second street, in Philadelphia, where his
remains now rest, with NO monument over
them except an ordinary stone slab
As Robert Morris in his day owned
much of tie land now composing Butler
county, including the ground upon which
our town now stands, Xe are pleased to
see the above tribute to his memory. But
how few there are now among us that ap-
preciate his memory or services to his
country. Is it not surprising that his re-
mains lay in Philadelphia, the city OF his
residence and labors, in q little church
yard with no monument over them, except
an ordinary stone slab. 1t seems 10 us u
man who rendered SO great service 10 his
country in the days of the Revolution is
entitled to a greater monument than that.
As Washington was said 10 be the 'sword"
so was Robert Morris termed the purse"
Of the Revelation. From the feeble States
that he then pledged all his private for
tune to save, we have now a mighty Re
public of States bounded by the seas.
Monuments should be more numerous To
tell to the present generation, and all fu-
ture ones, the story of the great services,
the unselfish patriotism, as we'll as the
melancholy close of the life oi Robert
Murris