The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-02

that on retiring that night. he thought the
clusion that the future he had planned for
himself and the crisis even then impending
over the country. demanded seriousness.
humor grew genial and kindly. In hours
when he might take a little ease he rested
on the cushion of this humor. and thereby
lessened the tremendous strain OF his work.
When / went TO him in Washington, in
obedience to a telegram. ar the opening OF
the Grant administration in 1859. / asked
him what ne wanted me for He pointed
TO two immense clothes baskets heaplng
full of letters and papers. and said. with
q smile: That" 1t was my duty TO pre-
pare letters for his signature in reply to
those which could not We'll be otherwise
answered That was before the days or
script For two or three days. the let
tiers were laid before him. l noticed that
he seemed TO be struggling as with some
give-it-up air. would afhX his signature.
One morning he looked up and said: "Lige;
course blush of ingenious pride mantled
my cheek but II was almost Immediately
dispelled by his adding; 81 sign my d naI9r
on earth can read what there Is in them
1t is some satisfaction TO know that Tor
the letters for which was responsible ever
returned to plague him.
When the total eclipse of the sun oc-
Cured I'm this latitude in the summer or
1863 I was detailed 10 accompany scieh-
tific party which witnessed the phenomenon
in Terre Haute. One OF the pieces Oh n.er
splendid description OF previous eclipse
from the pen OF a distinguished American
writer The Senator read read IT. an1 n twiseea
| The morning after the echpse as l carrie
into the sitting room used as his once; ne
| laid down the Journal and said. with
| twinkle in his eye: II am glad So-and-So
mentioning the celebrated author. lis dead;
| he would have felt so bad to-day l fear
| there was good ground for his sarcasm.
| There must have been very sophomorlc
| corona and any number OF rhetorlcs.i
! RaiIev's beads in my account OF the event:
During the time when L. u. Reavis was
| agitating the project for the remoVal OF
| the National capital to St. Louis-the press t.s
| scheme finding its wav even into the nalls
| of Congress-Sauator Morton had occasion
to write me. This he did throusn secre-
| tary who had forgotten. IL he ever Knew.
| the rule that capital letters should begin
| sentences and be used for the personal pro-
noun and for proper LANES ;r,ra rt;sl in his
| treatment of capitals, placing them wner,
ever his fancy suggested. The SENATOR rah
| read the letter over before he signed it,for
| he added i'm his owe writing: You will see
le.ft-hand corner of the sheet: You VIII see
| that my new secretary Is capitai re-
mover.
HIS STERLING INTEGRITY.
Morton was man of integrity. I do not
| mean simply that he did not steal; there
are many who will not steal who are far
| from being men of integrity. Millions of
| dollars passed through Morton's hands, for
| the use of which he was under no account
| ability. His nat Ire was such that the
| golden stream never tempted him. He did
| not have to debate with himself as to what
| he should or should not do when any ques-
ton came up that affected integrity He
| was scrupulous to provide things honest in
3e sg. OF OF evil 'o His record in dealing
| with all public trusts was an open DOCK.
| ever ready for inspection. His integrity in
| all respects and in all matters was uhas-
| sailabe.
He was at heart q religious man. Like
| all great natures. his was based upon the
I eternal verities. He never permitted Il
| slight to be put upon Christianity or the
| church in his presence, and he relied upon
| Christian Institutions and Christian poop e
as his chief helpers in great crises. l recall
setting in old Roberts Chapel one Sunday
morning. A battle was. imminent, and
| there was need of lint and bahdages to be
| Immediately forwarded TO the front for the
| care of the wounded. Before the service
commenced the tall form Of Governor Nor
| rapidly up the aisle. whispered In the ear
| of the pastor, and then, stepping to the
desk. made his appeal to the women present
the city that afternoon to scrape lint and
| prepare bandagesi The Governor went
repeating his desire from their puipts.
| with the result that hundreds responded to
| his call, and the necessities OF the boys
u
| When one OF our regiments was j., being
| transported from the East to the West.
| and was to reach the depot Of the c., II. &
| u. railroad at Cincinnati about noon of one
| day I'm the heat of summer, Governor Nor
! ton telegraphed to the superintendent from
| New York. where he had been called on
| important business: ION the arrival of the
| Indiana troops at your depot, see that they
have all possible attention. even toNa cup
| of cod water in the name OF the great
| Master" Writing to friend from New
York on the night before he sailed for Eu-
rope. I'm 1862 he said: For the sympathy
expressed for me by the people at home I
am most grateful, and you are right when
you say you believe that deeply appreci-
ste the prayers which have been offered up
behind. am no inlidel. l was educated
by pious parents TO profess belief in Chris
things: and though I may. in many things.
not have led Christian life, yet ! have
never fallen into disbelief. nor have / been
the immoral man some would have the
| world believe. The Christian gentleman Is
the noblest and loveliest character on
earth. for which ] entertain the highest
respect and love. / recognize the hand of
Providence in all the affairs OF men. and
believe there is a Divine economy which
Tbis M n tne lwes ana conduct Of nations ,
record or remembered by those with whom
he talked on the deep things of life.. which
own words. his reverence for holy things -
HIS DEATH.
In the supreme hour, racked with pain
as he had been for days. his physical sys-
tenn so utterly exhausted that it failed
to respond to any medicament. his wife and
three boys. other relatives and a few
friends about the bedside he responded tc
questions. showing his perfect conscious
ness. His faithful friend and physician sat
by him. holding his hand. A tremor passed
through the frame of the dying man, and
he rubbed his hand feebly over his heart
and moaned: 81 am worn out" DR.
| Thompson arose. and. bending slightly over
afraid to meet DEATH" There was pre-
ceptible strengthening of the undaunte6
spirit, noticeable even through the wasted
| body; and thus, intrepid to the last and
in the full possession of It's faculties his
soul passed to the God who gave ii. with
whom alone is Judgment
There remains one other thing for me
70 say, but which / hesitate to approach
The door of the home should not be opened
with curiosity or rudeneSS; but the charac.
ter of Oliver =. Morton would be lily SET
forth IL the love he had for those standing
| nearest him by nature was left unmen-
toned. IL was an ideal home over which
children was supreme; it's manifestation
constant. Or. Bayliss talked with me while
| preparing the noble euogy pronounced by
| him at the funeral, and / can best quote
the Doctors words: This man had some
thing else in him besides ambition and
hate wrong with intensity and could de-
nounce 1t with the vehemence OF lightning
could carry the affairs of a great State in
his iron hand ard do il easily. and could
leap almost in a day to the leadership OF
the Senate. he could also love like d wom-