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

I put HefnDeF DUpIIdEt
OF Congress, at least; and II was doubtless
| supposed that the Indianian would be one
| dent 10 the unwritten law. Ii is question:
/ tom: but IL so. il was TO him one more
| honored in the breach than in the ohserv-
ance. If he had anything to say or TO do
| his habit had been to say il or to do il;
/ and In those days, when the issues or the
! war had passed from the field OF battle to
/ the forum of Congress. ii was not in his
nature to remain quiet nor permit himself
| to be hampered. Mr.. Hendricks said TO me
on one occasion during the earlier months
/ OF Morton's membership that he lMorton)
was making a serious mistake. HE seems
! TO feel as in Indiana, that whenever (Mr.
| Hendricks) speak. he must necessarily re-
| full, and / am accepted as their spokes-
man: but the Republican side of the cham,
| experienced in debate, and they will not
| take kindly to Morton's assumption; Dir.
Hendricls meant the sugsehs paneaad 70
| Senator Morton. When l did this ii was
received cutie in silence. but without , cyl
| ton made his speech on reconstruction,
drawing from Reverdy Johnson the com.
! plment that it recalled the Palmy nays or
| houn were OF its membership. there was
| neither need nor occasion for further eau
! ton to the new expounder of the Constitu-
| ton and defender of the Union. He had
| earned his right to be heard at Will, 2 right
never abused by speaking merely oI Tor
J speechs sake. His primacy was at once
| recognized and assured.
HIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE.
| Senator Morton was assigned. among otn-
/ er committees, to membership upon the
| foreign relations committee Of which Sem
! ator Sumner was the distinguished chair
man. 1t has been heretofore noted that be-
| tween these two there developed strong
| personal friendship. Dissimilar in many
| respects, they were at one in the deepest
and strongest characteristics of their ma
4 IL
and unlikenesses they were drawn to each
| other by bonds of personal regard that
| were not broken despite their succeeding
| party estrangement. 1t is singular that the
| OF which he had been so long the honored
| head should have been the means of in
! Producing the other to his commanding po-
| sition In the Senate and in the Nation. 1t
| was q trying scene In the Senate chamber
| when this oecapitation took place. Dit
! ferences had arisen between the admins
| tratlon and Mr.. Sumner, so radical that
| the pubic interests required the recon-
| structon of the foreign relations commit
| tee, and the naming OF a chairman in har-
| mony with the President and Secretary OF
| State. 1t was a duty from which the Re-
| pubiicans shrank because of their regard
| Tor Mr.. sumner. In the desire TO neither
| unnecessarily wound him nor deprive him
| or Craftsmanship. a new committee was
| organized-that on privileges and elections
| Mr.. Summers name being the first on the
| list or its members, the second that of
| Oliver p. Morton. L shall not forget the
| nounced. Amid a profound silence, both on
| the floor and in the crowded galleries. the
| tension in the chamber painful and almost
| pathetic. the resolution was read. The for
| eign relations committee was announced,
| with Simon Cameron as chairman. and fol-
| lowing shortly came the new committee,
| with Mr.. Summers name first. When the
| reading was completed Mr.. Sumner arose
| and in his deep voice fu.l of emotion said:
| Mr.. President, desire to have my name
eliminated from that committee" This
| destination left Mr.. Morton chairman. 1t
tG to do, t,-+,r
| the Senate and to the country that il was
| not the committee which made the chair
man, but the chairman that made the COM
| rnittee. Senator Morton at once lifted his
new committee into prominence. Its in
| designations challenged the attention OF the
| Nation. II was the angel with the flaming
| sword, guarding the gates in every direc-
| ton. 1t drove a Senator from his seat
whose tenure was tainted with corruption;
| and 1t Will be many years before the presl-
| dental ONCE Will be again threatened by
such an impudent fraud as that from Ore
| gon, with the gibbeting of which the in
domitabe chairman practically closed his
| pubic life and service.
| 1t is not 4 secret that Senator Morton
| Ceslred TO serve on the judiciary committee
| lie felt himself TO be a great lawyer not
| in the technicalities and literature of the
law, perhaps; but in grasp of fundamental
| principles, and IN that absolute clearness
OF conscience which always led him to seek
a.one that justice whose seat is in the
BOSOM or God. He was disappointed in this
| desire; but his service on the Electoral
| commission amply made known his fitness
| anu equipment Tor the highest judicial
| place. President Grant said that but for
his physical condition, he should have APP
pointed Senator Morton Chief Justice OF
the United States.
| AMBITIOUS TO BE PRESIDENT
Morton was ambitious to be President:
but the desire was not. with him, the last
innrmity of great mind. His failure to
secure the nomination in 1876 because of
the widespread fear of his physical ina
bility to bear the heavy burdens of the
Office. did not in the least sour him. nor
defect him for moment from his work as
Senator. The Office could not have con-
ferred additional distinction upon him. He
had reached a position of influence and
power, u sphere of labor and achievement
for the pubic welfare that fully satisfied
him. His line nature was never corrupted
with the mere lust of office. His desire for
place and power was that he might the
better serve his country and his age.
| But IL was as a man ana frIenu mat the
memory or Oliver 7. Morton is the dearest
He had the genius OF friendship. The
man that hath friends must himself be
friendly" To the poorest and the humblest
there was neither patronage nor conde-
scension in his friendship. He did not feel
that TO Impress his own greatness upon
others he must be either imperious or dis.
tant He did not fear the common people.
rien was not a parvenu;; He was born a
man; and through all his years he filed
the measure of that splendid panegyric
upon the noblest Roman of them ALL
| 'Aio hiO Nd' Scul4c, anu the eleinentS so
mixed in him, that nature might stand up
and say TO all the world, This was n
man. He exacted no Office of abasement
| from a friend. With him friendship was as
ennODilng as II was constant. Toward those
10 whom he had once given his confidence
| mere was neither variableness nor shadow
OF turning. Gratitude was not with him
the livery sense of favors to come He did
not dlSdain to be grateful for honorable
| ana faithful service already rendered
When the necessity was imperative for a
chahge or pension agent in this city, he
spoke 10 me of General Terrell with tears
IN MS eyes and tremor in his voice nor
Lublic service was obtained for ths
General worthy of his abilities and
OF his stainless and perfect intao.
| Tlty as an administrative officer Nor.
ton loved his early friends with q per.
1ect love. New ones were made but the,
never displaced the cd ones 1t was a rare
| treat 10 go with him TO the annual meet.
| ings OF the old settlers of Wayne count,
(Which he attended when he could) and r.
witness the hearty pleasure of thos(
amongst whom he had spent his yonnre,
years. as they took his hand and receiyef
from him the cordial greetings OF comrade
snip. Tnere was gentleman present or
In the forehead, who imagined himself r.
be writing the early history OF the county
| recall MIN as he stood upon the platform
| with the title page and prospectus of his
| proposed book in hand and note again thf
respectful manner i'm which Senator Nor
ton gave way TO him while he asked fo,
subscriptions for his work which he en-.
titled 70 use his own words "Historica
Events and "reminiscences of Wayne Coun-
/ ty." While some laughed, Oliver z. Nor.
ton taught them and me a lesson in trus
| gentiemanliness.