Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-29
Justin Smith Morrill,.

Justin Smith Morrill,.
We chronicle with slncerest sorrow the
sudden Illness and death of Nermont's
venerable senior Senator Justin Smith
Morrill,. Mr. Morrill, was born in
STAFFORD, Vt. April II, 1910. being the son
of Nathaniel Morrill,, and grandson of
smith Morrill,, who was one of the pio-
ncers of that town The father OF Senator
Morrill, was a successful farmer and manu-
facturer His son, the distinguished sub
icct of this sketch, received his carly edu-
cation in the public schools and loca, acad-
envy. At the age of fifteer he stepped be-
hind tho counter of Strafford merchant
as a cle.'>, and obtained further mercan-
tile exper, ~ GO in the successive employ OF
two prom ~; merchants in Portland
Me. In 1870 he I'D to Straffo:d to
become the commercial partnc: of the late
Judge Jedediah Harris. who was the lead
ing merchant in STAFFORD, an extensive
farmer, and an eminent citizen of that
county and Of the State. This business
connection was terminated only by tho
death of Judge Harris, in 1856. Seven years
previous to that event however. Mr.. Nor
rill ceased to give his personal attention
to the business. and devoted himself chief
ly to agricultural pursuits.
From his boyhood Mr. Morrill, had given
what of his waking hours was not occu-
pied in regular labor to books. While n
clerk he read "Blaokstone's Comment
aries" and in subsequent years he pur-
sued self-drected course of reading OF
thus storing his retentive memory with
facts, and fitting himself. consciously or
unconscicusly. for public life and national
usef'.luess and fame. Until he was forty
four years old. however, he had neither
sought nor held any public office higher
than that of Justice of the Peace; al
though in the circle of his numerous ac-
quaint ipce he had become known as a
man of much moro than ordinary intel
lectual ability, of remarkable balance Of
judgment, of marked business capacity, of
uniform courtesy and of pleasing person.
al address. Suddenly he stepped to the
front. In 1854 the late An
drew Tracy, of Woodstock, Representa-
tive Of the second congressional district
in Congress, after a single term, declined
Ia he a candidate for reelection. Mr..
Morrill, was suggested by some discern
ing friends as a fit man to succeed him.
The suggestion found favor. and ne re-
ceived the nomination Of the wing conven-
ton of the district. 1T was notable COM
pliment TO be paid TO n quie, and studious
farmer, who had never even represented
his town in the Legislature. A third party
candidate drew off 1000 votes from him.
but Mr. Morrill, was elected by small
majority, and took his seat in the Thirty
fourth Congress on the 30 of December,
1855. He had been elected as a whig, but
the whg party was then in the tiiroes of
dissolution; nnd when he appeared at
Washington IL was as representative of
the new republican party, in the organi-
cation of which in Vermont he haa taken
part. ard of whose principles he became
the earnest advocate, lie soon made his
mark as an intelligent legislator. He OPP
posed the tariff bill of 1857 in a speech
which attracted wide attention. He car
ried through the House the hrst bill
against Mormon polygamy. Conscious
that college education would have been
OF great value to himself in public life, ne
resolved to do what he could through ma
tional legislation to promote liberal and
practical education for the youth of our
land. He introduced the first bill to grant
public lands for the support of agrlcul-
tural, scientific and industrial colleges,
and advocated it in an able speech. 1t
was vetoed by President Buchanan but
was again introduced by Mr. Morrill, in
1862 and, through his able management, II
became a law. Under this act forty-seven
land grant colleges have been organized
In the various States, with 500 professors
and over 1000 students. The national boun-
~ has called out State aid in large
amounts, and the act, supplemented by
the act (also carried through by Mr.. Nor
rilD increasing the fund placed at thedis
posal of these institutions. has given an
immense impulse to liberal and Industrial
education, and will confer incalculable
benefits upon the rising generations of our
land.
Mr.. Morrill, was five times reelected ia
the House, by majorlties ranging from
70t0 to 5000. and grew steadily in standing
and influence in the lower branch of Con-
grcss till, In the Thirty-ninth Congress
he held the leading position of chairman
OF the committee of ways and means; and
was said OF him, with truth. that his in
fiuence in the House WAS greater than
that of any other member, with tho ex-
ception Of Thaddeus Stevens. Among the
important speeches made by him during
the critical period before the civil wal
was one in support of a report. also made
by him, in opposition to the admission OF
Kansas with a pro-slavery constitution
During the war he had charge Of all the
tariff and tax bills-a Herculsan task