Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-12-29

the news OF the death OF the senior senH
tor from Vermont, the venerable and ven
Grated Justin s. Morrill,, which occurred
Wednesday morning at :25 at bis Wash.
ingtoD home.
Especially mournful wss the impression
on the people of the state that he has rep
resented so long and so we'll, and more
especially still came the feeling OF bereave
| ment to the people OF this section OF Yer.
mont-Senator Morrili's home.
Though we'll preserved for a man OF bis
years, and especially SO in. mind, no has
been growing in feebleness for some time
| Only his strong will and indomitable de.
termination TO ssdie in the harness. has
kept him In his seat in the Senate for sew
eral years past.
He had not been feebler than usual un-
I'll about eek ago when he was attack ed
with griD He was confined to his home
but seven days. He grew no better as the
days went on, his low vitality, due TO ad-
vanced oge, being unable to resist the dis.
ease. On Christmas night it developed
into pneumonia aud from that time until
the end be sank steadily
With him when the end came was bis
sister in law, Miss Louise swan, his son,
James, Mr. Benjamin Durfee, for long
time associated with the senator in the
finance committee work at the capitoi.a and
Col. s. r. Chamberlin, an intimate friend
Senator Proctor was In the house nt the
time as were also several other friends
The senator never recovered from the uD-
conscious state into which he lapsed early
In the day and his death was calm and
o. aceful. tts4AtfA ~. 81 ...(. !,
The funeral OF Senator Morrill, will be
he'n at Washington Saturday and the ser
vices will probably be held In the Senate
chamber. James, bis son, and some OF the
family friends will leave for Vermont
Modday and fufther services will be held
At Montpelier before the remains are taken
to his old home in Strafford for interment
The remains OF Mrs. Morrill,, who died
during the present year, are now 10
vault at Washington and IL may be that
the Senator's body will be deposited there,
pending removal to STAFFORD. where
maus oleum is now in the course OF con-
struciion.
BIOGRAPHY OF SENATOR MORRILL,.
In the death OF Hon. Justin Smith Nor
riil the Senate lost its senior member in
point of service and its Oldest in age. he
had served CONTINUOUSLY in the Senate Tor
more than 81 years and he was SS years
old on the 14th OF April last. With the
single exception of Hon. Galusha Grow,of
the House 81 Representatives. he was the
only man in Congress whose coDgressioD-
al career began prior 10 the beginning OF
the civil war and be had the honor over
Mr.. Grow In that his congressional SER
vice had been continuous. covering in the
Senate and House combined slmost A
years. Mr.. MoTiil was native OF Yer,
"a mt. He was first elected q member OF
the House from that state as a member OF
the Thiriy-fourth Congress, takidg his
seat at be first embiing OF that body
after the An OF March. 1855. He was re-
rlecied to the Thirty fifth, Thirty sixth,
Thirty sevent b. Thirty -eight and Thirty
ninth CONGRESSES and was In 1857 elected
10 the Seaale TO succeed Hon. Luxe T. Po-
land. He held his seat in the Senate since
that date without interruption, having
been elected six times successfully. bis
urssenr fet m, to " bich be was chosen In
1895. would not have expired until l9J3-
Previous to entering Congress Mr.. Nor
rill had been engaged in mercantile ana
pursuits and much oil bis
public life has ueen devoted to the uplift-
ing OF interests dependent upon those
lines OF business. He hgd received In MS
youth an academic education and rom
his early days was a close reader and care
ful analyst OF public affairs
Il was at the Uegfnning OF the war that
NJ Morriil'a practical business training
first brought him forward as man of ma
fioual reputation. He was the author OF
the Morriil tariff act OF 1861, which was
be basis OF al the tariff leeislstion Of war
times. In 1854, be became chairman of
be committee on ways and means, the
principal committee OF the House aud at
/ hat critical time Of especial ir7portaDce-
After entering the Senate Mr. Morrill,
tn give his attention largely T.
financial and commercial questions and
during the greater part Of bis term of SER
vice he was Identified ss a memver OF the
committee on finance. winch committee
deals especially with these subjects. He
became cbairmsn Of this committee In 1877.
succeedi q Senstor Sherman hen the lat
Ter entered tue cabinet Of President Hayes
and be held tnis position. and continually
after that Jate, except during the Forty
sixth and Fifty third Congresses when
be Dpmocrstic party controlled the Sen
afe. ard durine those intervals be canfin-
ned a. be head Of the R~pubfcan repre-
eantafion on the committee. In recent
vears be deiegtied the greater share oi fhe
r.. efls ~ tue committee work to the
vonnrer mem sers Of the committee but