The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-28
Sketch of His Life.

In The death of Justice Smith Morrill,
the Senate lost It's senior member iu
point OF service and It's Oldest ga age.
lie had seryci continuously ln the Sem
ate for more than thlrty-one years and
ne was cishty-cisht years old on the
am of April last With the single excep-
ton of Hon. Galusha Grow, of the House
OF Representatives. he was the only man
ln Congress whose congressional career
began prior Co the beginning OF the
civil war and he had The honor over
Mr.. Grow in that his congressional SER
vices had heen continuous. covering in
the Senate and House combined almost
f0rty-iour years.
BORN ~ VERMONT.
Mr.. Morrill, WAS "a native ol Vermont
lie was first elected TO tho House from
that STATE as member OF tho Thirty
fourth Congress, taking his seat at The
first assembling of that body after the
fourth OF March. 1850 He was elected
10 The Thiriy-hfih. Thry-siXth Thirty
seventh, Thirty-cighth ana Thirty-niuth
Congresses and was in 1861 elected o.
the Senate 20 succeed Hon. Luke J.. P0-
land.
lie held sis seat I'm tl'e Senate since
that date without interruption. having
been elected six times successfully.
His present term, 10 which he was
chosen in 1896. would not have expired
until 1903
Previous to entering Congress. Mr.
Morrill, had been engaged in mercantile
and agricultural pursuits and much Of
his public life has been devoted 20 the
uplifting OF interests dependent upon
these lines of business. lie had received
in lis youth am academic education. and
was from his early days close reader
and careful analyst OF public questions.
HIS TARIFF ACT.
It was at the beginning os the war
that Mr.. Morrills practical business
training first brought him forward as a
man of national reputation. lie was the
author OF The Morrill, tariff act OF 1851
which was the basis of all the tariff
legislation Of war times.
In 1864 he bccam0 chairman Of The
Committee 0n Ways and Means. the prin-
CiDal committee Of the House. and at
that critical time of especial Importance.
After entering the Senate Mr.. Morrill,
continued TO give his attention largely
TO financial and commercial questions,
and during the greater part of his term
Of service he was identified as a mem
Der of the Committee on Finance. lie
first became chairman of this committee
in 1877, succeeding Senator Sherman,
when the latter entered the Cabinet Of
President Hayes, and he held this posi-
.ion continuously after that date, except
during the Torty-eighth and Fffty-ttird
Congresses. when the Democratic party
controlled the Senate and during those
Intervals he continued at the head Of
.he Republican representation of the
committee.
In recent years he delegated the great
'r share Of the details of the committee
work TO the younger members OF the
committee.
FAUER OF THE LIBRARY.
During his long career Mr. Morrill, gave |
lis attention 10 many questions, ia which !
lis public life was more given to taking |
Ip subject and holding on. 10 1t for |
ears until consummated.
He was the real father OF the scheme |
or the construction Of building for |
he Congressional Library and TO him and !
Senator Voorhees,. who early Joined him |
n pressing this question IN Congress. is |
he splendid library building a monu- |
nent.
Very near TO his heart also were the |
,lans for the erection OF a sister build
ng for tho United States Supreme |
'ourt. He had been pressing a measure
ooking TO construction Of such a
uildng for many years and had on |
hree different occasions prevailed upon |
he Senate 10 pass a bill for this purpose.
HIS LAST APPEARANCE.
His last appearance in the Senate was
N the 18th instant, when he made a
peech Of half an hours duration In ad-