Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-28
Morrill,, Of Vermont,
Passes Away.
\ VICTIM OF PNEUMONIA
Senior Member OF the Senate, Roihin age
ana in Point OF Service. Father
Congressional Library
building Scheme.
(By Telegraph


WASHINGTON, Dec 2s.-Hon. Jus
tin S. Morrill,, the senior United States
Senator from Vermont, died at twenty
five minutes past 1 o'clock this morn
ing in the S9th year Of his age, after an
illness of less. than week. With him
when the end came were his sister-in-
law Miss Louise Swan, his son. James,
Mr.. Benjamin Durfee, for n long time
associated with the Senator in the
Finance Committee work at the Capitol,
and Colonel S. E. Chamberlain, an inti-
mate friend. Sena tor Proctor was in
the house at the time as also were sew
eral other friends. The Senator never
recovered from the unconscious state
into which he lapsed early in the day
and his death was calm and peaceful
The immediate cause of death was
pneumonia, Which developed from an
attack of grip contracted about a week
ago.
No definite funeral arrangements
| nave yet been made. 1t is altogether
likely that public services will be held
! in the Senate chamber, but just when
cannot now be stated. The remains Of
Mrs Morrill. who died during the pres
ent year, are in 4 vault at Rock Creek
Cemetery, near this city and it may be
that the Senator's body will be depos-
tied there pending removal to Stafford,
! VT, Where nauoleunl is now in course
/ Of construction.
| In the death Of Hon Justin Smith
Morrill,, the Senate lost its senior mem
| in Mt of
age. He had served continuously in
the Senate for more than thirty-one
/ Years and he was IS years old on the
18th Of April last. With the single ex-
EceptionS OF Hon. Balu.ha Grow, of the
1 d59 =. sef,SRepressnta vas the
Esional career began prior to the begin
thing offtheS Civil war and he had the
! honor over Mr. Grow in that his Con-
gressional services had been continu-
/ Gus, covering in the Senate and House
combined almost forty-four years.
ELECTED SENATOR SIX TIMES.
| Mr.. Morrill, was a native of Vermont
.he was first elected to the House
from that State as member Of the
! Thirtyfourth Congress taking his seat
at the first assembling Of that that
body after the fourth OF March 1855.
| lie was reelected to the Thirty-fffth,
! Thirty-sixth. Thrty-seventh and Thir-
ty-eighth Congress and was in 1867
tSteClSu " The SENATE TO succeed II on.
! Luke P. Poland. He held his seat in
| the Senate since that date without in
| tcrruption, having been elected six
| times successfully. His present term,
to which he was chosen in 1896, would
rot have expired until 1908.
| Previous to entering Congress- Mr.
Morrill, had been engaged in mercantile
and agricultural pursuits.
He acquired in his youth an academic
| education and from his early days was
a close reader and careful analyst of
public affairs.
| i was at the beginning Of the war
that MIR. Morrill's business training first
brought him forward as a man of ma
/ tional reputation. He was the author
Of the Morrill, Tariff Act of 1861, which
was the basis of all the tariff legisla-
ton of war times. In 1864 he became
chairman of the committee on ways and
means, the principal committee of the
House, ct that critical time Of especial
Importance.
After entering the Senate Mr.. Morrill,
continued to give his attention largely
to agricultural and financial questions
ON FINANCE COMMITTEE.
During the latter part of his service,
he was Il member Of finance commit
tee, which committee deals especially
with these subjects He first became
| chairman of this committee in 1877, sue
| ceeding Senator Sherman when the lat
ter entered the cabinet of President
Hayes and he held this position contn-
uously after this date, except during
| the Forty-sixth and Fifty-third Con
! crosses, when the Democrats party
!! controlled the Senate and during those
intervals he continued at the head Of
/ the Republican representation on the
committee. In recent years he dele
gated the greater share of the details
| of the committees work to the younger
members.
During his long career Mr. Morrill,
gave his attention to many questions
! and no man was ever more given than
/ he to taking up q subject and holding
on to it until consumed.
| EIe is the real father of a scheme for
| the building Of a Congressional library
and to him and Senator Voorhees,, who
early Joined him in pressing this ques-
/ ton upon Congress is the splendid
| library building a monument.
| Very near to his heart also were the
] plan for the erection of q sister building
| for the United States Supreme Court.
| He had been pressing a measure look
| ing to the construction OF such build
! ing for many years and had on three
different occasions prevailed upon the
Senate to pass his bill for this purpose.
His last appearance in the Senate was
on the 10Th instant when he made a
| speech of half an hours duration in ad-
| vocacy of the Supreme Court building
/ bill. He at the same time prevailed
upon the Senate to pass the bill in the
face of some opposition.
| Mr.. Morrill, was an indefatigable
| worker, and while not an orator, he
| spoke gravely and forcibly and was al
ways listened to attentively. Ills great
| age and high position caused him to be
universally esteemed by the other mem
bers of the Senate.