Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-02-24
JUSTIN s. MORRILL,.
Tribute by Prof Walter Il. How
ard of Middlebury College

n
Vermonters was held at the Elliott club
in that city Friday evening. An address
on 1.-THE Army Doctor" was made by DR..
Albert H. Briggs, who was the chief sur
geon of the 65th New York regiment and
was with the regiment all last summer at
Camp Alger. Rev. Henry +. Mott, a
Presbyterian pastor in Buffalo, spoke on
"Vermonters in the Navy" The leading
address was on "Vermont's Grand Old
Man" the late Senator Justin 5. Morrill,,
by Prof. Walter +. Howard, who for ten
years has been professor of political science
in Middlebury college and who was consul
at Toronto under President Arthur, and
consul at Cardiff Wales, under President
Harrison.
MIR. MorrilIs Stainless Record.
He said in part: 1.-The richest legacy to
any people is the life of good man. And
Senator Morrill,, to the full measure of a
man in wisdom, strength, and that beauty
of character that we call virtue, easily
stretched himself This country in the
long reach of its eventful history may
have produced some man as wise, some
man as strong, a man as good, but rarely
if ever have we seen among us as wise and
strong and good man as Mr.. Morrill,. In
him manhood-not American, not Eng
lish, not German but simple manhood
was at its best. His life was as pure as
his thoughts were, and they as crystal as
the running brooks that show their shin
ing pebbles in our mountain home. No
- reeking scandal ever hid its loathsome
head beneath his mantle-no shameful
vice-no foul intrigue-the rumor of no
low debauch. As easily might one think
of noisome pestilence lurking in the whole
some winds that roar this winter night
around old Killington. He was truth
full man. In all his years of active life, in
private matters or in public things, no
man can say that Mr. Morrill, ever lied to
him or deceived or caioled him or msled
him. His nature did not fit itself to in
trigue. The art of the demagogue, the
low cunning of the politician, he did not
possess and could never have acquired. |
have said that Mr.. Morrill, was a truthful
man-and so an honest man. Not honest
simply in the narrow commercial sense of
money deal, but honest in the broader field
of thinking. He was honest in his thought.
For very love of truth he could never bend
his mind to sophistry. What he said he
believed. He was literally sincere. His
judgment of men was clear, yet catholic;
his judgment of measures sound, yet toler-
ant.
morrill, the Man.
And he was a student and scholar.
He loved books. He loved nature and art
and all things beautiful. He was poet
not verse maker perhaps but verse
lover, and poet in that divine sense of
beauty back of all outward form. His
recreations were refreshment of soul in
nature-in sky and field, in bird and brook.
His spirit was sweet, his temper sunny,
his manner gracious. And with all this he
was strong man, with virile intellect,
keen logic, a fine discrimination and a
sound udgment-giving blows and taking
Bullets like man. But he was always the
rgcn-ece1an. And year by year there grew
into his cultured face the peace and har-
mony of a tempered life-as one who
walks by faith. And this was Justin Nor
rill-not Morrill, the senator, but Morrill,
the man-who strolled the country lanes
of STAFFORD, and eft upon the state, and
on the nation too, an impress that shall
never fade away.
He Enters Congress.
''In 1856 he took his seat in Congress
and at the age of Al entered upon that long
and unbroken career of usefulness and
honor that has had no parallel in all our
history.
"The time was thick with trouble The
great groundswell of human passion that
little later broke in roaring breakers of
civil war was surging everywhere. The
north and south were preparing for the in
evitable conflict"
Prof Howard then spoke of Senator
Morrilps congressional service and went
on
His Career In Congress.
paratory schools for Congress, and usually
the man who represents a district or a
state in the legislature of the nation has
had some previous experience in the legis-
lature of the state. There he has learned
the first lessons of parliamentary practice,
and upon that floor, with as gallant and
slashing antagonists as he will ever after
ward meet, he has tested himself in the
give and take of fierce debate, has learned
the art of rapid thought, of composure
and self-restraint. But Mr.. Morrill, had
no such advantage, for he had attended
no such school, In the search for men
most noted for wisdom and virtue the
town of STAFFORD evidently had not seri-
Ously considered Mr.. Morrill,, and he was
not the man, the or afterwards, to clamor
for Off e or thrust himself upon the notice
of his fellow men, But Vermont perfect
ed in Mr.. Morrill, the lesson that she had
fairly learned before, and that is to keep
men in Washington and let them grow in
to the stature of statesmen and nation
makers. 1t is in that way that she has
maintained, not equality merely, but her
pree minence in the Senate and so large
measure of influence in The House. Alb
sOlute integrity with but fair measure Of
ability, and time to grow, will give our
state or any other, in the long run, better
service and more honor than the lightning
of genius that flashes for night.
"Mr. M0rrl's congressional career was
identified in the public mind during his
long service in Congress with the finances
of the country.
But Mr.. dorrlps reputation is not de-
pendent upon his distinguished service in
the cause of good money and sound f.
nance. In at least two other departments
of activity his service was no less conspic-
nous and will perhaps contribute even
more to his enduring fame. He is the
founder of a college in every state of the
Union. There is no one to contest with
him his title of fatherhood to what are
known as the land grant colleges. These
institutions should, as they will, hold Mr.
Morrllps name in greatful remembrance
in all the years to come. They are and
will be his most enduring monument.
what lie Did for Washington.
"The other subject to which refer was
Mr.. MorrllPs influence upon the outward
r. Il.