Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-01-06
ESSEX County Arrall.
Justin Smith Morrill,.

more universally, too, than rest
ed down upon them all when
the announcement was made
that Senator Morrill, was dead.
Those who remember or observed
the sad funeral cortege of Sena-
tor Collamer, the throbbiug of
social centres when the stirring,
striking and abundant yet pung-
ent eloquence of Upham became
silent, or when the brilliant, ac-
complished and elegant though
somewhat aristocratic life of
Phelps went out, can plainly see
a distinction between the grief
occasioned by those events, as
great as it was, and the present.
When like events occurred in for
mer times they conceived senti-
ments and emotions of awe and
mysterious greatness and the
grandeur of lives at a greater
distance from the common people
than are those of their leaders
and representatives of the present
day. In all times public leaders
are apt TO have some striking
traits, some distinct lines on
which their energies and accom-
plishments run with such inten-
sity as to leave out or obliterate
a variety of other qualities; and
many times such tendencies alb
sorb or blunt sociability, human
ity and benevolence. When such
great and good men die there is
always public grief. All men are
sensible then of a great loss to
the public, and mourn with pro-
found and respectful sorrow the
loss of eminent and useful ele-
ments from the moral and po-
litical forces in the State. But
the loss ola man who carried for
nearly half a century of public life
all the desirable qualities of his
nature through the most stormy
currents of public career, in
Guiding the rufianly days OF con-
tention on the line between free
dom and slavery, and the civil
war which took many statesmen
off their feet and rocked the re.
public as with the throes of an
earthquake. a man who during
all the vicissitudes of a long and
eventful career exercised towards
all his people the most equable
relations, constantly growing in
their esteem, affection, land it is
. no venture to say love, is not
only a public loss, but an occa.
sion for individual sorrow. There
is not spot in the state so OBJ
scure that it's residents do not
feel that an almost overwheln.
ing calamity has come and not a
man of any consciousness who
does not feel a personalities. The
whole state is melted into a
great family, silent, subdued and
grief stricken. Even fiery zeal
and clamor for personal prefer.
ment stands awed for a moment
before the proud majesty of a
sublime life and the abundant
harvest of the great reaper.
Senator Morrill, was not only
a representative of a generation
of bold, sturdy, generous and
kindly men, nearly all of whom
are gone; but he was one who
by accretion, continually took on
and assimilated those young and
changing sentiments which cheer
and inspire public and private
intercourse. Seldom was there
ever such a young old man as he
or one so suave in manners and
methods. and yet so quietly
effective in accomplishment. His
taste sought rich, plain, substan.
tial things. AS a genial, indus.
trious farmer, he steadily in.
creased his store by his own pro.
duction and development, with.
out taking from others their Just
belongings. AS merchant, by
thrift and honest ways, he did SO
extensive business as to benefit
the public by thriving on small
profits. He entered public life
modestly; indeed Unexpectedly
as 1T appeared. He seemed to
grow into it, or to come along as
If in the natural order of things
and he brought from as far back
as anybody knows him that pc
Ct11iar- Eacu1ty oT ..44: 4.