The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-19

the Government. and was eie, es s,t | colonel Aug. II, 1889.
 "Ip June. 1sss. at the inst .. as | General Lee. who was then pfeparia.
 Tor the Gettysburs campaign. and who personally notified him of his promo
 ton. he was appointed brigadier- gen
 eral, but being impeiied to the con-
 clusion that his duty was to remain with his regiment. he resigned the com mission, but was again in November 1863, promoted to brigadier- general for
 conspicuous and invaluable services.
 The field of the operation of the com mand in which he served extended from
 the Gulf to the Cumberland River. and | from Nashville to Bull Run. His com mand saw constant, active, and ardu l.
 ous service. often far in front of the
 advancing army. without support or re-
 enforcement. and often dependent upon
 the courage of It's men and the iH-
 genufty of it's commanders to prevent
 capture or destruction.
 General Morgan was always a mod : | est soldier. He had not taken up arms as a profession, but as what he conceived to be a solemn and fnpera-
 tive duty He was not ambitious of
 rank. nor was lie obsequious in under taking to gain the favor of his superior
 officers. He declined brigadier's
 commission when 1t would have left
 his regiment without a field officer,
 and when it needed him: he accepted a brigadier's commission when his regi-
 ment. recruited by himself, could safely
 spare him He was exceedingly zeaI-
 ous for the comfort, and. as far as | may be. the safety of his men, and
 shrank from seeking to obtain glory,
 or praise. by the unnecessary and
 fruitless sacrifice of the lives of his | private soldiers.
 When the inevitable termination of
 the war was reached, and when Nor
 gan and his comrades, who survived,
 laid down their arms and quit the con- | hict forever. there was none among
 them with a sadder heart than this
 gallant soldier. for he had loved and
 served the South with an affection that
 hoped and endured and was patient. l General Morgan went back to the l people of AlAbama to re-enlsst with them in a greater and possibly more
 troublous conflict than confronted the people of the South upon the field of
 battle. Upon every side was the ruin
 and desolation of war. The old aristoc-
 racy of the South, almost feudal in Its | magnihcenee, had been swept away. | Poverty and despair and desolation 1 were almost the universal condition of | our people, but this great man, we'll l knowing the steadfastnes of South | ern character and its ability to raise | itself above conditions that at the time seemed desperate and hopeless by I his calm courage and wise counsel led l and encouraged his people in that safe
 and sane pathway of redemption which
 ultimately led to our present happy l condition. Tn the presence of eondi- l tions that made the most coura geous and hopeful falter, he never lost con- | hdence in the ultimate triumph of the
 right. It is q great thing. Mir. Presi- | dent, for one to have been helpful apostle of cheerfulness through an epoch of despair.
 Morgan in Politics.
 'In 1878 General Morgan was named
 as presidential eleetor upon the Demo-
 cratic ticket from the etate-at-large
 His wisdom and eioquence and powers l of forensic argument had ripened and | become polished with the passing years l His eloquence and earnestness were irresistible, and in that campaign he
 achieved yet higher and more endur' Ing honors as statesman and pup licist. The confidence and admiration of his people wore SO aroused by ms eloouence and patriotism that in 1878 he defeated George s. Houston for the United States Senate one or the great est and most popular men that Ala bama has ever produced. At that time I was A member of the State Senate in Alabama, and voted for Senator Nor
 gan. So great has been the implicit eon n6denee of the people of Alabama in h:s wisdom and judgment. so pro- found their admiration for his intellect and statesmanship, so loyal their anec- ton for his stainless ana olaneiess character, that for thirty years. almost s third of a century, the people of great State retianed him as their senior ranresentative in the greatest delfbera- five body on earth, a striking commen- tary upon the possibility Of reward that may come to great neart ana great mind that holds itself aloof from
 TerIahisnees or the shadow of turn ing" sn... Nsor- gan. the things that he strived to ac- conplish. and that he did accomplish the great national problems that ne aided in solving. as well as the great national perils that he labored to con ouer, are so well and generally known that it will be useless on this occasion to attempt to augment his public career by their recital. He was student of wonderful application. ana was never content with superficial knowledge of any subject. He was familiar with the history and govern ments of all nations. His comprenen- sive understa nding made him familiar with social and economic philosophy' his marvellous store of knowledge com cerninE things of the historical and political world. as we'll as of familiari- ty with subjects which to the ordinary mind would be of no consequence. just Iy gave him the reputation Of being one of the most learned and erudite mem bers who ever honored this body. He was many times honored with posi- tions of great responsibility that called into exercise the most delicate, as well as the most comprehensive knowledge of things and men. His recognized fit- ness for the position caused him to be named as a member of the Berlng Fisheries Commission, and also as one of the representatives of the United States on the Board of Arbitration upon both of which he served with distinguished credit.
 "senatoF Morgan's advocacy of the Isthmian Canal was for years earnest and indomitable. It is true that he was partial to the construction of this great project across the Nicaraguan route, yet no well-informed person. who is anxious to preserve the truth of history, may successfully contend that any other American statesman more deserves to be called the Father of the Isthmian Canal than John f. Morgan. By his persistent and sue cessful advocacy of that great enter prise he has builded for himself A monument more enduring than bronze or marble. It was one of the most pathetic features connected with the death of this great man that he was not blessed to live long enough to see | the successful completion of this great national undertaking to which he had | so much research. enthusi- | asm, and persistence.