Year: 1877

Letter from a Representative.


INDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA.


November 5, 1877.


To THE EDITOR OF THE DISPATCH:


While waiting here for the next train
to Washington, 1 have thought it we'll
to improve the time by addressing you
a few hurried sentences, which may be
OF interest to your readers. I propose
after reaching my destination. to occa-
sionally write to each of the journals Of
your city. and if by chance there shall
be anything Of interest to our people,
let it be considered common property
and published as such. I am led to-
these remarks from the fact that even
il matters of public interest, and re-
lating to the general welfare, some of
these journals have refused to publish.
matter unless it could first appear in.
their columns.


To-day has been a sad and gloomy
day in this the capital of the great State
of Indiana. The remains of Senator
Morton were to-day borne to their last
resting place, and the whole city is in
deep mourning. will not attempt to
describe the obsequies. as you will re-
ceive detailed account of them by tell.
egraph long before this letter reaches
you. That Senator Morton was a great
aud good man, all admit, even his po.>
litical enemies; personal enemies he
had none. 1t seems to have been ono
OF the peculiar characteristics of this
statesman that in all the great conflicts.
OF his active life, he never waged a per-
sonal warfare, but on the contrary was
often on terms of personal friendship
with his most bitter political enemies.
This feature of his character stands out
in bold relief. is much commented on,
and recognized as one of the life les
sons he has left as legacy to posterity.


Through the kindness of the Mar.
shal of the occasion, Gen. Wallace, I
was invited to the house of the late
Senator, where the remains lay at the
time of the formation of the procession,
and thus obtained a position at the sub
sequent ceremonies that but compare
lively few enjoyed in that immense
throng. It-occurred to me while wit
Messing this great display of affection
and homage that Seattle had lost its
only opportunity to do honor to itself
by entertaining in suitable manner
the late Senator and his associates on
the occasion of their visit to our shores,
last summer. Such opportunities should
not be lost even through inadvertance,
as in this case, and I mention it more
by the way of a reminder in the future
than criticism of the past.


In San Francisco I made the ac-
quaintance of your old friend Governor
Stanford, through your letter. The
Governor is hale and hearty. inquired
after your welfare, and wishes to be,
specially remembered to you. He was.
very pleasant and genial, and seemed
anxious to learn the particulars as to
the resources and condition of our sec
ton of country. lie is evidently in his
element as railroad king.


Nothing specially worthy of note has.
occurred on the trip thus far. At Kel-
ton our old friend; the Rev. H. K.
Hines. came on board the train and
was fellow passenger through to Chs
cago. Mr.. Hines informed me that
the people of Eastern Oregon have
formed joint stock company for the
construction of arrow gauge railroad
from the Umatilla landing on the CO.
lumbia river to LaGrande in the Grande-
Ronde Valley, with fair prospects of
success. The distance is about one
hundred miles, and they have already
commenced grading. Mr.. H. thinks
the completion of that line through to
connect with the Pacific railroads at or
near Ogden is only question of time,
and that in the near future. E5-


The more I see and learn the more
thoroughly convinced I become that
that route is our true outlet. and the
only one we have any reasonable hope