Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/458

Rh of his own life. Withal, he was a modest soldier. He had on his staff no convenient correspondent to proclaim through the press his virtues and magnify his deeds. He has not the old soldier's proverbial garrulity in fighting his battles over again. He tries to forget, rather than remember, the events of a war which seems to him like a death-bed scene in which his most beloved had passed away. To this outline sketch of General Morgan's military life, it is not possible within the limits of this memorial to add any sufficient notice of his career as a statesman. A popular favorite, almost any civil honor in the affairs of his State was within his reach long before the crisis of 1860 brought him into public life. During the troublous days which followed the war he was conspicuous as a leader, adviser, and advocate of a wronged and oppressed people. After the State, "redeemed, regenerated and disenthralled," had thrown off the rule of ignorance, brigandage and barbarism and firmly re-established its government on the sure foundations of intelligence and integrity, he was elected to the United States Senate for the term beginning March 1, 1877; and three times has he been re-elected. He is an industrious senator, devoted in work, diligent vigilant, ready and vigorous in his treatment of all public matters. He has convictions, strong and clear, and gives them eloquent and bold utterance. Serving on many important committees, he is a working member of each; and on pending measures, from time to time he has made many notable speeches and engaged in many memorable debates. He is earnest, persistent, resolute, and accepts defeat only when the last resource has been exhausted and the last vote taken. It took him five sessions to defeat the Blair educational bill, intended to transfer to the Federal government the education of the children of the States. From his first term he has supported on every occasion the free and equal coinage of gold and silver in the mints of the country. He has often voted