Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/486

 MORRILL

MORRIS

dent Buchanan, again passing the house and senate in 1862, and was approved by the Presi- dent July 2, 1862. He had charge of all the tariff and tax bills of 1861-65, the *' Morrill tariff" of 1 iOl and the internal revenue tax system of 1862 being monuments of his practical wisdom in finance. In 1867 he was elected U.S. senator to succeed Luke P. Poland, and was re-elected in 1872, 1878, 1884, 1890, and 1896, serving as chair- man of the committees on finance and public buildings and grounds, and gaining by his ser- vice of thirty-two years the title, *' the father of the United Statas senate." His entire service in congress of forty-four years exceeded by seven years that of Nathaniel Macon, of North Carolina. He opposed the annexation of Hawaiian Islands and the exercise of American sovereignty over the Philippines as contrary to the spirit of the Monroe doctrine. He was made a regent of the Smithsonian Institution in 1880; and was a trustee of the University of Vermont on the part of the State Agricultural college, 1865-98. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Dart- mouth college in 1857, and that of LL.D. from the University of Vermont in 1874 and from the University of Pennsylvania in 1884. He is the author of Self Consciousness of Noted Persons (1886), and of contributions to the Forum and to the North American Review. He left a son, James Swan Morrill, who had acted as his chief assistant in his various committee duties. Senator Morrill died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 28, 1898. MORRILL, Lot Myrick, senator, was born in Belgrade, Maine, May 3, 1813 ; son of Peasley and Nancy (Macomber) Morrill. He attended the district schools, worked in his father's saw-mill, was a clerk in a country store, and in 1829 began to teach school in New York state. He matric- ulated at Waterville college in the class of 1837 but did not graduate, and entered the law office of Judge Edward Fuller of Readfield. He was admitted to the bar in 1837 and practised in part- nership with Timothy Howe, at Readfield. In 1841 he removed to Augusta, Maine, and formed a partnership with Senator James "W. Bradbury and Judge Rice. He was a Democratic repre- sentative in the state legislature, 185.^55 ; was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. senator in 1854 ; state senator, 1856-57, and president of the sen- ate in 1857. He was a member of the Democratic state committee, but resigned after the nomi- lAtion of James Buchanan for President in 1856, and joined the Republican party. He was gover- nor of the state, 1858, 1859, 1860 ; was elected U.S. senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hannibal Hamlin in 1861 ; was re- elected in 1863, and served till March 3, 1869. Upon the death of Senator Fessenden, Sept. 8, 1869, he was elected to fill the vacancy, and was

also elected for the full term expiring March 3,. 1877, but resigned in 1876 to accept the secretary- ship of the treasury from President Grants serving until the close of Grant's administration. He was collector of customs for the port of Port- land, Maine, under President Hayes's appoint- ment, 1877-83. He was a trustee of Colby univer- sity, 1863-69 ; received the honorary degree of A.M. from there in 1848, and that of LL.D. from Bowdoin in 1879. He was a member of the Maine Historical society, 1856-83. He died in Augusta, Maine, Jan. 10, 1883.

MORRIS, Benjamin Franklin, clergyman and author, was born in Bethel, Ohio, Aug. 18, 1810 ; son of the Hon. Thomas and Rachel (Davis) Morris. He was graduated at Miami university, A.B., 1832, A.M. 1836. He was a Congregational minister in Iowa and Illinois, 1832-40 ; pastor of Presbyterian churches in Indiana, 1840-59, and of a Congregational church in Lebanon, Ohio, 1859-61. He removed to Washington, D.C., in 1861, where he engaged in literary work. He is the author of : The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States (1864) ; TVie Nations Tribute to Abraham Lincoln (1865) ; and Life of Thomas Morris (1856). He died in Springfield, Ohio, June 28, 1867.

MORRIS, Benjamin Wistar, first bishop of Oregon, and 90th in succession in the Amer- ican episcopate, was born in Wellsborough, Pa.,. May 30, 1819 ; son of Samuel Wells and Anna (Ellis) Morris; grandson of Benjamin Wistar Morris and of Mercy Ellis, a well-known Quaker preacher ; great-grandson of Capt. Samuel Morris (1734-1812), who

commanded the first city troop of Philadel- phia in the Ameri- can Revolution ; greats-grandson of Samuel (1711-1782) and Hannah (Cadwal- ader) Morris ; great'- grandson of Anthony Morris (1682-1783), and great*-grandson

of Anthony Morris (1654-1721), who came from Stepney, England, to Burlington, N.J., 1682, and to Philadelphia, Pa., 1685 ; was president judge of city courts, judge of supreme court, alderman^ mayor of the city, 1704, and Quaker preacher, 1707-21. Benjamin W. Morris was graduated at the General Theological seminary. New York city, in 1846 ; was ordered deacon the same year and ordained priest April 27, 1847. He was rector of St. Matthew's church, Sun bury, Pa., 1847-51 ;

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