GATH - Life of Levi P. Morton

EXCERPTS from "Lives of Harrison and Morton" (with Life of Gen. Ben Harrison written by Gen. Lew Wallace and Life of Hon. Levi P. Morton written by George Alfred Townsend). Published during the 1888 Presidential campaign about the Republican Party candidate slate of Benjamin Harrison and Levi Morton.

"Life of Levi P. Morton" (pp.415-417)

Mr. Morton left Congress only at the call of President Garfield to become the Minister to France in 1881; and under both Garfield and Arthur he was the French Minister.

President Garfield offered him the place of Secretary of Navy, which had been held by Mr. Paulding, who lived on the shores of the Hudson but a few miles from where Mr. Morton now resides.

Senator Conkling and many others had pressed Mr. Morton for the place of Secretary of the Treasury. Foreseeing, however, painful personalities probable to ensue in the party he so much loved, Mr. Morton preferred to go out of the country and take no part in contentions among his friends.

He had long endeavored to have Mr. Conkling reconciled to Mr. Blaine, seeing in both those gentlemen abilities and merits they might under happier circumstances have been the first to perceive mutually.

When General Garfield was nominated for President (in 1880), and the general concession of the Convention was towards the State of New York, to select the Vice President candidate, Mr. Morton could have had the place, for he was a delegate in the Convention, and the western and other members preferred to vote for him. But Mr. Morton declined to be a candidate and the nomination went to General Arthur, who, from this fact, finally became the President of the country.

In talking over these questions no friend of Mr. Morton can perceive any disappointment or regret in his nature. He has been the natural choice not only of the many, but of the particular few for the Vice Presidency, the Secretaryship of the Treasury, and the United States Senate. Both Mr. Evarts and Mr. Hisock defeated Mr. Morton for the Senate, and he is friendly with both. Not the least echo of chagrin or recrimination has ever followed the loss of any of these places. One man in the country has shown not only his capacity to endure but to endure without any evil thinking. Had this nature found imitators all over the land, the Republican Party would not have had to score against itself four years of exile from office.

Mr. Morton has a fund of memories upon which he draws most scantily. The quality of appreciation in him is so strong that one observes with wonder that it does not extend to the quality of imagination. His patriotism is of that noble sort which recognizing the excellencies of other lands holds fondly to the best in its own.

Whilst the fabric of the man holds in solution all the best Puritan elements, the expression of those elements is never harsh…

(Continuing excerpt from pp.438)

At last the Vice Presidency is extended to him at the hands of some who had been his opponents but could never find him an enemy. His party accepted the choice without doubt or hesitation.

Internal harmony having been thus honorable secured, the great army of loyal citizens who have ever been true to the Union and its highest interests have ample reason to look forward to assured victory.

The citizen who has filled with honor every position to which the favor of his political associates has called him, will, if elected, discharge with fidelity the high duties of presiding officer of the noblest legislative chamber in the world.

His private felicity is at all events secured and he has been one of the many Americans of fair prosperity who have kept the household altar fire of philanthropy ever fed by new gifts.