Book Description

Excerpt from Oliver P. Morton, of Indiana: Sketch of His Life and Public Services This straight descent from an old English stock may account for some of the strong traits of Mr. Morton's character, which are supposed to be more common among the English than in other nationalities - as for instance his unconquerable will, tenacity of purpose, and readiness to accept a contest, whenever occasion requires, in spite of odds or obstacles. His father, William T. Morton, was a native of New Jersey and a man of sterling worth. His mother, also a native of New Jersey, was a woman of amiable disposition and rare force of character. Removing to the West at an early day, they soon became identified with one of the rising communities of the young State of Indiana, of which their son was to become so distinguished and honored a citizen. Young Morton's early years were passed amid narrow opportunities, but as often happens in such cases, they were more highly prized and assiduously improved on that account. Like many other Americans who have risen to high position, Senator Morton traces his earliest development to a natural fondness for study and an earnest desire to utilize the meager advantages afforded him. Apprenticed to a hatter at the age of fifteen, he followed the business for four years and seemed likely to devote his life to that trade; but Providence had not so decreed. During this period all his spare hours were spent in reading, and the information thus acquired begetting a thirst for more knowledge, he quit his trade, and in January, 1843, at the age of nine teen, entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio. Here he remained two years, his vigorous and healthy mind eagerly grasping and appropriating all the means of knowledge placed within his reach. One of his teachers says he was "a diligent, earnest student, modest but not timid, plain but not verdant, and more anxious to acquire knowledge than to display it." He also had the reputation of being the best extemporaneous speaker and debater in the college - a talent which doubtless shaped his career in life, and accounts, in a large degree, for his great success and power as a public man. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.