Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/32

MORPHY. 20 MORRIS. continued his exhibitions of blindfold playing. After his return to the United States., in 1851), he won seven out of eleven games with the visiting Gernmn expert Aiulerssen. He was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law in New Orleans. The strain occasioned by his blindfold contests, however, had been too great for his mental faculties, and. though he abandoned chess altogether, he was soon forced to relinquish all mental occupation, and died in retirement. Dur- ing the comparatively short period of his activity Morphy displayed a skill that was inexplicable. He was at no time a close student of chess and he played without preparation and with little hesitation; but an analysis of his games reveals combinations remarkable for finesse, depth, ele- gance, and soundness. These qualities, combined with a wonderful memory, made him perhaps the most remarkable chess player in modern times. Consult Ldwenthal, Murphy's Games of Chess (London, 1860). MOR'RILL, .JiSTix Smith (1810-98). An eminent American legislator and political leader. He was born in Stratford. Vt.. received a com- mon school education, became a clerk in a coun- try store at tlic age of hfteeu, and until 1855 was largely engaged in mercantile pursuits, though he devoted much of his time to private study. He entered the Xational House of Repre- sentatives in 1854, was live times reelected, was transferred to the Senate in 1807, and retained his seat continuously luilil his deatli. having at that time served in Congress for a longer con- secutive period than any other man in the history of the L'nited States. During the latter part of his .service in the House, he was the leading member of the Committee on Ways and Jleans, and chairnuin of the Sub-Committee on Tariflf and Taxation, and in the Senate he was a mem- ber after 1867 and chairman for many years of the Committee on Finance, and was also at vari- ous times a member of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, on Education and Labor, on the Census, and on Revolutionary Claims. He made many able speeches which attracted wide attention, and had much inlluence both in and out of Congress, but he will be remembered chiefly for his connection with two significant and important measures. In 1857 he intro- duced a bill for the establishment, through the aid of public land grants, of State colleges throughout the country primarily for the pur- pose of teaching agriculture and the mechanic arts, other svibjeets, however, not to be ex- cluded. This bill was passed by both House and Senate, but was vetoed by President Buchanan. In ISfil it was again introduced by Morrill, was again passed, and this time became a law throigh the signature of President Lincoln. In IS90 Senator Morrill introduced a bill providing an additional grant for this pur- pose, which also was passed by both Houses and signed by the President. By virtue of these enactments there had been e-tablished by 1899, in the various States, sixty-four insti- tutions giving instruction to 36.000 sUnlents. Morrill framed and introduced in the House the famous Morrill TarilT .et of ISfil. which, with the enactments of 18(i'2 and 1804. in the passage of which he also took a prominent part, modified the tariff system of the United States. (See Tajbifk. ) Morrill was also conspicuous as an energetic opponent of Government paper money and esi)ecially of the Legal Tender Act of 1861- 02, and of the annexation to the United States of outlying territory, such as Santo Domingo, Saint Thomas, Hawaii, Porto Rico, and the Phil- ipjiines. He published The iiclf-Consciousness of uU'(l Mm (Boston, 1886). MORRILL, Lot Myrick (1813-83). An American legislator and Cabinet officer, born at Belgrade, Maine. He entered aterville College (now Colby University) in 1833, but left before graduating to enter a law office at Readtield. In 1837 he was admitted to the bar, and for several years practiced in partnership with Timothy O. Howe. In 1841 he removed to Augusta, where he won wide distinction as a lawyer and public speaker. Although strongly opposed to the ex- tension of slavery, he was in all other matters in perfect agreement with the Democratic Party, and became one of the leaders of the Maine Democracy. In 1S53 and 1854 he was elected to the Lower House of the State Legislature, and in 1850 was elected to the State Senate. After Buchanan's nomination, disapproving of his party's platform, he resigned from the Demo- cratic .State Committee, and allied himself with the Republican Party. He was elected Governor of the State by that party in 1857. and was reelected in 1858 and 1859. In 1801 he was chosen United States Senator to succeed Han- nibal Handin. Reelected for a full term in 1803, he was defeated by a single vote in 1808 by Uaudiu, but in the following year was elected to succeed William P. Fessenden. In 1870 he resigned to enter the Cabinet of Presi- dent Grant as Secretary of the Treasury. This portfolio he held until after the inauguration of President Hayes, when he became Collector of Customs at Portland. Maine. MOR'RILLTON. A city and the county-seat of Conway ( ounty. Ark.. .50 miles northwest of Little Rock: on the Arkansas River, and on a branch of the Saint Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad (Map: Arkansas, C 2). It has a trade in cotton and live stock, and manu- factures of cottonseed oil. woolens, machine shop products, lumber, furniture, etc. Population, in 1890. 1044: in 1900, 1707. MOR'RIS. A city and the county-seat of Grundy Comity. 111., 02 miles southwest of Chi- cago; on the Illinois River, the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and the Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific Railro:ul (M.np: Illinois. D 2). It has Saint .-Angela's .cademv. a Roman Catholic instiluticm for women. The city is the centre of a considerable trade in grain and cattle, and there are mines of bituminous coal, and manu- factories of oatmeal, hardware, paper car wheels, leather, bricks, and tile. The water-works are owned by the iimnicipality. Morris was settled in 1834 and incorporated first in 1857. Popula- tion, in ISnO. 3053: in 1900. 4273. MORRIS. A village and the county-seat of Stevens County. Minn.. 157 miles west by north of Saint Piuil : on the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern railroads (Map: Minnesota, C 5). It is near the Pomme de Terre River, which furni^bc goo<l w;itcr power. It is in a fer- tile agricultural region, and has several grain elevators and Hour mills. There is a public librarv. Population, in 1890. 1266; in 1900, 1934. ■