In May 1775 Judge Morton took his seat in Congress and was re-elected in November. In July 1776 he closed his congressional career. Before leaving, he placed a brilliant star upon the bright escutcheon of his name by voting for and signing the chart of our Liberty—the manifesto of freemen against the usurpations of tyranny. During the time he was in Congress he was highly esteemed as a cool deliberate discreet man—purely patriotic and anxious to do all in his power to promote the righteous cause of his bleeding country. He weighed well the consequences of severing the bonds that bound the Colonies to the mother country. Unsustained, the Declaration of Independence was probable death to many—a more severe slavery for the survivors. To all human appearance the patriots must be crushed by the physical force of their enemies then pouring into the country by thousands and sweeping everything before them like a mighty torrent. There were five delegates from his colony. Two of them were bitterly opposed to the measure and two in favor, which gave him the casting vote. On him depended the enhanced misery or happy delivery of his country. When the final moment arrived he cast his vote in favor of the important instrument that should prove either the death warrant or the diploma of freedom. Some of his old friends censured him severely for the bold act and were so strongly tinctured with toryism that they would not be reconciled to him when he lay upon the bed of death. Such were the strong party feelings during the Revolution. His dying message to them was worthy the sage and Christian. "Tell them that they will live to see the hours when they shall acknowledge it to have been the most glorious service that I have ever rendered to my country." The truth of his prophecy has been most happily verified so far as his services were concerned—if the other part has not do not go in mourning for its failure.
When the Articles of Confederation were under discussion in Congress Judge Morton was frequently chairman of the committee of the whole and presided with great ability and dignity. In April 1777 he was attacked with a highly inflammatory fever which terminated his life in a few days in the midst of usefulness with fresh honors awaiting him as time rolled onward. His premature death was deeply mourned by his bereaved companion, eight children, a large concourse of bosom friends, the members of the bar, his associate judges, the State legislature, Congress and by every patriot of his country.
As a private citizen Judge Morton possessed an unusual share of esteem. He was endowed with all the amiable qualities that enrich the domestic circle and social intercourse. As the crowning glory of his fair fame he professed and adorned the religion of his Lord and Master and died triumphing in faith. His dust reposes in the cemetery of St. James' Church in Chester, Pa. His examples are worthy of the closest imitation—his brief career admonishes us of the uncertainty of human life—his happy death is an evidence of the truth of unvarnished piety.
THOMAS NELSON.
Honesty is a virtue that commands universal respect. Like many others this term has lost much of its original force. When Pope pronounced an honest man the noblest work of God—he included purpose, word and action in all things, under all circumstances, at all times. He alluded to a man whose purity of heart placed him above every temptation to violate the original laws of integrity that emanated from the high Chancery of Heaven. He referred to a man whose every action through his whole life should pass the scrutiny of Omniscience unscathed and stand approved by the great Jehovah. Such a man is a noble work indeed worthy of the highest admiration and closest imitation. He would not take an umbrella or a newspaper from the owner without liberty. He is honest for the sake of this virtue—not from policy, the essential oil of dishonesty in disguise. Honesty that is based only on self interest is as unsafe as a keg of powder in the fire room of a steamboat. We have too much policy in morals and religion. It is cunning without wisdom, cowardice with hypocrisy, fear of man—not God. The devil preaches religion from policy and the man who is honest only from policy is no better. Anecdote to the point. The Chinese philosopher Confucius met an insane woman with a pitcher of water and faggot of fire and asked her how she intended to use them. She replied—"With the fire I will burn up heaven—with the water I will put out hell—we shall then know who are good for the sake of goodness."
The Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution who persevered to the end were remarkable for integrity and freedom from self interest. None of them were more so than Thomas Nelson, born at Yorktown, Virginia, on the 26th of December 1738. He was the son of William Nelson whose father came from England at an early period and located at Yorktown. The father of Thomas was a wealthy merchant and planter. He filled many public stations with great ability. During the interval between the administration of Lord Bottetourt and Lord Dunmore, he presided over the Colony ex officio, being then President of the Executive Council.
At the age of fourteen Thomas was placed under the tuition of Mr. Newcomb whose school was near Hackney, England. He graduated at Trinity College under Dr. Beilby Porteus, the bright literary ornament of that time and afterwards Bishop of London. Guided by the master genius of this finished scholar, accomplished gentleman and pious divine, Mr. Nelson traced the fair lines of science and explored the avenues of literature. The principles of strict virtue and stern integrity were deeply impressed upon his mind and governed his actions through life. After spending eight years at the classic fountain in England he returned to his native home highly improved in mind and person. He entered upon the enjoyment of a large real estate and over one hundred and thirty thousand dollars in money. Not selfish at heart—unwilling to enjoy so much alone, as in duty bound he led to the hymenial altar Lucy—daughter of Philip Grimes of Brandon and settled happily and quietly at his native place. His house became the seat of domestic felicity and hospitality.
For a long time great intimacy existed between the leading men of Virginia and England. This arose from consanguinity and the wealth that enabled the most prominent men of the Old Dominion to educate their sons in the mother country. For more than a century an interchange of good feelings and kind offices were kept up. The sons who were educated in Great Britain imbibed the same ideas of Independence as those which were the boast of the noblemen of that kingdom and very properly felt themselves entitled to as much confidence from the King as a native resident of Albion. For this reason, when the British ministry put the car of oppression in motion in Virginia, her wealthy and noblest sons were the most vigorous opposers of regal power. The very fact of former intimacy charged this opposition with stronger bitterness. The very chivalry that the proud Britons had taught the sons of the Old Dominion was brought to bear upon the hirelings of the crown with the force of an avalanche.
In 1774 Mr. Nelson was elected to the House of Burgesses and took a bold stand in favor of liberal principles. He was one of the eighty-nine members who assembled at a tavern the day after Lord Dunmore dissolved them and formed themselves into an association of non-intercourse with Great Britain. At the next election he was again returned. He was a member of the two conventions that appointed Congressional delegates in 1774-5. He supported the bold measures proposed by the daring Henry from which many of the patriots at first recoiled with terror and amazement. He had no ear for the siren song of peace when the shores of his country were darkened by foreign fleets and armies. At the convention in March 1775 the following resolutions were proposed by Patrick Henry and passed. The first germ of our militia system then burst from embryo.