Lot Morrill

Education

After attending the common-school and the local academy he taught in order to obtain money to attend Waterville (now Colby) College, which he entered at the age of eighteen.

Career

He remained there but a short time, however.

Admitted to the bar in 1839, he built up a considerable law practice chiefly among Democratic friends.

His law partners in Augusta were James W. Bradbury and Richard D. Rice.

Becoming chairman of the state Democratic committee in 1849, he held that office until 1856, when he refused to attend the meetings of the state committee, writing, "The candidate [Buchanan] is a good one, but the platform is a flagrant outrage upon the country and an insult to the North" (Talbot, post, p. 232).

.

Both in the legislature and as governor he was a strong opponent of the repeal of Maine's prohibition law, against which there had been a reaction.

When Hannibal Hamlin resigned from the Senate to accept the vice-presidency under Lincoln, the state legislature, in January 1861, elected Morrill as his successor.

Reëlected, he served to March 4, 1869, being succeeded by Hannibal Hamlin, who defeated him by one vote in the Maine Senate.

In the so-called peace convention of February 1861 he opposed with conspicuous ability the arguments of Crittenden (L. E. Chittenden, A Report of the Debates and Proceedings . .. of the Conference Convention, 1864, pp. 144-50), and he maintained the same position when the Crittenden Resolutions were presented to Congress in March.

Globe, 37 Cong. , 2 Sess. , pp. 1074-78).

He was a strong adherent of congressional Reconstruction (Reconstruction.

Globe, 40 Cong. , 2 Sess. , app.

He was reëlected by the state legislature in 1871.

Although he had previously refused to accept appointment as secretary of war, resigning from the Senate on July 7, 1876, he accepted Grant's appointment as secretary of the treasury to succeed Benjamin H. Bristow [q. v. ].

[G. F. Talbot, "Lot M. Morrill, " Me.

Hist.

Soc.

Colls. , 2 ser. , vol.

V (1894); J. W. North, The Hist.

of Augusta (1870); Biog.

Encyc.

of Me.

(1885); C. E. Hamlin, The Life and Times of Hannibal Hamlin (1899); A. M. Smith, Morrill Kindred in America, vol.

Politics

Morrill, Lot Myrick, , Maine 1812 1883 Male Governor (State) Secretary of Treasury Senator governor of Maine, United States senator, and secretary of the treasury, one of the fourteen children of Peaslee and Nancy (Macomber) Morrill, was born in Belgrade, Me.

His Republicanism became definite in 1856 and, although his nomination to the governorship was opposed by some because of his late conversion, he was elected and twice reëlected governor, serving in 1858, 1859, and 1860.

Connections

His wife, Charlotte Holland Vance, whom he had married in 1845, and four daughters survived him.

Daughter:

Anne

II (1931); Advertiser (Portland), Jan. 10, 1883; Daily Eastern Argus, Jan. 11, 1883; date of birth from his daughter, Anne Morrill Hamlin.

colleague:

William

pp. 110-17), and voted for the impeachment of President Johnson, although his colleague from Maine, William P. Fessenden q.v., voted for acquittal.

children:

,

Brother:

Peaslee

The same step had already been taken by his brother, Anson Peaslee Morrill, and his friend, Hannibal Hamlin qq.v.

Friend:

Peaslee