MOR'RILL, JUSTIN Saint (18111-98). An eminent American legislator and political leader. Ile was born in Stratford, Vt., received a com mon school education, became a clerk in a coun try store at the age of fifteen, and until 1855 Was largely engaged in mercantile pursuits, though he devoted much of his time to private study. Ile entered the National House of Repre sentatives in 1854, was five times reelected, was transferred to the Senate in 1867. and retained his seat continuously until his death. having at that time served in Congress for a longer con secutive period than any other man in the history of the United States. During the latter part of his service in the House, he was the leading member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and chairman of the Sub-Committee on Tariff and Taxation, and in the Senate he was a Meal her 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 1•Iain1s. Ile made many tilde speeches which attracted wide attention, and lied much influence both in and out of hut he will he remembered chiefly for his connection with two significant and important measures. In 1857 he intro
(limed 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 subjects, however, not to be ex• chided. This bill Was passed by both House and Senate, but was vetoed by President Buehanan. In 1861 it was again introduced by Morrill. was passed, and this time became a law through the signature of President Lincoln. In 1890 Senator Morrill introduced a bill providing an additional grant for this pur pose, which also was passed by both Houses and signed by the ('resident. By virtue of these enactments then. had been established by 1899, in the various States. sixty•four insti• tntions giving instruction to 36,000 students. Morrill framed and introduced in the House the famous Morrill Tariff Act of URI], which, with the enactments of 1862 and 1864. in the passage of which he also took a prominent part. modified the tariff system of the United States. (See