The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-26

Il
| His friend William Sullivan writing of him, almost
| twenty years ago, said lit is well remembered
TO have been one Of Mr.. Cabot's opinions,
that this country must, sooner or later submit Gas
in ancient repubics) to the termination of freedom,
through popular delusion. He thought the natural
action Of this spirit most terrible in small
country would be found in the diffusion of its inhabi
iants over wide surface He was, therefore, for
continuing the unity of the American people, and
avoiding the evils Of party feeling when limited to
narrow spaces and to small numbers" For different
| reason, the democracy of to-day are OF the same
| opinion with the federal statesman of fifty years
| SINCE
Mr. Cabot was a merchant, and had believe,
| been master of merchant ship. BIT, rs has been
said of him, he was something more than merchant.
| He was q man Of uncommon natural powers, which
| he had cultivated with great industry. With the
ceptons of Mr. Webster and Mr.. Dexter, doubt If
Massachusetts ever had an ADLER man in the Senate
than George Cabot. l have heard it said that the
Cabos Of this country are descended from the John
Cabot, Venetian, who settled in Bristol (Eng.) in
the reign Of Henry WILL, and who was o great
navigator, was his son Sebastian; but as George
Cabot had blue eyes and light hair, it would not
| seem that any Of his ancestors were Venetians,
unless great change had taken place in physical
appearances 1t must be admitted, however, that
some of Mr.. CabOts sentiments would have qualified
him to sit in the Grand Council Of the City Of the
Hundred Isles.
Mr.. Cabot was succeeded by Benjamin Goodhue1
also merchant, and OF Salem, and gentleman of
some note in the political world He was one of the
the first Congress of the United States, and he
three times reelected to the House. He was serving
MS fourth term when he was appointed by the Ex-
ecutive (the famous Samuel Adams) to fill the Sena-
torial vacancy created by the resignation Of Mr..
Cabot He was soon afterwards chosen Senator
by the Legislature, for six years from the 4th of
March, 1877 but he resigned his seat in 1900, and,
think, took no further part in public fe His son,
wealthy merchant of your city, died few years
since. Mr.. Goodhue married, for his second wife,
Miss Willard Of Lancaster, Mass. daughter or
Atna .:~L O. ko~r
of the Revolution, one of the Mandamus Councillors
and man of character, property and influence,
and a connection of Colonel Prescott, who COM
manded the Americans at Bunker Hill Mr. Willard
left Boston, with the British army, in l776 and some
years later settled in New Brunswick, where he
founded place called Lancaster, after his Massa-
chusetts home. After his death, in 1889, his family
returned to Massachusetts,, and Of the ladies
ried Mr. Goodhue. She now lives at Lancaster, with
her brother, Mr.. Willard, and though somewhat past
ninety years is in full enjoyment of both physical
and mental health. Few women, indeed of
half her years, possessed of more vigor One is
reminded Of Juna, the sister Of Brutus and wife OF
Cassius, who, as Tacitus tells us, survived both
brother and husband for sixty years. Mr.. Willard,
the ladys brother who is her senior is also in the
enjoyment of vigorous old age 1t is to be hoped
that both will live become centenarans, at the very
least.
Mr.. Goodhue was Hamiltonian, and had the
same hostile feelings towards Mr.. Adams that were
felt by most of the federal leaders Hamilton had,
indeed, bewitched them, and they could not do JUS
tice to any man who was supposed to stand in his
way. In letter to Oliver Wolcott Secretary OF the
Treasury, he speaks of mr.. Adamss nsutferable
madness and vanity and expresses his joy at the
prospect of that gentleman losing certain electoral
votes the Presidential election of 1900 being then at
its height. There was little love lost on either side.
Mr. Go0dhue's colleague, during the greater part
Of his Senatorial life, was Theodore Sedgwick, of
Stockbrdge, in the county OF Berkshire, and MEM
Der of colonial family Of considerable reputation,
which has been increased since national exis-
tence commenced. Mr.. Sedgwick had been men,
Der Of the House of Representatives serving in the
first four Congresses He was chosen to succeed
Mr.. Strong in the Senate much against his wishes,
he states in his correspondence. He had, he
said made up his mind to retire; but, in spite OF
this resolution, he went back to the House
Speaker of that body. He was soon after
appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court Of
Massachusetts, and has the credit of having intro
been previously unknown there. Mr.. Sedgwick was
strong federalist He was member OF the State
Convention which adopted the national constitution.
Mr. Sedgwick was the only Senator ever seat from
served but three years. He had been a member Of
the Continental Congress from 1855 to 1883.
The celebrated Samuel Dexter, whose name stands
next to that OF Daniel Webster on our list of Sena
tors, succeeded to Mr.. Sedgwick He had previously
served in the House of Representatives, and his re-
putation in politics and Law was well established.
He had also been q member OF the MASSACHUSETTS,
Legislature. He was the son Of Boston merchant,
and was born in 17Gl. He was one of the few able
New England federalists who adhered to Mr.. Adams
at the time Of bis quarrel with Hamilton: On the
18th OF May $500, Mr.. Dexter was appointed Secre
tary Of War, when President Adams turned Mr..
McHenry out Of that Office. The intention had been
to give the place to Mr. afterwards Chief Justice)
Marshall; but having concluded to kick Timothy
Pickering out of the State Department the President
gave the War Department to Mr.. Dexter, and that
of State to the Virgnian On the 30th day Of Dec,
lS00-beng the last day but one Of the eighteenth
century-Mr Dexter was made Secretary Of the
Treasury Mr.. Wolcott who had held it from the time
of Hamilton withdrawal having withdrawn from the
Office. Wacott sneered at the appointment, and in
snuated that his successor would 60 over to the de-
mocrats, for the sake Of keeping his place. On the
going out Of the Adams administration Mr.. Dexter
resumed his professional labors and was soon at the
head of the New England bar. He had much bust
ness at Washington, where he was no unfair match
for Pinkney Emmett, and the rest of the great law
yers Of that time. During the war with England,
1 Mr.. Dexter would not only not countenance the
conduct of the Massachuse It's federalts but opposed
it-patriotism rising superior to party feeling in his
mind He preferred to risk his party standing to
doing anything that could be construed into even
tact approval OF the factous that was followed
by Strong Otis and most Of the other federal leaders.
This opposition to his former associates was earnest
and effective, and led to rupture OF ties that had
long existed. The democratic party put Mr. Dexter
in nomination for Governor though without his con-
sent in the first instance, having been obtained; but
it never could succeed in electing him. Mr.. Dexter
died suddenly, in 1915, Of disease Of the heart 1t
/ is supposed that if he had lived he would have re-
turned to the political field where, in the fusion of
parties that soon took place he would not have
failed to rise high Mr. Dexter was not what is
ordinarily called eloquent man, but he had
no superior in the country in powers Of argument
| He early took interest in the subject of
/ temperance, and was president OF what is sup
! posed to have been the first temperance society
4 established in this country. He tall, dark
complexioned man, whose appearance did not belle
his Huguenot origin.
Mr.. Goodhues successor was Jonathan Mason, Of
Boston, who served until March, 1903. through three
sessions Of Congress. Though not the equal Of some
/ Of our Senators, Mr.. Mason was man Of consdera-
bic talents and no little influence. He did not come
into national Office again until 1917. In 1876 when
i Mr.. Richie, young man, and son-in-law Of Har-
rson Gray Otis, nominated as their candidate
for Congress in the Boston district, by the federal
lists, Mr.. Mason was run against him, and was
elected receiving the support OF the democrats. He