The Portland daily press., 1864-01-26
Lights and shadows at the State Capital.
AUGUSTA, Jan. %, 1864.

Lights and shadows at the State Capital.
AUGUSTA, Jan. %, 1864.
Prominent at the Senate board, attracting
special and instant attention from the visitor,
is seen the commanding form of Hon.JoH 5.
TENNEY of Norridgwock, one of the senators
frem Somerset Judge Tenney was born 10
Byfleld, Essex county, Mass, Jan. Il, 1870,
and has, therefore, just entered upon his o9th
year. He graduated at Bowdoin College in
1876, and is, believe, the only graduate on
the floor of the Senate. The President of the
Senate, Hon. Geo. B. Barrows, of whose past
history brief sketch has already appeared in
one of my letters, is graduate of Dartmouth.
After graduating, Mr.. Tenney kept the acad-
envy at Warren about nine months, and in 1877
began TO read law in Hallowell with Thomas
Bond, Esq. In 1920 he commenced the prac-
tice of law in Norridgwock, where he has since
resided. Few men OF Judge Tenney's acknowl-
edged attachments have mixed less with the
political contests OF the last Internationally
years. La 1888 he was member of the House
of Representatives, and with this exception he
has never filed any Legislative or purely po-
litical office, until elected Senator last fall.
He has devoted his life 10 the law, in the prac-
tice of which he became eminent long before
he was elevated to the Bench. His first Com
mission as Judge on the Supreme Bench,
dated Oct. q, 1871. He occupied this position
two terms OF seven years each, and was then
made Chief Justice in place Of Judge Shepley,
who retired from the Bench. In 1852, Judge
Tenney's commission having expired, he re-
turned 10 the practice Of the law, proposing
70 pass the remainder OF liie's journey free
from the excitement and turmoil Of politics.
but the imperative calls OF an imperilled coun-
try for "every man 10 do his duty could not
be nnheeded by such man, aud, buckling on
the armor OF more youthful manhood, he iden-
tised himself with the great Union movement
Of the State, and in the last campaign did no
BILE service for the right. Judge Tcnney is Of
Wing antecedents. The Republicans, while
never chasing him as an opponent, did not
claim him as a partixan friend. He was re-
garded As conservative" but thoroughly
loyal conservative. Before the Union party
WAS organized In this State, with which lie is
understood 70 be in full sympathy, he occupied
no equivocal position In relation 10 the war
or the measures and policy adopted by the adj
ministration 10 make the war efiectual. The
Proclamation OF Emancipation commanded
his full and cordial sympathy, and after care
full investigation he gave 1t the endorsement
Of his large legal knowledge as measure in
every way warranted by the Constitution, un-
der the military necessities of the country.
Judge Tcnney is a member OF the Board Of
Trustees of Bowdoin College, by which insti-
tuition he has been honored with the degree Of
Ii. d. Idon't know how highly he estimates
such a badge of distinction, for even JEFF Da-
Wis wears similar badge conferred by the
same College, and there are not a few men in
the State non-graduates-who think until
the vote comforting honor upon the arbitrator
is expunged from the College records, no sim
liar honors in its power to confer will be worth
a loyal mans regard. How Judge Tenney
may esteem tha- rnAs.sr have no means of
knowing. But this is DEPRESSION.
Judge Tenney has ever been a strors anu
active friend Of Education, aud takes a deep
interest in whatever reflects honor or renown
upon his adopted State. He is man OF large
proportions, of noble personal appearance,
tall, straight, and massively built, with mind
strong, welldevsloped and logical, and he new
er speaks without having something TO say,
and never speaks after he has done. Such is
brief, incomplete and necessarily imperfect
sketch Of one of the strong men of the Senate;
a man who, though he may talk but little, will
not fail to leave his mark upon the legislation
Of 1864. Very properly he is member of the
Judiciary Committee, the duties Of which his
long Judicial experience eminently qualities
him to perform.
Hon. JOSIAH MERRow of Bowdoinham,
Senator from Sagadahoc, is the Oldest member
of the Board. Mr.. Morrow was born in Mid
dletown, Stafford County, n. H., and is now
in his 10th year. How long he has resided in
this State am not informed. This l know:
he is a man of quick observation, entirely self
made, educated more in the school of observa-
ton and Of human experience than in the
halls of science, but who has worked himself,
Yankee like, from the most humble beginning
up through many positions OF honor and re-
sponsibility, and always proving adequate to
any task imposed upon him. When | first
knew him, some fve-and-twenty years since,
he was the stereotyped Democratic chairman
of the Board of Selectmen of his town, and
was sure to be selected by his partyas the
foremost man in circle of towns of which
Bowdoinham was the centre. He has been,
first and last, engaged in various business pur-
suits, such as farming, merchandising, &c,
has held various offices, such as Sheriff OF his
county, County Commissioner, and has served
repeatedly In both branches of the Legislature
and in the Executive Council. Though life
long Democrat he was one of the first in the
organization Of the Republican party, having.
to the personal knowledge Of your correspon-
dent, become Disguised with the chicanery of
such democratic county leaders as John ID.
McCrate aud John Babson, and like hundreds
of others ofhis party, been driven out by its
growing corruption to seek affiliations more
ia harmony with the feelings fan honest man.
Since he left that old party-which was at
time when Gerry hopeful minds thought it not
beyond the reach of redeeming grace-the ex-
odus from that old and once powerful organi-
zation has been so great, SO rapid and so con-
tinuous, that few are left among the control
ling spirits except those who have proved
themselves so utterly reckless that they would