The Portland daily press., 1864-12-24
From he Machtss Repsbisc6s.
The Senatorial Question.

/ 0fV"s we @~Nsts0S AsF~e~~~ :.
The Senatorial Question.
The legislature viii soon be called upon 70
Gil for another term, as the Governor already
| has for the unexpired present term, the seat in
the United States Senate, that since 1854 has
been so ably occupied BY WILLIAM PITT FEs.
SENDER. Mr.. Fessenden belongs to class Of
public men, upon whom not only his own
4 state, bnt the whole country has claims. of
Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Thomas q. Ben
ton. Silas Wright and few Others 70 used only
to be asked: are they willings0 commune IN
public life. II it was ascsrained snas .ney
were, the country depAnded that places
should he made for Their. The very men, who
had succeeded them y Office, voluntarily with
DIRE " in dofsrorce % public sentiment with
in and wi,bout their States, requiring their
nrosonoa T. ne national councils. Mr.. Crit
tondsr :, one time resigned his seat in the
ITn;,sd oates Senate, that Mr.. Clay, who had
49,. 1efeated in contest for the presidency,
Int return to it. @s@ 49,
Mr.. Fessenden. although it is always pre-
sumptuous to compare living great men with
their peers whom death has digniHed with VEN
Grafton, belongs to the first class statesmen Of
to day. II among the foremost men in Con-
gress four names can be found worthy to be
associated with the four great parliamentary
ans we have named, Mr.. Fessenden would be
among them, if not the first among them.
He is in the very vigor efhis intellectual
powers; his twelve years experience has SO
ripened an admirable judgment, and clothed
his weighty counsels with such influence, as to
make him indispensable to the people as safe
and sagacious legislator; and it is understood
that he does not ask to be relieved of the re-
sponsibilities Of his position as Senator
Under these circumstances why should not
Mr.. Fessenden be his own successor? The
vacancy has occurred In his seat. If Mr..
Hamlinss seat had become vacant, by the ex-
piration OF his term, and it was knownihat he
was willing to serve another term, although
he has been inthe Senate longer then Mr.. Fes-
sender, we presume the legislature would re-
elect him by the unanimous vote of the Union
party. There would be no man in the state
Of sufficient ability or popularity to exclude
him from public life. We would avoid invidi-
GUS comparisons between these tw dlstin-
guished citizens. Maine is proud of their
public services and their national reputation.
But we do say, that Mr.. Fessenden's friends
have never had power enough to use efectu-
ally even his honorable name to drive Mr..
Hamlin out of the national councils before he
should choose himself to retire. - : y e =
Whether Mr.. Hamlin shall return to the
Senate is question, that will come up when
the term Of the Senator, who succeeded to bis
seat, on his withdrawing from it to hold the
Vice. Presidency, shah have expired. 1t is
not question which 1t is comedy to agitate,
when the thing to do is to provide successor
not to himself but to his former colleague
Mr.. Fessenden's friends viii never consent to
such an adjustment of the Senatorial question
as shall place him IN a rank inferior to Mr..
Hamlin. They will not permit statesman.
whose acknowledged abilities have earned for
him the rank of leadership in the Ameri-
can Senate, 10 be driven into retirement sim
ply to make place for any other man, least
of all for an officer, who voluntarily gave up
his place to another stiIl holding it in order to
wear the honors OF higher Office. sl6sxg
Mr.. Fessenden's temporary labors in the ar
duous position of Finance minister were not
such vacation Of his Senatorial office. He
did not seek the place. He resisted as long
as he could the Importantly Of the President
aud oil colleagues, pleading his inadequate
health and his aversion to the cares and re-
sponsbilties ofsuch post. He only accepted
at last on the assurance that, after brief SER
vice he should be relieved. His successful
management of the finances of the govern
ment in time of extreme danger and depres-
sion has been a aeW exhibition of his rare abil-
les, and new claim upon the consideration
of ais State and of the people. We have no
doubt these and other considerations will in
6uence the legislatures of this State to re-elect
Mr.. Fessenden. e7