The Portland daily press., 1868-05-28

Mr.. FEssENDEN AND CHIEF JUSTICE CHASE.
The following is a verbatim report of Mr..
Fessenden's remarks in the Senate on Tues
day after the close of the impeachment trial.
The statement respecting the newspapers of
Maine is entirely correct While a profound
and sometimes passionate regret has been ex-
hibited at the result of the trial, Mr., Fessen-
den's character has not been assailed, unless
the doubt whether he may not he tending to-
ward the Democratic party may be construed
as such an assault. That doubt is of course
premature, and is not shared by Mr.. Fessen-
den's friends and neighbors here at home
To those who nevertheless entertain it, we can
only say, Time will show. Meanwhile here is
the denial of the rumors about his association
in the political plans of Chief Justice Chase:
desire to say word, sir, not for the pur-
pose of explaining anything with regard TO
myself, for L have no explanation to make
and no apologies to offer to anybody. | have
noticed great many articles in the newspa-
pers with regard to myself in the course of
this trial, charging me with divers things: all
l have TO say about them is that they are all
false-every one Of them. | have not seen a
truth among them, or anything approaching
truth, and Inasmuch as on a careful examina-
l.
they do not, in the columns of any paper of
any party, meet with the slightest credit or
the slightest attention in any way, it is an
necessary for me to make any explanation
about them; stand upon my character, and |
suppose that will take care of ITSELF | wish
therefore to say word in regard to particu-
lar story and that is the story about the din
ner at the Chief Justices. L should be very
happy to dine with him on any occasion,
and Ihave received many invitations Mt one
time and auOthar IN dim with
tice, some of which l have accepted in wears
gone by. But it so happens that at this ses-
sion have not had the honor of dining with
the Chief Justice at all; nor have L had any
consultation with him, directly or indirectly
with reference to this trial; nor have had one
word with him on the subject of any political
party or on the subject of his being q candi-
date for the Presidency. The only thing that
the Chief Justice ever said to me with regard
to his being a candidate was said when [ was
Secretary of the Treasury. | think it was
about that time or just before, when he said
that he had no desire TO be a candidate for
the office Of President of the United States
What his own private wishes may be
now DO not know, but they were never COM
munieated to me in any shape, and never had
any conversation with him, for what reason
do not know, if he had any such; perhaps be-
cause IL was perfectly well known that have
always from the beginning, been in favor of
the nomination of the distinguished officer
who is row the nominee of the Republican
party; perhaps, because there was no desire
that should take any sort of interest in the
matter one way or the other; perhaps, be-
cause the Chief Justice entertained no
Snch wishes; it is not for me to say.
put lt happens, that although personally in
Innate Innate with him, and having been so Tor a long
s s,ile, ne never opened his mouth to me on the
subject OF the presidency at all. Now, s'r, with
regard 10 that story do not know how it
members have said, that there is n9t one mar.
tiele OF ruth IN 1t from beginning to end. and
what rose for was to clear him Of ony n,nI ru
tation OF having in any way had any CONVEX e
satl9n WIN me at any time upon that or any
Having said this much, have nothing TO saw
for myself. soy