Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-18

at Bowdoin College in 1923 studied law,
and was admitted TO practice in Port
land in 1927, where he has continued to
practice TO the present time; wasa mem
Der Of the Maine Legislature in 1882,
and re elected In 1870; was Represen.
tative in Congress from l84lto lef3, de-
clining furtherservice; was again in the
State Legislature in ls45 and in 1876,
and reelected in 1853 and 1854, and was
elected Senator in Congress for six
years from March, 1858, serving as a
member OF the Committee on Finance,
aud 10 1859 was reelected for term OF
six years, serving as Chairman of the
Committee on Finance, the Library
Committee, and also as Regent Of the
Smithsonian Institution. He was
also Chairman Of the Special
joint Committee on, Reeonstruc-
tion. He was a member, in 1882,
of the convention which nominated
Henry Clay for President, and also the
conventions which nominated Generals
Taylor and Scott. During the summer
of 1858 the degree Of LII. d. was con-
ferred upon him by Bowdoin College, of
which institution he is trustee. He
was also member Of the peace Congress
of 1861. In July, 1864, he was appointed
by President Lincoln Secretary of the
Treasury, in the place of s. P. Chase,
resigned, and soon afterward received
from Howard University the degree of
LII d. In 1864, he was reelected SEN
ator in Congress for the term commenc-
in 1866 and ending in 1871. He re-
signed his seat in the Cabinet and again
took his seat in the Senate, March 4, 1865,
and was again placed at the head of the
Committee on Finance. Atthe succeed
ing session of Congress he was made
chairman of the special joint committee
on reconstruction (so- called, and was
the author of thereport Of that committee
recommending an amendment to the
Constitution.
In personal appearance Mr.. Fessenden
is not prepossessing. He is about the
medium hight, with fine head covered
with gray hair, a high forehead, promi-
nent nose, and a mouth and chin which
tell of frmness and determination, ac-
cording to the physiognomists. He has
not been in good health for some years.
He is said to be a confirmed dyspeptic.
He inherits his brains from his father,
who was noted man in New England
politics, many years ago, and who,
during the war of 1872, made speech
in the Massachusetts Legislature, in
which he proposed to "go to Washington
with the sword in one hand and the Con-
stitution in the other, and demand that
this unrighteous war shall cease.
James W. Grimes was born in Deering,
Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, 0cto-
Der l6, 1916; commenced his education
at Hampton Academy, and graduated at
Dartmouth College in 1896. Soon after
that time he emigrated to the West, and
in 1888 was elected to the first General
Assembly of the Territory of Iowa, to
which he was frequently reelected. He
was Governor of the State of Iowa from
1854 to 1858, and in 1859 he was elected
q Senator in Congress from that State for
six years, serving as Chairman of the
Committee on the District of Columbia,
and also that on Naval Affairs, and as
member of those on Public Lands and
Public Buildings. He was also dele
gate to the Peace Congress of 1861. He
was reelected to the Senate for the term
commencing in 1865 and ending in 1871,
and in 1865 received from the Iowa Col
lege the degree of LII. ID. He was also
member of the Special Joint Commit
tee on the Rebellous States, and that on
Contingent Expenses of the Senate, and
he was one of the Senators designated by
the Senate to attend the funeral of Gen.
Scott in 1866.
Mr.. Grimes is man without much
polish of manner or address, but with
great good common sense, which serves
him instead. He is far from being a
scholar, and yet he makes some of the
ablest and most convincing speeches de
livered in the Senate, especially on ques.
tions of tariff, regarding the injustice of
which he is we'll informed and always pre-
pared. Much of what progress has been
made toward convincing the people of the
Northwest that they ought not to submit to
the prohibitory New England tariff is due
to Mr.. Grimes and his steady opposition
to the oppressive system, the enormties
of which he has so often exposed. Crime es
figured pretty largely a few years ago in
a controversy about the corruptions OF
the Navy Department. John P. Hale,
who was at the time Chairman of the
Naval Committee; of which Grimes was
member, made desperate onslaught
upon the management of the Navy De-
partment. 1t was continued for weeks.
Grimes championed the department as
vigorously as Hale attacked it. The re-
suit of the controversy was bad for Hale.
Grimes is now Hale's successor as Chair
man of the Naval Committee, and per
forms the duties of the position very effi-
cieptly. The personal appearance of
MI Grimes is not entirely prepossessing.
He is careless of his dress, which at times
looks neither neat or gaudy, but the re-
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