The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-08-13
Is Senator Fessenden Sovereign as
Against the People7

Against INC feVpio'
If I'm any moment OF weakness we may
ever have thought ourself brave man.
we now see wherein we failed. and in the
profoundest manner we take OF our hat
TO the editor of the Portland Advertiser.
He is the brayest man among the newspa-
pers of this or any other State. He not
only advocates the return of Mr.. FeSSen-
den to the Senate. but states that among
other reasons he should be returned for his
vote in favor of Andy johnson; because,
while 1.-THE air was thick with letters from
anxious friends - while the telegraph
brought their last words of warning and
entrcaty while the resolutions of excited
public meetings made up an aggregate of
pressure such rs has rarely been brought
TO bear upon public man" "he stead
tasty maintained his own opinion" The
Advertiser might have added that while
upon no question were the Republican
party ever so united rs upon the Impeach-
ment of Andrew johnson, not even upon
the question of dealing with rebels during
the war; while there was not one in n
thousand Of the Republicans of Maine
who was not grieved and chagrined ut his
course; while the Republican party Of the
entire nation, by their delegates in conven-
ton at Chicago who nominated Gen. Grant,
unanimously declared Andrew johnson
guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors
and pronounced him justly impeached;
and while the whole people of Maine
through their legislature instructed Mr..
Fessendcn to vote for Impeachment. "he
steadErstly maintained his own opinion"
and neither represented the wishes and de-
mands of AN united constituency. and the
entire party Of the nation, nor resigned to
allow some one else to do so. Whatever
were his judicial conscience and qualms,
they were not strong enough tn cause him
TO cease ,lcfying the will of the people of
his State. For this and other reasons Mr..
Fcssendcn must retire, and no power less
potent than that which could have pre-
vented the eclipse of last Saturday. can
prevent his eclipse in january, 1871. IL
is useless To attempt TO cross that bridge,
Mr.. Advertiser. and the battle Of Lodi will
not bc repeated in this century.
One hundred years ago, and even later.
the relation of the representatives to their
constituents was far different from what il
now is. To very great degree the peo-
pie were obliged to allow their reprcsen-
tative men to think for them, owing To the
lack of diffusion of information. There
were but few who ever saw the text of the
laws. and scarcely any outside Of Congress
could know of contemplated legislation
until long time after the prospective be-
came retrospective. Then and now are
different situations. The people are not
only the power but the inspiration of the
power. They have upon all questions of
such prominence rs the Nebraska Bill"
Secession" and Impeachment of An
drew .Jobpson equal facilities to form a
correct INDICTMENT as those have whom they
send IN washington in proportion rs they
are intelligent; and when there is even a
majority Ito say nothing of an entire har-
mony of opinion) who decide upon meas
urc to be executed. their representatives
must pursue that course. or be pursued.
Tb;. il rich, Tn. cr,,. d,no,r in all
form, Of roycrnmep, 4, that the mower
win ON from tho MANY 70 tho s,w The
people mus, direct their repres.p,ative, If
they wou,J nroscrvo their liberties. and
xbe, thew rre,r,rn,,o,, srd o,o Who