New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-22
WASHINGTON SKETCHES.
THE rEssENDEN SENATORIAL TRIBUTES,


had been more recent, there might have been more
feeling apparent in the eulogies, but there wonlu
have been less finish. Tho proper thing was thor-
oughly well dOne-Generously done. There was DO
stint of honest praise-no halfway acknowledgment
of the mastery ability and high character OF the
departed statesman. The eulogsts We'd with eaCh
other in their gracious tributes-in their hooinOio
testimony And yet, the bounds Of simple truth were
NOT # seemed to me- overpassed, were scarcely
coached Tbeir most glowing epithets, their most
sounding periods, failed to give one thaS sense ol
Mr. Fessenden's rare nobility of nature and intel
loctnal snpremacv which was caught by single
Glance at his living face, pure and intense, SO
strong vet so exquisitely refined 1t was lace
set ipfexiblv against all shams and sophlSms Social
moral and political but it was not an unOeheVlng
face twas keen and penetrant in EXPRESSION WIN
ont a touch of cunning. TWAS marked by a peculiar
nride watchful but not jealous lofty, but not
Iordly Mich has been said of this characteristic
pride of the great Senator but little perhaps under
stood 1t was not an assumption, it was not even a
habit: il was a native vital element Of the man. III
hung about Inn like an atmospheric still, cold,
mountain air. utterly without the sting OF hauteur
ard the buster of arrogance. You felt 1t without
resenting it, 1t would never have prevented the
unfortunate from approaching him, or kept a htue
child from his knee 1t made his smile the more
beautiful made every indication of the inner sweet
sstible.
Toward the last the face of Mr.. Fessenden wore
tonobing look of depression and WEAKNESS. lie had
evidently had enough of the world. doubt not his
great heart was panied perhaps embittered, by the
harsh condemnation and suspicion called out by
his course on the Impeachment trial. He had been
wounded in the house of his friends" yet must
their blame have been more endurabie than the
praise of some of their opponents. He found himself
among strange allies. Yet if he had made mistake
he did not confess it, even to himself lie never bore
his head with more regnant poise. There was no
depreciation in his eye but the fire of leadership
seemed to have died down little, to have given
place to certain far-ot look, indefnabe but unfor
getable. The last time met him, he spoke of being
weary :" and thought that the trouble and turmoil
of the fierce partisan contest through which he had
lust passed had given him that feeling, for he was
too great a man to be tired of lfe," or even OF
legitimate political life. The conflict of debate
though sharp stern. and passionate, had doubtless
still the old attraction for him-mght have called
the old glow to his cheek, and the old light to his
eve He liked q fight, but he hated quarrel.
One of our Washington daes, in eulogizing the
eulogsts, says: Gould the spirit of the departed
take cognizance of the honors paid to his own
memory he must have followed the proceedings
with the liyeliest satisfaction"
I beg leave to doubt it. So modest was William
Pitt Fessenden with all his pride or perhaps because
of his pride so delicate and sensitive, that we
can rather imagine him as "blushng through the
very paleness of mortality" at beholding whole
golden morning of good working time gwen up 10
the praise of those simple, manly virtues which were
as natural and necessary to him as breatmng-Ot
those patriotic services and sacrifices which were
their own exceeding great reward" My own opin-
ion is that that lofty and austere spirit was not
nv choice present on this occasion.
Mr. MoTrill's euogy was, as you have seen, elo-
ouently and elegantly written, but 1t was rather
coldly delivered. Like most of those that followed,
1t was read-so, lacked the glow of spOntanety, the
tremble of the heart along the voice. 1t was pre-
meditated sentiment, rhetorical grief The funeral
chapet though of the choicest flowers of oratory'
was trAe faded A little generous tender broth
erly sorrow, fearlessly outspoken, unstuSed. I'M
written, unclassical, supplementary would have
touched and thrilled us more than the large estimate
and elaborate analysis of Morrill, or even the orotund
utterances of Sumner. But here they are first ora
tors. then men. Besides. the man had been three
months dead.
Mr.. Summers tribute seemed to us surprisingly
simple and brief. We had looked for something
more elaborate. 1t was written in noble spirit
cbivalrc and Christian. 1t was generous and some
thing more yet considering that the two great New
England statesmen were for many years. If not enc
mics unfriends confess should have liked it bet
ter if the survivor had not then and there remem-
bered the fact even to forgive. / know 1T was not
so meant; but it seemed like sort of proclamation
Of amnesty toward the great unconquered dead
Still Mr. Summers task was q difficult and delicate
one and on the whole was nobly and feelingly per-
formed.
Senator Anthonys eulogy seemed perhaps the most
spontaneous and hearty of them all, But the
tributes of Senators Trumbull, Hamln, Williams
Patterson, and Morrill, of Vermont were very just
and beautiful. After them "the deluge Mr.
Garrett Davis
1t may have been an unchastened imagination, but
it certainly occurred to that honorable Senators
dealt each other some sharp blows across that hon
ored grave that in prasing certain virtues not com
mon to frail Senatorial humanity, they sat
irized the living while eulogizing the dead
Thus did that venerable busy bee" Of
the Senate Chamber, Mr.. Garrett Davis
g improve the shining hour" by an assault on the
Radicals proving that he is not by any means all
buzz and humble, but bears sting of considerable
exasperative and exacerbative power. For once the
air of the Senate not drOwsy under his oratory
The galleries were particularly wide-awake at seeing
this mournful occasion turned to such belligeTent
account. 1t was like guerrilla attack on funeral
procession But strange to say 1t was soon over and
we all went home.
OF late our honorable city authorities have been
greatly exercised how most efectually ito break up
certain Womens Rights meetings, which threaten
the peace and good order of this much- governed,
magnificent and moral metropolis Has it ever Oc-
CURED to our excellent Mayor to invite Mr.. Garret
Davis to speak from that troubled PLATFORM My
word for his oratOry would presently clear the hall
OF the feminine agtators and their rotous audience
the adjournment would be sans oeremone and sine de-