The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-08


property sold, he being no party to the fraud Mr.
Fessenden had to contend against the weight and
influence Of Judge Story's opinion and decision
against his client in the court below. He was sue
cessful, and Judge Story's decision was reversed
Mr. Fessendens argument that occasion was re-
markable for its logical force and legal acuteness
and won the highest admiration from the most fas-
tidous judges. once during the period Qn 1880
Mr. Fessenden was elected to Congress- but his seat
given to his competitor through an error In the
returns. Mr. FesseDden declined to contest the case
before Congress from an unwilingness TO serve IN
that body, which he had decsively expressed in ad
vance to the conventions Of the Wing and Freesoil
parties, which, against his Wishes had insisted upon
nominating him.
He was elected a member of the National Conven-
ton which nominated General Harrison for the
Presidency in 1s4O; was member OF the conven-
tion of 1S4S which nominated General Taylor, in
which he supported the claims Of Mr. Webster; and
a member of the convention of 1852, which nomi-
mated General Scott. He was opposed to Mr..
Webster the last occasion, and advocated General
Scott's nomination. but was one OF the 81 who
opposed and voted against the platform at that time
set up by the Wing party. In 1858 he was again
returned as member OF the State Legislature from
Portland, and was chosen by one branch he Senate)
as United States Senator. The Democrats had a
majority in the House, and that branch failed to
concur in the election by votes; concurrent vote
being requisite to a choice no election of Senator
was effected at that session. The same House,
though opposed to Mr.. Fessenden in politics. asso-
ciated him with the Hon. Reuel Williams in nego-
tiang the purchase Of the large body OF wild lands
of Massachusetts lying in Maine, which was success
| fully accomplished.
| In the succeeding year QS5D Mr.. Fessenden was
again a member Of the Legislature, which was
Demo2ra in both branches The Kansas Nebraska
question operating as disturbing element, Mr.. Fes-
sender was now chosen Senator by both branches on
the first ballot by union OF the Wings and Freesol
Democrats. Though n X
| cept as Whg, this event may be said to have been
| the preliminary step towards establishing the Re-
publican party in Maine, the necessity OF which new
organization, after the action of the main body OF
| the Southern Wings on the Nebraska BILL Mr. Fes-
senden was one of the first to proclaim and advo-
cate. He took his seat in the Senate, February 49,
| 1884, and on the night Of March following, at
which time the bill was passed. delivered one OF the
most electric and effective speeches made against
1t. This effort established his reputation at once
as one Of the abest members and most powerful
debaters in the Senate. During his first term he
| served a member of the Committee Finance.
! Among the great speeches which he delivered In the
six years were those on our relations with England,
on Kansas affairs, and on the Presidents message,
in 1856; the Iowa Senatorial election, in 1857 and
| on the LecOmpton Constitution, in 1855. In 1889 he
reelected to the Senate for another term of six
years, by unanimous vote of his party in the State
Legislature, without the formaty of a previous
| nomination, this having been the first instance Of
the KIM IN tne history OF state. lie continued
| to serve on the Finance Committee being elevated
| to the Craftsmanship, and was also member of the
Library Committee, and a regent OF the Smithsonian
Institution. He also participated in the proceedings
of the Peace Congress of 1861, as member OF that
body.
| In july 1864, he was appointed by Secretary Lin
coin Secretary of the Treasury in place of Salmon
| p Chase, who resigned to accept the position of
| Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United
| States. During the year he was again elected
to the United States Senate for the full term
mencing March 4, 1865, and resigned his seat in the
| Cabinet to resume his old position in the Senate,
| where his admirable debating powers always caused
! him to figure in prominent and influential way.
| He was again placed at the head of the Committee
| on Finance, and at the subsequent session Of Con-
| gress was made chairman OF the Special Joint Com
| mttee on Reconstruction. Previous to the attempt
OF Congress to get rid of Andrew johnson, Senator
| Fessenden worked and voted with the Republican
| majority, but he always regarded as a man of
somewhat conservative views, and had the reputa-
ton of being sufficiently independent in spirit to
take a stand upon his own convictions, in case
they should happen to conflict with the of the
majority OF the party. Hence his vote upon the
question of guilty not guilty in the impeachment
business was looked forward to with great anxiety,
and when cast in favor of acquta his friends
and the country at large were not greatly aston
ished
AS Senator, Mr.. Fessenden was almost without a
peer. lie was peculiarly uJleu ny udJuTc anu euuCa-
ton for the position and found an earnest
and powerful advocate OF what he regarded as the
right. His frmness and independence was an in
heritance derived from his father, who was a noted
man in New England politics many years ago, and
who during the war OF 1912, made speech in the
Massachusetts, Legislature in which he proposed to
'go to Washington with the sword in one hand and
the Constitution in the other and demand that this
unrghteous war shall cease" But in the Treasury
Department he found himself quite out of his sphere
and his management of the affairs of that office was
practically failure. He had been inducted into the
onice against his own desires, having no liking OF
| capacity for the peculiar duties of the position
although he had attained great popularity and infu
ence in the Senate as a 1nancier, and had given q
lasting impress to the financial legislation of the
country.
From the great height of popular esteem to which
his stern and unyieding record during the war had
elevated him, his vote on the impeachment business
brought him down. Whatever may have prOrpte(
his vote the country and especially the State which
he represented, chose to regard him as fathlesS
renegade, and as the result his days of usefulness
were fairly numbered months before death called him
to another world For several years previous to his
death he had been in shattered health, being suf
ferer from chronic dyspepsia 1t is also said that he
| had never wholly recovered from the effects OF the
poison taken into his system years ago at the time
OF the wholesale poisoning at the National Hotel in
| Washington.
SPECIAL NOTICES.
For additional Special Notices the Inside Pages.
=