The Portland daily press., 1869-12-17
DAILY PRESS.
ND.
Friday Morning, December II, 1869.
tFrom our Regular Correspondent
From Washington.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. IA, 1859.

| tfioih Jul ucSuidt COITcspOuucHt.l
From Warrington.
| WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. IA, 1859.
IN MEMoRIAM-MR. FEssENDEN.
Legislative euogies so long after the demise
OF their object, as is the case in this instance
| generally seem cold and tame. To most of
those who participate in the ceremonies, and
more especially to those who feel compelled to
listen, the reflection must come which once
heard an irreverent wag declare was his chief
objection to being member of Congress-the
fear that he might die during his term and be
made the victim of the vap.d rhetoric and the
stilted sentences which usually form the sta
pie OF Congressional funeral orations. Only
those are glad, as a rule, who need the gloves
each member and officer is entitled to as a
badge of mourning-a proofthat it is not even
skin-deep. But when a public man dies, long
identified with the nations career, filling an
Important place in its councils, and possessing
mental potentiality which has shaped the
legislative history of land, there is really
something worthy of respect in a custom
which commands pause in the busy hours,
and seeks by friendly analysis and kindly re-
calling of the events of the life that has fled,
to relate the statesman and pnblicist to the
important events of which he was a part. 1t
was peculiarly appropriate in Mr.. Fessendens
case, because, more than most men, his life
linked itself with the old and had its active
being in the new phases of our career. Loyal
to the core, Mr.. Fessendea belonged essential
ly to the aga Of Transition. Like Moses he
was permitted only to see the grandeur of the
Future-of which he was hardly part-from
the Reconstruction Pisgah that overlooks eur
Canaan. But in the Senate was surrounded
by the men of the Transition also. This was
probably one of the unrecognized causes
which gave tenderness and depth to the
words spoken therein to-day, that made the
ceremony a warm and glowing one and kept
all listeners ears attuned to the feelings that
dwelt in the speakers words and tones.
THE SENATE.
The galleries were filled and with brilliant
audience-in character and colors In the
latter word mean the ladies. The winter
fashions are bright as the Flaminso's plumage
or the humming- birds brilliancy.
Gov. Morrill, opened the proceedings, in an
address of which the highest praise is TO say
that it was worthy of the subject and the oc-
casion. There was profound attention,
among Senators on the floor and auditors in
the galleries, not only while your Senator was
speaking but until Mr.. Cattell rose, some hour
and half after Gov. Morrill, begun. His was
careful but discriminatory just statement
of Mr.. Fessenden's public career; its relations
with measures, parties and men; his mental
characteristics, personal qualities, social and
civic associations, tgiving him as parlia-
mentary debater, as forensic disputant keen
and sagacious man of affairs and as Senator,
investing his memory with unqualified recog-
milton of the high sense of Senatorial indie
pendence and personal dignity which clothed
Mr. Fessenden as with the purple. Gov. Nor
rilPs eulogy, while warm and earnest, did not,
as he could not in sincerity, place his lament
ed colleague among the few names which
may be counted as commanding. In literary
excellence as well as in critical pith and
weight, Gov. Morrills address was surprise
| to many. He has SO seldom allowed his voice
to be heard here, that some may be excused if
unaware ofhis power in that wise.
| Senator Sumner followed. The Senator
from Massachusetts, has so long been i'll the
habit OF measuring men and events, in his
legislative career, with distinct reference to
their relations to the great struggle in these
halls, of which the Senator himself has been
the central and shining light, that it is to be
expected that he will, as he always does,
measure the value of men by their historical
and intellectual connection Herewith. 1t
was singularly appropriate that the central as
| well as TIE key note of Mr.. Summers brief ad-
dress, should be the description he gave of
Mr.. Fessenden's first speech in the Senate
Chamber and the memorable contest which
called it forth. That speech in the Kansas
and Nebraska strife, has doubtless been equall-
ed but was never surpassed by the dead
statesman. To his perfect command of Parli-
amentary fence, his logical acumen and accu-
rate knowledge, Mr.. Sumner gave cordial rec
ognition. Like Gov. Morrill, and all who fol-
lowed, Mr.. Sumner declared his belief that the
report of the Reconstruction Committee was
the ablest paper of Mr.. Fessendcn's life
Judge TrumbulPs address was disappoint-
ment. To certain extent it was an unnec-
essary attempt at postmortem defence Of
MIR. Fessenden's personal pecularities, seek
ing to show he was not petulant, peevish &C.,
as has sometimes been charged. There was
no occasion for this, as everybody under
stands that if it were so these things were on
ly OF the surface, born of physical suffering
probably.
Senator Williams's eulogy was on the
whole the most impassioned and glowing OF
all that were delivered. He spoke with an
earnestness, fire and warmth of rhetoric
somewhat unusual to him. Mr.. Morrill, Of
Vermont followed in clear and simple phrase
full of feeling, however, and exhibiting a
keen conception of the character he was
speaking of. His references to the impeach.
ment vote, and the brief charge of the Treas
ury, were both very happy. Mr.. Cattell.
brief remarks were characterized by a warmth
of personal feeling somewhat unusual. Sen
ator Patterson's eulogy was polished and
scholarly. He called special attention to Mr.
Fessenden's widely extended general reading
which he characterized as scholarship in thu
better sense. He also referred to the genia
character of the Senator in his private ant
personal relations. Garrett Davis followed
He is the pluckiest wrong-headed man hav,
ever seen or heard Of So thoroughly perme
ated is he with conviction of the righteous
ness of his own political theories, that
would hardly be too eXtravagant to suppos
him discussing reconstruction on the Jude
ment Day, and disputing the constitutional
ty of the method employed. A man VIII
would inject a stump speech on State right
and radicalism into the belly of funereal euie
gy is capable of any monstrosity. 1t wa
rather curious thing to hear Mr.. Fessende
claimed as conservative abstractly on th
reconstruction issues, when his great paper O.
that subject is the arsenal from which wear
ons have constantly been drawn to prove tina
Congress had the complete power over tn
whole subject.
may here mention fact which it is m
impression has never appeared in print. !
is that as chairman of the Reconstruction
Committee, Mr.. Fessenden was the earlies
and steadiest friend of making loyalty the ba
Sis of the franchise and of directly giving tn
negro the ballot. With E. B. Washburne an,
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont, he steadily voted il