The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-10-06
Fessenden's Origin.

WHEN HE CANE TO knew HIS MoTHER-Hls TENDERNESS
. OF HEART.
From the New York independent
In manners (and manners tell tales of men) he
always appeared to be an aristocrat-a character
seemy in eyes Even to his friends fexcept to the
most intimately, during the first few of every
renewed interview, be exhibited something forbidden
in his demeanor. His countenance, even in its ghtest
mood, never wholly lost its severity His merriest
laugh did not altogether unwrnkle those lines of bis
face which showed him to be good hater. His craven
image on our decimal currency is fabby devoid of all
his Roman dignity. self,respect sat upon him like
supreme virtue. 1t is mistake to suppose (as
have assered) that he suffered perpetual pang the
remembrance of his illegitimate birth No civil tie
constitute, the absence of it nullify the nat
ural and unshamed allegiance which manly must
ever bear his mother. Not till mans estate did Mr..
Fessenden to the knowledge Of his shadowed
gin but when he suddenly discovered that there
living in New England lady Of whose existence he
had been utterly ignorant, but who had brought him
into the world, be made haste her face, to fall
upon her neck, and mingle his of JOY and
row with her Nothing in all his cnreer nobler
than the fial affection and respect which he
ceased to render to this superior during her
remaining years on earth. 1@s-
1t will be satisfaction to the friends of Mr.. Fessen
den and Mr. Sumner to know that the long estrange-
ment between these gentlemen happily concluded
several months ago. Their restored friendship in
creased in heartiness to the last. day or two be-
fore Mr.. Fessendens DEATH visitor to his bedside
ported that telegram had just come from Boston to
the bulletins in Portland, in these words: The Hon.
Charles Sumner is dying" Mr.. Fessenden suddenly
raised his head and exclaimed: +" Is it possible? had
paper from Mr.. Sumner only yesterday. How tran
STORY is human life. What loss to the country"
And paying his friend the oest of tributes, he spoke
of their reconciliation in touching terms.
The brief cncomiums with which the leading jour.
nails accompanied their announcement of Mr.. Fessen
dens death, show how far less was his hold on the
country than on the State These notices show, soo
that their writer's and the people generally, have not
fully known how grand his powers how rich his
feelings, and bow just his aims.
We ourselves may be writing of him without judg-
ment, but not without knowledge. We have sat with
him in his chamber in Washington, and walked with
him in his garden in Portland. We knew him well.
Proud, bitter and Indifferent in his life-pure
gentle and sorrowfu in his inner-he presented to
the spectacle OF strong nature in seeming triumph
the world but in losing struggle against itself.
The portrait of the younger Pitt that hung on his
library wall ty shed down its namesake the refec-
ton of tempest-tossed soul Domestic bereavement
of which he had more than common share-perced
his "heart of hearts" with succession of many
wounds. They who love deeply, and for loves sake
suffer strongly, make no common claim on the worlds
sympathy who would go to vine which had
been planted ty dear, dear hands, and would caress
its blossoms till hiseyes grew dewy with remembrance
deserves over his clay memorial tear.
"Set him down gently at the iron door"