The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-09
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william Pitt Fessendcu.
But q lew days ago the telegraph reported the
illness OF Mr.. Fessenden the announcement con-
tanning the further intelligence that his recovery was
hopeless. On yesterday the news came that he was
dead. HIS disease 1t appears. was liberation OF the
bowels, although when first attacked the gravity OF
his case was not apparent.
MIR. Fessenden, though BY no means young
man, was yet In the prime OF life, being not
quite sixty-tnree years Of age. He was born
on the 10th Of October. 1906, In BOscawen,
Merrimac county, N. H.. graduated at Bowdoin
College in 1929 and after studying law was admitted
to the par in 1897. He began the practice Of his
profession in Bridgeton, Me-. but In 1929 moved to
Portland, where he ever after resided. From the
outset he controlled large and profitable business.
winning reputation at the time for the marked
ability with which conducted all the affairs Of his
profession as well as for the general success which
attended the law cases entrusted to his charge
Necessarily tat least necessarily In this country a.
o lawyer Of prominence. he soon entered INTO
political life. AS with law so with politics. he
achieved marked success nom the start In 1881 he
was elected to the State Legislature from Portland.
and although but young man OF twenty-five years
was distinguished among his colleagues for his pow
ers as Q debater and for the skill and legal acumen
he displayed as legislator On the expiration OF
his term Mr.. Fessenden declined to serve again Am
bilious as he was for political preferment his pr
vate. aflairs compelled him to devote his undivided
attention 70 the practice Of his profession. Before
he abandoned this self-imp0sed abstinence from 80
tive participation In politics he was numbered
among the most distinguished members Of the
Maine bar. Few New England lawyers have won 80
rapid and substantial reputation ~ he DID,
While quietly attending to business numerous
opportunities were afforded for re-entertng into pOli
tics, but he withstood and declined them ALL In
1888 strong EFFORTS were made to induce him to be-
come candidate for Congress. These. as with pre-
vi0us others. he resisted. In 1882 however. after
declining some two or three times ana protesting
against his nomination. he was elected member OF
the Legislature for the second time. At this time
Mr. Fessenden was . stanch member Of the whig
party while majority Of the Maine Legislature was
strongly democratic. Under these circumstances his
chance OF being selected for distinction would have
rather gloomy had not his legal reputation stood
90 nigh that he actually placed the Judiciary
Committee by the democrats and subsequently elected
chairman OF the House COMMITTEES to Revise the
State Statutes. He was now fairly embarked on the
sea of politics In 1910 he was nominated by the
wings for and elected to Congress- hts personal
popularity enabling him to run far ahead OF his
party vote His career in the House Of Representa-
tives was on the whole, quite creditable His
speeches on the Loan bill Bankrupt law and other
measures then OF public interest," and his speech In
reply to Caleb Gushing. fully sustained his reputa-
ton orator OF ability. Upon the expiration Of
bis term he declined reelection, and soon after re-
ceived the whg vote for Senator in Congress- but was
defeated the democrats then having majority in the
Legislature. In 1sA6, the temperance question crea-
ting considerable excitement, Mr.. Fessenden was
nuenced to lend his aid to the pr0hibtiOnists. He
became their candidate for the Legislature and was
elected after bitter canvass. During the folio wing
year he was again returned In the interest OF the
temperance men, but, upon the expiration OF his
term, perempt0rily refused to become candidate
OF theirs again. because he had ceased to sympa-
thtze with their principles. but mainly because OF
hs desire to resume the uninterrupted practice Of
bis profession.
Except a. q member Of whig national c0nven.
tons Mr.. Fessenden took no active part In poll
tics from 1s4e 70 1859. Once, indeed Qs5O),
he was the candidate of the whig and free soil
coalition for Congress- ana although elected an error
in the returns compelled the State authorities to
give the certificate OF election to his competitor He
was urged to contest the seat thus obtained but
u s that did not
the slightest desire 70 be In Congress. In 1S4S he
was Q member OF the Wing Convention which nomi-
mated General Zachary Taylor. In concert with
large majority Of the delegates from New England
he supported and pressed the claims Of Daniel Web
regarding Mr. Websters availability for the nomina-
ton changed, and he supported the candidature OF
General Scott who was disastrousiy beaten at the
It should be- stated here that during the interval
In which he remained o. heme practising law Mr.
Fessenden was associated with Daniel Webster In
case OF great importance before the United states
Supreme Court: Il involved the legal question,
selling property should anect the owner Of the pro.
perry sold, ne being no party 70 the fraud Judge
siven against the client OF Mr. WeDster and Mr.
jurist's influence they had to contend. Mr. Fessen-
denis argument before the supreme Court was re-
markable for It's logic and also reasoning as well
as for It's legal aoumen. The case was finally
lawsuit was the first Of the kind brought before
the court hence its result was looked for with more
HIS CAREER AS A SENATOR m CONGRESS-
At the Wing National Convention In 1852 Mr.. Fes-
| sender was one OF the stxtyseven delegates who
pies set up BY the party and on which General Scott
was beaten. In q speech delivered on the occasion
time he was fast Yielding to the assaults Of the sbo
that an rrrepressible connict" between the slave
and the free States was brewing. After the action
OF the Southern wings on the Nebraska bill he be-
came . strong advocate for the formation OF new
political party. At this time the republican or
eanizatoh was In embryo. The wings had
made their last effort TO obtain possession
OF the government and had been annlhiaIed by the
| democracy. They SANK never again TO RISE At this
election Mr.. Fessenden the free soil candidate
| Tor Congress and received 1855 votes running far
| behind Appleton iwhg) and Mcdonald tdemocratl
| the last named OF whom was elected BY some 1000
| majority over ALL When the Legislature met II was
| found that the democrats were IN Q majority,
having ninety three votes against combined oppo-
sition OF eighty nine. Among the democrats we're
several members who refused to support their regu
| lar party nominee These c0alesced with the wings
and free sOiiers, and after somewhat Acrimonious
canvass elected Mr.. Fessenden Senator In Congress
! to succeed James w. Bradbury. I'LL.
| In 1854 Mr.. Fessenden took his seat his colleague
being Hannibal Hamlin, then democrat. On the
| night OF March B. following, the Nebraska bill was
passed. and ON the night he delivered Q bril-
liant speech against IL, establishing his reputation
as one OF the abest debaters In the Senate Placed
| on the Finance Committee he served with skill and
| credit, devoting much time TO all measures which