National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-09-17
Death OF Senator Eesscbtfcn.



10. been realized. His disease was .
checked but not conquered, and he /.
died at half past g, Wednesday |
morning. \ week ago he was i'll his |
usual health as far as WAS publicly |
known.and the shock Of his sickness /
aud death is as sudden as it is
severe. Up to3 o'clock of the morn
ing OF his death there seems to have
been a possibility that he might
recover. but at that time he began to
fail rapidly, and died after several
hours Of great suffering, alleviated
as much as possible by his physi-
clans and friends.
William Pitt FeSsenden was born
at BoScawen, \. H.. October 10,
1906, graduated at BoWdoin College
in 1923 and was admitted to the bar
in 1897. Since then lie has resided
at Portland. lie served in the Maine
Legislature in 1882, 1870, 1913, 1916,
and again in 1893 and 1894, and
was a representative in Congress
from 1S4l to 1913. He was first
chosen to the Senate in 1894, and
| hoo since been n mnmhn, az that
body almost continuously, though
at the solicitation OF President Lin
coin he consented to serve as SCcrc.
tary of the treasury for short time
in 1864, after the resignation of
! Secretary Chase. Previous to his
entering the Senate Mr.. FeSScndcn
had won u great reputation and
| practice as a lawyer, and he early
! took high rank as a debater in the
| Senate, and has served upon its most
! important committee, being for a
| long time upon the finance commit
tee and holding, at the time Of his
death, the important place Of chair
man of the committee OF approprl-
ationS.
In a trucr sense than usual in
speaking of senators, Mr.. FeSScndcn
may he said to have had a national
reputation. Originally wing he
early joined the republican move
mcnt and has always been firm
: supporter OF the principles that il
: sought to establish. Not that Ii,
, has always agreed with the par \
! leaders, for he had a mind of his owl
and was not slow TO express it. Hi
, natural conservatism of tcmpcra-
: ment and bis independence Of ac
= ton, as in the vote upon the i'm
parchment trial, often led him in ;
: minority of the party, and EXPOSED
him to abuse and misrepresentation
, His many faults Of temper also pre-
5 vented his ever being a popular
/ man. He could not bear advice o
rcbuke; not even orr Senator sun
[ nrr did he stand in awe of, and tn,
, sharp passages between the two ar,
= familiar to all who read the proceed
t ings of Congress, For Il long tim,
e there has been enlargement be
;. tween the two, but we are glad {,
= hear that it haS.within a recent time
o been removed, and that these glca
I men, both lovers of their country
= became friends again.
e But there is no need to multipl
e words. Mr.. Fcs>cuden'S public lii
i, and history are known to all. Witl
= all his great faults, and they az
= many. Mr.. FcSScndcn had great VII
< tues and great talents. He was al
: earnest worker for party and fo
G country in everything that he y,
/ licvcd to he right, and he has left
f. record such rs few attain to. II
h was eminently u man in who's
d Judgment the people had conf
f, dencc, whose integrity it was safe t
t believe in; and though he sometime
/. went wrong, few Will care to thin
| OF that now. but Of the manr mon
It times when he was Il power for I'll
= right.
e. Who Mr.. FesScnden's permanci
d successor will be it is, of course. tC
lc early to speak with certainty. III
IS names of Gov. Chamberlain. also
t. cX Senator Morrill, are mcntionc
n Till the Legislature meets, IN .janu
i ~. the vacancy will he filled by q
L. bcrDatlOrlai appointment.