Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-12-23
SENATOR FESSENDEN.
Announcement Of his Death BY Hon.
Lot n. Morrill,

Senate Tuesday afternoon the l4th.
by Mr.. Morrill,, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. President. who at your adj
journment in July had in this chamber
become familiar presence-a pervad-
ing inaucnce-comes not again at your
re-asscmblIng in December. The duh
toll of far-oH bells, the visible emblens
Of mourning, public and private. have
spoken of bereavement, and touch our
hearts with deepest scnsiblitv. These
swiftly repeating vIcisstuIes in the
personal destinics of those associated
here n consciousness of the numbers
Of the wise. the patriotic. the trusted,
who of late have departed hencc-who
come no more TO these couucils-op-
press rs with the weight Of common
misfortune and now a new absence nj
the roll call to earthly duty iuhicts
fresh pang of regret.
\ great public sorrow afiiicts the
people of my native State, a sense Of
bereavement the nation. In especial
sympathy with the common misfortune
the Senate pauscs To pay its tribute Of
respect 10 its eminent dead. the mark
ed lineaments of whose form and char
acter are vivid still in the memory,
who. so lately, stood here in his high
office, in the prominence Of native gifts.
aad Of a rich and varied experience.
challenging the respect. the confidence.
and the admiration Of his couhtrymen.
On the eighth day of September last.
alter a career pre-erninent in profess
ional and public life beginning with his
earliest manhood, and having becu
constantly associated with the courts,
and officially in the public councils OF
the State aud na4ion. at the zenith ol
his fame and iss-sh~ <nsa sa-1pss-ssisn ~
his intellectual faculties. William Pit
Fessendcn was called away from the
scene, of earth, The public career Of
NJ. Fesscndcn was not ia anv SENSE
problematicsl AMI IN this presence. a
witness 10 - considerable = portion of
II. and IN its just promlncnc. 50 iutl-
matcly associated with th, great even >
OF our more recent history. ANALYSTS of
il would seem 10 bc quite needless !;
while properly 10 other hands aud 9TH
or occasions II may oc lett adequately
10 portray those marked elcinents OF
his character from which sprapg his
public cmIncnce
His Years of activity were divided
between public and professional life, 20
the latter of which. IN early wears, he
consecrated himself with singular H.
delltv, hl> passionate fondness for it.
remained long after the exigences or
the public service had severed all prac-
ticai connection with il. While the
former WAS not wholly uninterrupted
and exclusive. IL was sufficiently con-
tinuous and devoted, for contact, con
nection and familiarity with the poll
ties and public events OF the day. En-
trring the Legislature OF his State at
twenty-slx, he was returned al short
intervals, WAS early "A member Of Con-
gIess. again IN the Legislature. then
advancing 10 this body. then, briefly,
Minister Of State, ana finally again in
the senate, where il may not untitly
be SAID, his service was continuous
from It's first beglnn NJ - its iiual close
His early aI'cnt into the legislature
OF ms State was noticeable for the
concession OF the party in power 10 his
eloquence and requirements, OF posi-
tiohs OF distinction and influence.
which. by usage, belonged 10 political
frl.nH- IN. N4 anI l.r
perlence. On his entrance into the
National House of Representatives.
himself among the youngest Of its
members, lie at once participated in
the important debates of that body.
attracting notice as graceful oratJr
and skillful debater, and for the com
prehension and maturity of his opin-
IONS.
His pre-emneut public career dates,
strictly from his entrance into this
body in 1874. as from thi. time be gave
himself exclusively 10 his public duties.
simultaneously with his advent 10 the
Senate arose, IN Congress, that class
Of public questions which were calcu-
lated to test The temper Vi; his aiiec-
tions. the tenaclty Of his opinions. and
the steadlness of his purpose. Kansas
Nebraska, the stalking horse Of slay-
cry, which, under an aifectation Of de-
Tending the Constitution, was TO cou-
ceal the guilty purpose of subversion
of democratic republican institutions,
s'fLA<Iied AN QRporlAQIN Or i.a exhibi
tion of those powers o. analysis. logic
and invectlve, which have rarely been
surpassed Ill any legislative body.
Here was aiidacious menace-signifi-
cant hint To overt treason which was
To follow here were the first mutter-
ings Of the storm that was TO burst up
on the nation amid the commissions of
civil war. This audacious spirit Of
bad faith, usurpation and oppression.
leading an assault upon popular rights,
could not fail To provoke the intensest
hostility in one, the very elements Of
whose being made him intolerant Of
every species of infidelty and cruelty.
The effect here "f his memorable
speech on that occasion was electric,
and contributed, it NAV not be doubt
ed, to swell the tide Of popular indig-
nation and resolution of the great ma
tional uprising Of 1855. followed in af-
ter years by memorable deeds in arms.
Not aggressive in spirit, not an ad
vanced radical refOrmer even, wha'ev-
er may bs said of his constitutional
he was, by the native
simplicity Of his tastes, his education
and habits Of life, and, better still, by
his enlightened sense of justice and
hatred Of wrong, always the able and
fearless advocate Of civil and religious
liberty. Republican institutions had
no truer conservator and oppression no
more determined and uncompromising
opponent than William Pitt Fessenden.