The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-03-04
Eminent Fitness of Things.


regard to buncombe eulogies, and since
then VIC have received letters and calls OF
thanks. We mention this as modestiy rs
We can. only to show that the intelligent
reader is getting Disguised with this Amer
lean popularity which has increased, is
increasing, and ought to be diminished
"Soit soap" is cheap upon mems tongues
but there is always enough lie in it to
mako it dangerous. The men who are
uninauenced by fear or favor, and who
will write or speak the truth or keep ST.
lent, are as rare to find as pearls in oys-
ter shells. A majority, perhaps, Of news
paper editors are suicides in this respect
they "solt soap" so much aud so I'M
sparincly that when their commendation
is richly deserved, it goes for nothing. but
is accounted only "pua." They pursue
this course because q majority OF men
like to DO lied about in their favor, and
itch for some undeserved eulogistic re-
mark about them To 80 before the people.
Our thoughts were called to this sub
jcct by long "whercas" introduced to
our State Senate "by the Hon. Thomas
b. Read Of Cumberland" and by him
moved that the long and aforesaid "where-
as" be "sprcad" upon the Journal OF the
lc gislature. All Of this matter was about
and concerning tho late Senator Fessen-
den. 1t was announced ty the Portland
papers, at the due time. that "the family
of the deceased had requested Mr.. So and
So to deliver an eulogy upon the character
Of, &C." We thought at the time it was
an extraordinary announcement, but. sup
posed it was correct, from the source
whence il came. So, members retained
we presume for the purpose, have, al
nausean, aired themselves OF pent up
rhetoric, which has at least relieved them
if no other good has been performed.
We have naught to set down in malice
10 our late senator. 1t was eminently tit
that the State should take due notice OF
its loss, and that members Of the Bar
should give the usual tokens Of respect to
his memory. But there was no need Of
lying about him; there was no need OF
fatulcnt praise where it was not due ;
and in justice to Mr.. Fessenden's memory
he should not have been "set up" so high,
that the future historian should be Obliged
TO underr,ts his character, because his
friends described his manlincss, like
That light which never -s', On seq or land.
OF all that we have read OF these post
norton adulations, none strike US 80 kind
" as the remarks made by Judge Tapley
before the Cumberland Bar:
"He trod no devious paths; the high road to
his fime was the straight path OF rectitnie, CIV
ing TO the right, everything, and yielding 70 the
wrong, nothing. This eyer-present and ever
controlling purpose lei him TO accept, and to
Adopt that which was shown to he right, rather
than strike out In new paths. in search OF new
truths. His great powers OF mind were given
10 the extraction Of the pure metal from the
crude ore. His labor was not in the mine but
In the laboratory. His action was judicial IN
its character, adopted after careful inyestiga-
ton. The right, when discovered, WAS his rule
Of action, let who woull dissent. Possessed OF
great natural AMI acquired powers Of analysis,
an,l suiiel by such purpose, he attaincd
hi-h and honorable position among men, before
the meridian OF life. Although not fnll OF
years, he died full Of honors, AMI in the midst
OF his usefulness. Ills character and well-de-
seryeI fame belong to the nation, in whose ser
vice he was " useful.
When a good man dies his memory is
an inheritance to the living. When a
great and just man, like Abraham Lin
coin, goes from us, the good there was in
him remains with US "as the light OF the
morning when the sun -riseth, even n
morning without clouds; as the tender
grass spriLging out Of the earth by clear
shining after rain" And neither have
the wise or the unwise right to with
draw their influence, If they could, be-
cause they no more visit "thc glimPscs OF
the NOON" 1t is the duty Of the public
educators to draw from the lives OF such
men moral for the living. placing upon
the chart Of every day existence the beck.
oning harbor and the angry reefs. But
what shall We say Of that pilot who In
vites us to sail among the tortuous
windings Of character, and then shuts US
in the cabin to be surrounded by mirrors
which reflect only smooth water and an
open sea?
When Mr.. Pessenden died he had out
lived his usefulness. There seems to be
a fatality among portion Of our great
men, to live too long, or living to forget
the inspiration Of their hope. If Web
ster in his weakness. fell and lost his
place upon the 9Th Of March; or if Sew
ard turned his back upon former life Of
usefulness and worshipped his ambition;
30 Fessenden, the peer of neither in point
Of intellect, took one step too many and
lost place which he largely deserved.
and partly held by violence to the rules
Of cause and effect. II is said that great
minds have habit 6f turning round. If
VIC examine the character Of such men we