Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-23
Remarks OF Mr.. Blaine

LIAM hlNNs of MAINE ~ I'm -NAtA'-'f'A
GALLERY.
Mr. BLAINE, addressing the President, spoke as
follows:
William King was wholly identified with Maine
He was born on her soil aud lies buried beneath
it. after long and useful life devoted with rare
intelligence and singular energy to the welfare
and honor of her people.
Maine has not selected bis statue to adorn the
National Gallery from lack Of men pre-eminently
distinguished in the service of the General Gov
eminent. One of her first Senators in Congress
was John Holmes, illustrious 10 his day Tor Wii
and wisdom, the sturdy and eloquent opponent Of
the ant-war federaliss of Massachusetts, the trust
ed adviser Of Mr.. Madisons administration M New
Eng land and twice invited to a seat IN hls Caol-
net Mr. Holmes was followed ia the senate oy
the accomplished, the graceful, the eloquent me
learned Peleg Sprague. lie served ten years ID
Congress- where be attained an exalted position,
excelled only by his larger fame as lawyer ana
after a brilliant professional and poh'lcSl career
in Maine passed Thirty honorable years as mem
Der Of the United States Judiciary IL Massachu-
sets. adding to his renown a. a Senator and his
fame As a lawyer the high and envlaoe tue ol a
learned aud upright judge. His only disqualified
ton to be presented as a contribution from Name
TO the National Gallery is the fact that IN the full
possession of his great mental faculties he san
survives, by reason OF strength, with more than
fourscore years Growing his honored aud veheI-
able head
Succeeding Mr. Sprague, first in the House and
afterwards in the Senate, came George Evans
whose contemporary fame As debater placed nm
among New England Senators second ouly TO
Mr.. Webster. lie served eighteen years Ia on
cress with constanlly growing reputation and re-
tired in his forty-nlnth year with poslloh anu
prestige rarely attain at that age. II was my
GOOD fortune TO know Mr.. Evans during the last
fifteen year. of his life, aRd to frequently near
him ut The bar and in public addresses 1hongh
such efforts lacked the stimulus which framed
and logical debater feels IN q contest IN ihi'
-, To
most profound impression on his hearers. Ia
eiscus,i On in Congress lie always cNhioied Inc
tact the force the readiness, the resource 'hAt
tradition assigns to the arltmentaiy eHoII9 o.
Charles James FOX.
William PITT Fessendcu entered the Senate at
the same age at which Mr.. Evans retired. lie
entered in all respects prepared Tor ne lea ietsbp
that was readily assigned him. According u
Lord Bacon, reading makes full man, WIRING
an exact man, talking ready man. MT. Fes-
sender was oil three. He was full he was exact,
he was ready. Perhaps If he had iault, II was III
being too ready. 1t was usually 80 easy lol MN
to do better than others il debate that he seldom
made the preparation that enabled hlm TO DO MS
best His report on the question of leconsliuc-
ton in 1866 is good example OF his cleaiest and
most folcible STYLE and will take rank ! venture
to affirm, with the best State papers IN inc Eng
lish tongue. AT home comparison Is mol uGile-
uueu,ly made between Mr.. Evans and Mr.. res
sender, though ii is difficult TO institute one that
is fair Mr.. Evans would have been the leader OF
the Senate with Clay, Webster, and Calhoun out
of it. Mr.. Fessenden's prominence would not
have been so marked had the lllustiious trio Deen
his contemporaries.
In full view of the eminent public reputation OF
these great Senator's aud also OF the fame of the
Colonial and Revolutionary heroes so htunSy re-
ferred to by my colleague, Maine has Indicated
by general unanlmity OF public OPINION, express
ed through her Legislature, that William hlng Is
her choice for the distinguished honor OF her first
representative in the National GALLERY.
She has chosen him because first of all men he
was influential in erecting the District OF Name
into free and independent State. The connec-
ton OF the District with Massachusetts had be-
come exceedingly distastefu might say intoler-
able to the majority OF our people, and senil-
meht amounting we'll nigh to rancor and hatred
could be satisfied with nothing less than separa-
ton. This dislike, which was mutual and bad
been growing for years, was strongly lnhamed by
the war Of 1872 and the resulting political dlfel-
ences.
Massachusetts was deeply hostile to the war
and did all in her power 10 embarlass its plosecu'
ton. Maine stood firmly by the administration
of Mr.. Madison in upholIing the honor OF the
flag, and she contributed, believe, a larger mum
Der of troops than any other equal populanoh ~
the Union. The majority Of her people regarded
the attitude of Massachusetts, toward the General
Government duIing that struggle as thoroughly
unpatrotc, if not reasonable ParuclPancy IN
the Hartford convention or any sympathy WITH ITS
proceedings or It's aims was political death ana
well nigh social ostracisn to any man IN Name.
The contrary spirit prevailed IN Massachusetts,,
and the venerable William Widgery, who repre-
scented a Maine district in Congress and voted fol
the declaration of war against Great Britain, was
seriously threatened with mob violence As he pass
ed through Massachusetts on his way homew ard.
Maine felt the pressure Of the war keenly. A
large portion of her territory, and ful onchat 81
her long coast including some very conslucta ,e
towns, were held and occupied by the British. a
bloody naval battle was fought within gun-shot Of
her shores, in which the commanders oi both YES
sells were among the slain, and their remains now
peacefully repose side by side in the ancient Gem
etery at Portland. Both on sea and on land the
war was present and terrible TO our people, but
they endured it defantly and successfully.
These events greatly increased the bitterness
between the District and the "step mother State,
as Massachusetts, came to be humOrousy termed :;
and after the peace of 1910 the agitation for indie
pendence proceeded with increased force. AT the
head of the movement-iis leader, Its organizer,
its patriotic and eloquent advocate-was William
King. He restrained the wrath Of the impudent
quickened the zeal of the laggard, dssipated the
tears of the doubling, and nodded his adherents
and followers into a compact cooperative, eilec-
i've force, aud, by the strength OF public opinion,
consolidated largely by his personal efforts, he,
more than any other man-nay, more than all
other men-created the State OF Maine.
Succeeding thus in the immediate field Of his
personal influence, which indeed was quite rre-
s.tible to those who came under its spell. Nh.
hlnR lacked oil course the power 10 command pub
lie sentiment in Massachusetts proper. There,
indeed he was cordially disliked and even exc
Grated.
The people of Maine, though Of the same orig
inal stock as Massachusetts, had come by reason
OF different surroundings, in five or six genera
lions Of descent, to have entirely different char
acteristics. They were essentially, as indeed they
still are, frontier people; with vast forest
the one side and great ocean on the other, and
they were accustomed and Injured by constant &C.
cupation TO the hardsbips and dangers OF both.
These circumstances naturally developed bluff
hearty, brave, and generous people, who were
never understood OF appreciated IN Boston, con
shutting then even more than new the governing
power in Massachusetts, Indeed, one OF the lead
ing lederaliss, active in Massachusetts at The time
Of separation, described the Inhabitants Of Maine
as"a violent and vicious people, and such Judge
TO have been the general estimate placed upon
them at that day by the -iniofmed and prejudic-
cd citizens Of Boston.
But the federal managers Of Massachusetts, be
gan 10 dread the growing strength and boldness
Of the Maine republicans, and lively fear was
developed and spread like wild fire that under the
lead OF William King the war party of 1872, the
followers Of Madison and Clay, would capture the
State and make laws for Boston as well as Ban
gor.
The open and public agitation for State gov
eminent independent of Massachusetts bad be .un
directly after the treaty Of peace in 1873, and be-