Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-03
Death of Zachariah Chandler.

Chandler, of Michigan, on Saturday morn
ing last. fell upon the public as a sudden
and heavy calamity. 1t is but few weeks
since his voice was ringing in our own
State in behalf of the republican cause,
and the last act of his life was to address,
the evening before his death, great meet
ing at Chicago. Such a lite, so active, SO
resolute and so earnestly devoted to the
success Of the political principles in which
he believed with his whole soul, could not
come to a close-especially in so sudden
a manner-wthout exciting widespread
grief and universal comment. The first
thought is that the old political warrior
died with his harness on. He fell at the
post OF duty. He was stalwart to the
last. His voice rang with the power of a
trumpet even while the death angel was
hoveriug over him. His latest words
were uttered in defence of the principles
which he had steadfastly followed since
the republican party first came into ex-
istence. The next thought is the great
loss to his friends and country of such a
life. Every hill and valley in Michigan
mourns the great loss, and every State in
the Union is stricken with sorrow Mr..
Chandler had hosts OF warm personal
friends, drawn to him by his large SYM
pathies, his manly, honest, noble bearing
in both private and public life. In politi-
cal life he stood as a great rock stands in
the middle of the ocean. Nothing moved
him from his position. When rebellion
came he never finched, but steadfastly
advocated and sustained the most ener-
getic means for the preservation of the
government. Who will forget that has
read it--and who has not--that fiery out
burst of indignation in the Senate last
winter hurled in the very faces of the
Southern ex-Confederatesp 1t was an ar
raignment before which the proud,
naughty spirit of the South quailed, and
which will be long remembered for the
powerful effect it had in arousing the
North to better sense of the danger and
the duty of the times. When such man
goes down the nation has good cause to
mourn.
Senator Chandler was born at Bedford.
New Hampshire. December 10, 1913, and
had therefore almost attained the age of
&C years. He received an academic edu-
cation, and in early manhood removed to
Michigan and entered upon mercantile
career, in which he achieved marked sue
cess. He was chosen Mayor of Detroit in
1851, and was first elected U. S. Senator
from Michigan in 1857, to succeed Hon.
Lewis Cass, democrat.
He was reelected in 1868, and again in
1869. serving continuously from March 4,
1857, to March 3, 1875. His share in the
memorable events that were enacted in
the Senate Chamber during that most
memorable period was conspicuous, patri-
otto and grand. His name will always be
linked with the Titans of debate who held
up the cause of the Union and of Liberty
in those dark and trying years when both
were imperilled. He was defeated for
the Senatorial denomination in 1875, by
Mr.. 1. p. Christiancy, and was shortly af-
forwards appointed by President Grant as
Secretary Of the Interior, which office he
filed with executive energy and tact from
October 10, 1875, to March 3, 1877.
His force and skill in debate were more
than equalled by his extraordinary capaci-
ty as political organizer. 1t was under
his mastery guidance as Chairman of the
National Republican Executive Commit
tee, that the hotly contested presidential
elections of 1868 and 1876 were carried to
a triumphant issue.
Senator Christiancy having accepted
foreign mission, and thereby vacated his
seat in the Senate Chamber, Mr. Chandler
was again chosen United States Senator
from Michigan in the latter part OF 1873,
and took his seat shortly before the close
of the Forty-ffth Congress. He at once
resumed his old position as one of the Re-
puDilcdu lcAueTs Oh the senate, ana AT
once confirmed his hold upon the national
esteem and confidence by the ringing
speech inreply to Senator Lamar, of which
we have spoken above.
During the campaign of this year his
powerful voice has been raised in defence
of the national credit, national honesty in
dealing with creditors, and the preserva-
ton in the South of all the guarantees of
the constitution, the faithful enforcement
of the same, and the continuation of the
government in patriotic hands until the
South improves in temper and political
principles.
Mr.. Chandler was a resident of Detroit,
where he maintained magnificent estab-
lishment in princely style. The exact
valuation of his estate cannot be def
nitely announced at present, but it is
generally estimated that he was worth
from three to four millions, the large part
of which, if not all, will go to his widow