The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-04-20
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acquired an ample fortune by importing flow
ers and ribbons. These were his specialties
He had q branch house in Paris, and resided
there at intervals for several years. always,
however, retaining his residence here. He
never held any public position except MEM
bership in our State Legislature. He was
sent to the Assembly for one year. He was
leading man in the Unitarian Society of which
Dr. Bellows has been so long the pastor, and
was prominent in the Chamber of Commerce.
He was an officer of the New England Society
for dozen years or more and reached the
Presidency of it in 1872, serving couple of
years. He was once a candidate for Congress
in city district but was defeated, as Repub-
licans here are apt to be. He was strongly
urged to be candidate in the 18th District
(Westchester) last Fall, when an election was
held to fill the vacancy caused by the death Of
Alexander Smith. He has a country place in
that district. The expense of running was es-
timated at S15 900 !the chancesiof winning were
not remarkably good, and he concluded to wait
till next time. 1t was so late when he made
up his mind that the Republicans were unable
to look up candidate. The Democrats NOM
mated Waldo Hutchins, who having at one
period of his life professed to be Republican,
was naturally the most pronounced and in
tensely partisan Democrat in the whole popu.
lation. Nicholas Smith, the son-in-law of the
late Horace Greeley, who is Greenbacker,
made an arrangement by which the ticket dis
tributors gave out his ballots to the
voters as they came to the polls,
but Hutchins got the seat by de-
cided majority. If Cowdin had lived he prob
ably would have made the contest the coming
November. 1t is a curious district. There is a
solid, straight out Democratic majority in it Of
from 1 500 to 5000 and yet State Senator VIM.
III. Robertson has carried it repeatedly, and
never failed of carrying it when he was a can
didate. All which shows that the voters are
manageable and can be handled If suitable
dexterity is used.
Mr.. Cowdin was Republican, but he would
occasionally shy in critical moments He was
fearfully exercised in 1872 as between Grant
and Greeley, but happening to be in Paris he
staid there and avoided an actual committal to
either side. He arrived home day or two
after the election was over. He was great
friend of Mr.. Evarts The Secretary came in
from Washington expressly to attend the flu
neral. Mr. Cowdin was thoroughly amiable
man, intensely active and very ambitious. He
wanted to take a hand in everything. He
seemed to be imbued with the notion that
nothing could go exactly right unless he man
aged it. This foible undoubtedly de-
tracted from his influence, but it did not
impair the faith of his associates in the
sincerity of his motives or the integrity of his
nature. He was a popular man and will be
greatly missed.
Mr.. Osgood was we'll known outside as we'll
as inside of New York. He was an accom-
plished scholar, but wonderfully eccentric
man. He always seemed to be in a dreamy and
distracted mood. He was at a mature age
when he abandoned the Unitarian church and
went over to the Episcopalians. But his
change of faith produced very little sensation,
either among people of the sect he renounced
or of the sect he embraced. 1t was regarded
as an Osgoodian movement, and not therefore
subject to the ordinary rules of criticism He
had the air of a man who was conscious Of his
own gifts. A witty bohemian said of him
years ago, that the impression he made upon
him was that he was possessed of the idea that
he would never reach his rightful place until
there was vacancy in the Trinity. But not
withstanding his pecularities he was good
and lovable man had a great many true
and appreciative friends and was highly re-
spected and esteemed by all who knew him.
While these dispensations have been going
on, there has been no declension in the num-
ber or quality of the social entertainments
which are usually rife at this season of the
year and now more prevalent than ever.
Since Easter began, New York has
been a scene of gaiety that rivals the Paris of
the Empire and outvies the Paris of the Re-
public. Moreover the opera is in the full tide
of successful operation, the theatres present
every outward appearance of thrift rarely
get within the walls Of one-and the hotels
albeit their name is legion-are most, II not all
of them crowded. In short the metropolis is
radiant with the geam and glitter of its aug
menred woHl.h and is holding sort of contin-
uous saturnala over its restored prosperity.
YARMOUTH.