The Portland daily press., 1883-07-25
A Worthy of Old Maine.
Sketch OF the Remarkable Career of the
Hon. John Chandler of Monmouth.
BY WILLIAM II. SMITH.
lConcluded.1


sets. Our fathers, judged by the civil SER
vice reform standards, were hard lot of po-
iitical impenitents; they "cried aloud and
spared not' their enemies, in a way that
would shock some of their descendants. A
man of the political fame and activity of
General Chandler came in for double por-
ton of abuse from his opponents. His con-
duct in the affair at Stony Creek was over
hauled, and an attempt to belittle him
based upon a report of the engagement made
to Hon. John Armstrong, Secretary of War,
| by General Morgan Lewis of New York. 1t
was published in the Eastern Argus of July
10Th, 1918. The Republican papers replied.
In the Argus of Sept. 25tb, 1916, may be
found ali able defence of General Chandler.
which was concluded in the issue of week
later. The discussion was continued until
| Jan. 18th, 1877. Hon. Joseph f. Wingate
| of Bath, who afterwards was IN Congress
| from the Lincoln District, wrote letter of
| inquiry to that noble old Roman, Major
General Henry Dearborn, who was General
| Chandler's superior officer in the engage
ment at Stony Creek. Here is the reply:
Boston, Jan. IT, 1877.
Dear Sir:-Your letter of the 18th was received
yesterday think that Gen. Lewis ought not to be
allowed to pass unnoticed. His general character
affords him very little shelter and his military
fame too notorious to require any specification.
1t would be quite sufficient to alude generally to
his total inedciency in every situation he held dur
ing the war; Notwithstanding his show and pagentry
| on all occasions; in short, his conduct at Fort
| George, Niagara was go conspicuous ami so
well known to every one to render him absolute
ly redicklous, and he above all should have
been very cautious how he gave any occasion 9TH
ers for attacking his military glass house. His
pompous parade setting out from Albany for Nj
agra, and while on the journey (when he ought =
| have set off many days earlier and have made as
rapid progress possible and his total natention
to the important duties confded to him after his
arrival were sufficient to damn any officer. find
have been Internationally running into details, to
which there would be end. Especially if 1 were
to enumerate his unmllitary delays and misconduct
--particularly in the attack Fort George where
the whole British force might have been captured.
| but for his total negligence and ineficency, my
state of health being such rendered my personal
exertions on shore impracticable and | must &C
knowledge that was extremely unwilling believe
him incapable of any useful service until l was
| again and again disappointed in my hopes aud ex-
pectations and ultimately compelled against my ia
clinations to give up all hopes of his makeing
| an officer of any worth or to the army. / be
lieve that almost every officer of the army who be-
came acquainted with him held him in lower esti-
nation than did; for some time thought it inpos
sibe for man Of his pride, ambition and informa-
ton to be totally destitute OF any practical quail
fcations nessecary for officer of his rank. Gen.
Chandler was much his superior in every practi-
cal quality efficient man is to an inefficient
one; and from the best information am fully salts
fed that any misfortune which occurred at Stony
| Creek, where Chandler was captured, the eff
| fects of unavoidable accident, and in no degree
ehargable to his want of judgement in the DISPOSE
ton of the troops to any neglect of duty his
| part. I am, dear sir. &c., &c.,
HENRY DEARBORN
Joseph F. Wingate, ESQ.
The opinion of such man as General
Dearborn, given nearly four years after the
affair occurred, supporting the record of
General Chambers whole life, is sufficient
evidence to settle any question as to his abil-
| ity or courage as military man.
The question of separation continued to
be discussed during the year 1877, and many
of the Federal party supported the move
tive as before to promote the movement. He
was chairman of a committee in 1918 which
issued a circular to the voters of Kennebec
| County. The committee consisted of the
! following gentlemen: John Chandler,
| james Bridge, Ebenezer t. Warren, limo
| thy Boutelle, Nathan Cutler and Ruel Will
| liams. No better proof is needed to estab-
| Oh J. l. ;el,n :, i L:
ity as a civilian than the fact that he was at
| the head of a committee of men of their
| character and position in the District. When
| the Convention met IN Portland, Oct. II,
| 1919, he was one of the committee of thirty
| three to whom was assigned the duty of pre-
pairing constitution. The document this
| committee presented is model for any
| Commonwealth. In the debates in that
convention he took a prominent part. When
Maine was admitted as State in 1920, he
| was chosen to the State Senate from Kenne-
| bee County The questions that had divid-
ed parties had passed away. Monroe was
reelected that year, receiving every electoral
vote save one. William King was elected
Governor by nearly unanimous vote. The
Legislature was chosen without regard to
former party divisions. 1t was body of
able men. Both branches had on their rolls
| men that had served in the revolution and
| in what was then known as "the last war;
Benjamin Ames was chosen Speaker of the
House, and John Chandler President of the
Senate. In few weeks after he and Hon.
John Holmes were chosen our first Senators
in Congress. Resgning the position of
President of the Senate, he was succeeded
| by Hon. William Moody, who, few weeks
| later, resigned to accept the position OF
| Sheriff of York County, when the Hon. Will
| liam d. Williamson was chosen President
His 'History of Maine" is monument to
| his memory more enduring than granite or
! iron.
May 9Th, 1921 Gov King, in accordance
with an act of the Legislature, appointed
| twelve additional trustees of Bowdoin Col
| lege AS this action caused some sharp dis
| cussion at the time / will give their names.
| John Holmes, John Chandler, William Pitt
Preble, Nathan Weston, Jr., Albion z.
Paris, James Bridge, Benjamin J. Porter,
| Mark Langdon Hill, Joshua Wingate Jr.,
| Erastus Foote, Ashur Ware, and Judah
| Dana. All must admit that If the Governor
was, as alleged, hostile to that institution his
selection conferred honor upon it. Gen.
! Chandler served as trustee for seventeen
years, resigning in 1888. May Goth 1921, Gov
King resigned his Office to become commits
sioner to settle the Florida claims. He had
the March previous been re-nominated
or Governor. He declined the nomination
the day before he resigned.
! The two prominent candidates mentioned
| in the papers for the Governorship were
Gen. Chandler and the Hon. Albion K. Par
Els. A careful perusal of the journals
of the !day will convince anyone that
Gen. Chandler could shave been nomin-
ated. He declined to have his name used in
the following letter to the editor of the Ar
gus:
MONMOUTH, June 15, 1921.
| Mr.. ToDD:--I observe in tho American Advocate
| of the 9th, and in the Eastern Argus of the 18th