The Portland daily press., 1891-07-10
MR.. hAMLIN IN PUBLIC LIFE.
Cen. John j. Perry's Recollectlons OF
the Dead Statesman.
Ia Iho Ellifo.. of fhe Press.


represented by VIM, Pitt Fessenden. s. r
Lyman, Oliver B. Dorrence and Elisha Trow
pridge. Mr.. Hamlin was always popular a,
presiding officer. In forming his commit
Tees ne uniformly respected the rights of al
the members, whet Their of his own or the OPP
posing political party; he was prompt ant
impartial In his rulings; and while he wa
easily approached, and put everybody al
ease In his presence,-he always maintained
the dignity OF the chair. 1t should be herr
remarked that this was the third time Mr.
Hamlin had been thus honored having .beer
Speaker of the House in 1886 and 1889.
Mr.. Hamlin soon after this exchanged leg
islative, for Congressional honors and al
though he was defeated in the great "Tir
and Tyler" campaign In 1910, he subsequent
| ly was elected and served in the 2Sth and 29tI
Congresses as a member of the House Of
Representatives. In this connection, 1t IL
proper to say, that in the stirring political
times of that day, the Democratic party In
Maine was divided into two wings upon the
slavery question, Mr.. Hamlin being the
recognized leader of the anti-slavery element
in the party.
Hamlin In the House of Representatives
against the extension of slavery into free
territory had much to do with creating and
maintaining an anti-slavery sentiment in the
party in Maine. His speech on the admis-
sion of Oregon as free state, was one of the
ableSt, most eloquent appeals in behalf of
freedom ever delivered in the House. From
this time ever afterward. until the slavery
question was finally settled. Mr.. Hamlin
was bitterly opposed by the pro-slavery wing
OF his own party. Perhaps this was never
more clearly demonstrated than in the great
Senatorial contest in this state In 1876. The
law then required concurrent vote of both
branches OF the legislature to make an cleo
ton. The Democrats in the House by de-
cisive majority nominated Mr.. Hamlin. The
same party In the Senate nominated Hugh j.
Anderson by a bare majority. At every
trial, the House would elect Mr.. Hamlin and
the Senate elect Anderson or some other can
didate opposed to Hamlin. In this way the
contest was prolonged, until near the close
OF the session. when Mr.. Hamlin's name was
Withdrawn by his request and Hon. j. w.
Bradbury nominated and elected. During
the friend of Mr.. Hamlin and the statement
recently published in some of the papers
that they were opposing candidates is not
correct: AT one time pending the contest,
the anti Hamlin members of the Senate land
this fact was personally known TO the writer,
who was member of that BODY proposed to
snnnsIl MIR. Hamlin provided he would see
90 It that that wing of the party
should have the lions share of the
offices; but the proposition was indig-
out consulting their chief. The t true history .1
OF Mr.: Hamlin's Senatorial defeat in the CON
test of 1886 has never yet been given the
public. Ii 1t ever is, it will disclose one of
the most shameful, corrupt political bargains
that ever disgraced any legislative body.
Inc greatest and most successful political
campaign ever fought out in Maine was the
Hamlin gubernatorial fight of 1856. The
Republican party the year previous had a
majority OIL between seven and eight thous-
and against it, Franklin Pierce was Presi-
Offices and The money! n aa@n h al tns
was opposed to the use of his name as a can
dldate for Governor He said, and said
rightly, that If he could be of any use to the
country or his friends in any public position,
the senate was the place for him. / remem-
Der distinctly that about the time his name
begun to be used as candidate for governor
ne invited number of his trusted friends to
his room in Washington, and asked as per-
sonal favor, that by writing or otherwise
they would try and turn off public sentiment
from him to some other person. But lit was
OF no use: Many of the boys in the new
party had In former campaigns fought side
by side with their old chief in Democratic
ranks, and knew his great power as a leader;
into the Republican line felt that the great
political opponent who had so many times
caused their old party defeats, could in the
new organization lead them to victory. And
they were not mistaken. Mr. Hamlin's great
power AS stump orator never Was more
clearly demonstrated than in this wonderful
campaign. As he travelled from point to
point In different parts OF the state, his pub
lie meetings were attended by immense
crowds-the farmers, the mechanics and
laboring men were there. And at these great
meetings. the plain, square, common sense
logic of Mr. Hamlin's speeches never failed
to get hearty response from the multitude,
whose enthusiasm often knew no bounds
as they cheeIed the telling points of the
known. Mr.. Hamlin was elected by over
$4,000 majority. This Republican triumph
paved the way for Mr.. Hamlin's return to
the Senate. to which body he was elected
January 10, 1857, afterwards resigning the
office of Governor.
But all this is preliminary. Notwithstand-
Ing. Mr.. Hamlin has always shown himself
equal to any and all public positions to
winch heihas ever been called, yet it was in
the Senate of the United States that he
achieved his greatest triumphs 1t is to some
personal recollections of Hannibal Hamlin
the Senator that L desire briefly to call the
attention of your readers.
l. His long term of service in the Senate
made him a conspicuous parsonage In that
body. From 184S to 1856, from 1857 to 1861
and from 1869 to 1881, twenty-four years and
including the four years he presided in that
bcdy as Vice-President, make twenty-eight
years In all. of actual service in the highest
legislative body in the world. But very few
men from any part Of the country have been
retained IN the Senate by their states that
length OF time. Mr.. Hamln was favored In
another respect. His term of service dates
back to the time when Webster, Clay, Cal
noun, Benton. and many others among our
greatest statesmen were members of the
Senate. 10 be honored with seat In a
legislative body, composed largely of the in
tellectual giants of that day, must have been
an inspiration itself to any man favored
with that high privilege.
2 Mr.. Hamlin's long term of service in
the Senate gave him great influence in that
body, Notwithstanding his we'll known
markable degree, the confidence of Southern
Senators. They knew he was honest, and
In matters OF legislation in which the slavery
question was not involved, no man in the
Senate was more freely consulted by them,
than Mr.. Hamlin. And this feeling was
reciprocal. This gave him power and in
fuence in that body possessed by few other
Senators.
3. Mr.. Hamlin's popularity was not con-
fined to the walls of the Senate Chamber.
With the citizens of Washington he was
always a fav0rite. His many years of public
service in Congress made him Familiarity
known by Its best citizens. And while they
fully understood his ideas of rigid economy
in the administration of the affairs of the
government, they knew another thing: that
so far as he had anything to do with the APP
preparations for the District of Columbia
they would get what he believed they should
receive. In other words they never feared
he would deceive them in matters of this kind
as they had often been cheated by other
members of Congress.
MI. Hamiln was always true to his
friends, and we believe no man living can
truthfully say he ever cheated him. And we
very much doubt If another member of Com
gress can be found who cared for and aided
as many friends as he did. When we first
went to Washington, during the second term
OF President Pierce's administration we
were told by an old resident clerk In one of
the departments that of the nineteen men
employed in the several departments from
Maine eighteen of their number obtained
their places through the influence of Mr..
Hamlin; and so it has ever been. Ii it was
out of his power to help friend he always
promptly told him so, and never deceived
others with promises he could never fulfill,
B. We doubt III there ever was member
of Congress in Washington who performed
for his friends and constituents the amount
of hard work OutSi0a nf lapftimata lauisIa