The Portland daily press., 1896-10-30
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
A Maine Congressman of the Early
Times.

Illness
Portrait of the Late william Goold Pre-
scented by Mrs. Abba Goold Woolson.
A regular meeting of the Maine His
torioal Society was held Thursday after
noon. President Baxter presided.
A letter was received from Mrs. Abba
Goold woolson present ting to the society
a portrait of her father, the late William
Goold. The letter of presentation was
directed to Secretary Bryant In the
course of 1t, Mrs. Woolson said:
"As for many years he was its CORE
spending secretary and an active mem bel
OF the executive committee, and was al
ways deeply interested in all departments
OF the work. ] have that such a Likeness
would find an appropriate place within
the hall whore your regular sessions arr
| held. :"
AN EARLY MAINE CONGRESSMAN.
An interesting paper ON Richard
Cults, an old Maine Congressman, was
read by Rev. Henry s. Burrage, D. D.,
Extracts from this papers are as follows
For two centuries and half the name
OF Quits has been a promine emit one in
the annals of Maine. Those who brought
his name to our shores came from Eng
land about the middle Of the seventeenth
century. John and Richard, both in
their young manhood, settled at Straw
berry Bank, now Portsmouth, near the
mouth of the Pisoataqua, prior to 1876
Bringing with them capital to some ex-
tent, they became leading merchants,
and az length the wealthiest men in the
colony. John was made member Of
the Council for the government of the
Province. and in 1879, by royal appoint
ment, he became the first president of
the Province.
Robert Quits, a brother of John and
Richard, came to the Piscataqua few
years later. For while he resided in
Portsmouth, in the Great House which
had been the residence of Richard Cults,
put which was originally built by the
first settlers as the manor house of John
Mason, the grantee of the Province.
Later. he was PROBABLY in business a
short time ut Newcastle, and then he
took up his residence at Kittery, where
he established shipyard. and according
to Brewster "built large number If
vessels" A man of prominence in the
community, he was called to positions
of honor and influence. In 1866. with
LIE AOiBAOOA3 SoPVs GAohoAo OAnlApOI-
downe, he was appointed Justice of the
peace, and the two were authorized to
manage jointly the affairs OF that part of
the Province of Maine. Robert Cults
died at Klttery, june IS, 1874.
Richard Quits, of Saoo. the subject of
this paper, who was q member of the
Congress of the United States from the
District of Maine from 1901 to 1913. was
descendants of Robert Cults of Kittery.
in the fourth generation.
Richard Quits, the fifth of the eight
children of Col. Thomas Cults, was
born June 28, It'll. AT an early age, en-
tering upon course of training for q
Professional life, he was admitted to
Harvard College when fifteen years of
age and was graduated In $780, Among
his classmates were Josiah Quincy who
became member of Congress from Mas
sachusstts in 1904. Samuel q. Crafts,
member of Congress- from Vermont and
Governor of that State, and George Snl-
Ivan. member of Congress from N ew
Hampshire. After his graduate on at
Harvard, Richard Quits commenced the
study Of law, but the bent of his mind
was net fully determined, and abandoing
his legal studies he devoted himself for
while to the pursuits in which his faith
er was engaged. Then he visited Eur
ope. probably making the voyage across
sells. After spending some time In the
Old World, studying life and manners
and enriohing his mind with knowledge
derived from books and men, he returned
to Saoo. He soon became interested in
political affairs, and for two terms he
served as member of the General Court
of Massachusetts.
Hon. George Thatcher, who came
from York to Biddeford in 1883, repre-
a dfcfr iaf in, khn e
the United States from the adoption of
the Federal Constitution until 1901,
when he received an appointment as
associate Justice of the Supreme judicial
Court of MRssaoh usetts. This be &C.
cepted and his seat in Congress accord
ingly became vacant. At Mr.. Thatcher's
last election as a member of Congress
November s: 1900. Richard Quits had
been formidable competitor. His own
town of Peppsrrellboro gave him one
hundred and forty zone votes to one for
Mr.. Thatcher. Wells, however, gave
Mr.. Thatcher one hundred and fifteen
votes to six for Mr.. Cutts and the total
as recorded in Jenks's Portland Gazette
for Novem Der 10, was four Kindred and
ten votes for Mr.. Thatcher and three
hundred and eleven for Mr.. Quits. Mr..
became candidate for congressional
honors. A spirited campaign followed.
The election was held early In July
probably the 6th), 1901, and Richard
Cults was declal ed elected as Judge
Thatoher's successor. There were some
newspaper protests, however. A oorre-
spopdent of Jenks's Portland Gazette,
wrote: Although Mr.. Quits OF Pep.
psrrellboro, it is said. is to go to Con-
gress to supply the place of Mr..
Thatcher, yet he is not chosen by the
people, because there are six or seven
towns in the county which have not re-
oeiyed precepts for calling meetings,
and by that means have been actually
deprived of voting" Others referred to
Mr. Cutts's election as "a Jaoobin
fraud" No notice seems to have been
taken of these protests. and they may
doubtless be regarded ns the outburst of
disappointed politicians at the close of a
somewhat heated and exciting cam
paign.
The sessions of the Seventh Congress
we're opened in the city of Washington
ON Wednesday, December 2. 1901. Rich
ard Quits, then thirty years Of age, was
present in the House on that day with
his credentials and took his seat. Ma
shaniel Macon. ore of the representatives
from the State of North Carolina, was
elected SpeaKer. On the following day