The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-13

safe to say that no young man ever de-
parted from Bowdoin college leaving be-
hind him stronger impression of intel
lectual capacity, of power reserved and
hitherto unused, of ability to act high
| and noble part in public life. or more
| and classmates alike, of great and brill
liant service In the future. His old teach
ers at Bowdoin, If they were still living
| would look with no surprise upon the
| achievements of his life, great and splen-
did as they have been.
During the war he was for several
| years engaged in service In the navy. He
was admitted to the Bar in California,
but returned to Maine. His rise at the
Bar In Portland was rapid, almost be-
| yond precedent or parallel. In few years
| he was counsel for the city, having been
| elected to the office Of city solicitor, a
place that had been held by William Pitt
Fesssnden during many years of his
practice in Portland. He was chosen a
Representative Of the city in the Iegisla-
ture of the State at Augusta, where many
| matters of Importance to the city and
| the county were entrusted principally to
| his charge and were most successfully
| managed; and in 1870 he was chosen
| Attorney General of the State.
There are few lists of names in Maine
more honored than that of its Attorney
Generals; among them are Judge Clifford
of the United States Supreme court
| George Evans. Senator with Webster and
Clay; Chief Justice Peters, Senator Frye
and the present Governor OF the State,
| Henry B. Cleages. Mr.. Reed was still
young man when he was chosen to the
office rs successor of Senator Frye.
This appointment was in itself proof of
| the very highest standingsat the Bar and
before the people. His remarkably effic-
| lent service as Attorney General, the dis
| tinguished character Of this service even
where the common standard was SO high
| still forms one of the bases of the perma-
nent and universal admiration and re-
spect for Mr.. Reed in Maine.
| In 1875 he was elected to Congress for
the First District in Maine, composed of
the two older and more southerly coun-
ties, and which years before had bean
represented by William Pitt Fessenden.
Mr.. Reed took his seat in Congress on
March. 1877. His continuous service there
from that time to the present has become
a part OF the history of the whole country
rather than of Maine and New England
alone. Slowly, steadily the great career
has gone on until he has become the lead
er OF his party in the House and in the
country. AS the Republican party is
itself the expression Of the best Ameri
can thought and sentiment on the great
questions of public interest and Of vita
|
among all the distinguished men of oul
times is the best exponent of Republican
ideas in their whole range.
A man without reproach, of genuine
and perfect integrity in public and pri-
vate life, whose character even malice
does not venture to assail, of unfalline
courage, strong will aud the most sus.
tanned and disciplined energy, equal te
any emergency. full uniformed and ex
perien oed in all affairs of the govern
ment, Of deep convictions and ripe judg
ment, wise and calm in counsel as he L
bold in debate and in action. he would
seem, Notwithstanding his own deflni
ton to be entitled to the fame of states
man even before he is dead.
believe it is true of him that, in 6
sense and in degree that is rare among
men, his aims are public intend the gen
eral good and the public welfare, rattle,
than self-seeking and personal He il
not man to entertain any fsverish am,
bition or anxiety about the Presidency
| HIS am bition now ia what it has always
been. for good work, for sound and true
results, to fulfill the hose and the dream
his boyhood cherished when with high