The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-30

wholly avcrted. Gov. Morrill,. also, by
the bridge of temperance, as Gail Ham
iltcn says, passed over from the Demo-
cratic To the Republican party. All
this was able politics and Its influence
touched every young man Of good aibili-
ties in the State.
Besides All older generation was
teaching Impressive Lessons. Nathan
Clifford very able jurist. after service
in the National House OF Representa-
tives, had been appointed Associate JUS
ttce of the Supreme Court. George
Evans. almost forgotten now. as IL Of
ten the lot Of able, public men, after
serving as United States Senator. shar-
ing national renown with Webster,
Clay aud Calhoun" was Attorney Gen
Hnmlin once said: IL have seen all the
great men of my generation. | have
served in public life with many OF them,
and | may cay that the Judgment CT
my Old age is that none among Them
was superior in mental power TO Geo.
Evans"
THE WASHBURNS WE'RE TRAIN
I'D IN MAINE.
The Washburn family. five sons. each
OF whom gained rational rcputc. parcel
ling among them in fine proportion.
Govcrnorships, Senatorships and Cabi-
net posts. were of this Maine training.
and except the youngest of the Garlic:
stormy political days Of the dying
Wing party, two young men of Maine
had gained national repute for eXtraor-
binary mental gifts. Jonathan Cillcy's
name has passed into tradition because
the fatal bullet in the needless duel
fought with Graves, caused a tragedy
which shocked the country. But to his
colleagues in the House of Representa-
tlvcs, it seemed that Cillcy's promise
Of great achievement In public life was
comparable with that suggested by only
two or three others.
Sergeant S. Prentiss, Of whom Wen
dell Phillips once said, II have melted
| beneath the magnetism Of Sergeant S.
PrentisS who welded n power few men
had" and whose triumphs OF oratory In
| the National House were such rs were
reserved for few men to gain. received
| his early aspiration in hrs native State
| Maine although his professional life
was almot wholly passcd i'll MisSis-
| sippi SO there were even in the carli-
| est days of it's statehood great juri..s
able politicians, brilliant orators. true
| Statement but il was with the cs;nb-
lishmcnt OF the Republican rarty that
| Names greater influence was OBJ
| tanned.
| When Blaine entered Congress he had
| rs associates james Pike. who had been
an able Journalist, Sidney Pcrham af-
| forward Governor. while the Port land
|
| whose ability commanded high regard
| liut towering above these, above nearly
| all his colleagues, was VIM. Pitt Fcs-
sender, one Of the few chosen one.s G!
me war days. whose abilities and ser
vice are TO keep his name familiar.
~ mmbcr OF Mr.. Lincolns Cabinet
was once asked. who. in his opinion. was
| the abletsIt member of either House az
| Congress during Mr.. Lincoln's first adj
mnis,ration. Without n moment
hesitation he said: "All In all VIM.
Pitt Fesscndcn had pcrhaps the rrrsG
est intellectual power of any of them
His mental depth and accuracy were
! marvellous. He was n constructive
statesmen cf the highest order, ana a
finance minister of the rare.. ability
us shattered health alone prryrrrc-
the Treasury Department that would
probably have compared with Hanil.
toms"
fcsscnden's career and example wcr,
of extraordinary influence upon the
young mrn Of Maine who were lust H..
ginning public life. a he. w c:':l by tn,
| iISl0iouS disease which he contracted
from an orcn sewer in the capital. was
slowly but surely passing away
lncre were several Gf them Blaine
Hah been brought into intimate relation.
WIN Senator Fesscndcn as early q,
1896. Yet Blaine did not subordina;,
himself entirely to the great Scnai-,-
For while a majority OF the RepublI-
cans of Maine. like the grca, masses OF
the party in the East favored the uom.-
na'iCh Of WIN. II. Seward for the Pres
idcncY in lSCo. Blainc looked u,l,n Lin
com rs the stronger candidate If no.
the stronger man. 1t was In part due
TO Ms influence that six votes from tho
Maine delSSa ton We're cast for Lincoln.
an influence which in some degree made
that n mnaGion possible
| FESSENDEN'S DEATH RR0I,C;I1,
BLAINE TO THE FRONT
| When FcSsenden died Blaine hrcao,c
not only pre-cmincnt among the leaders
IN Inc State of Maine but he also nj
lhat very lime was chosen, when ONLY
! 81 years OF age. To the second Office ar
| power in the GCEcrnmcm-,the Sneak
ership OF the House. II was then point
ed out as an interesting roincidenc,
mat Win the passing away OF the most
| powerful intellect in the House of CON
| EresS therc had come 10 extraordinary
nohorS' perhaps the most brilliant man
| III either House. both Of them being
sons of Maine.
Elaine was not long to absorb al
IN nEh he was surely always To com
| hahd III great part the interest aroused
py me public men OF Maine He had
| one rcmarka Die experience of early as
! ISOLATION with what was 10 be later
| greatness There came to the Maine
capital to report the sessions of the
LesiSiature FOR a newspaper a youn.
| man whose political faith was not thai
| OF MI. Blaine. Blaine was himself rn
! porting that Legislature for his o,yn
| PAPER. ana these two young reporters
| were IN friendly rivalry, neither dream
ing OF he career that was before them
| After that Legislature was adtcurnaJ
| the reporters parted moi 10 rn.n, ou,In