Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-08
STATE HOUSE.
Portrait Of Hon. PeIeg Sprague
Has Been Received.
Was a Member of Both Branches OF
Congress from Maine.
Was a Leader in the Early Politics OF
the State.

| the State. t
| A portrait of the late Peleg Sprague
has been received at the State Capitoi.
| Poleg Sprague represented this district
in Congress from 1925 to 1929 and then
| served one term as United States sena-
| tor. At that time he resided in Hallo-
| well and was a remarkably able law
yer. After his retirement from the
J Senate he removed to Boston, where
he practiced law for some years. He
was a contemporary of Webster, CAL
lkoun and that class of statesmen, ana
was a power in the early politics of
| Maine.
| The portrait is the gift of his son,
ID. =. p. Sprague, a leading physician
| ot Boston. 1t is a copy OF Senator
| SpragUe's picture painted by Healey as
| q sketch for his large painting of Web
ster's reply to Hayne, which now hangs
| in Faneuil hail. Boston. In this pic
ture. the group surrounding Webster
contains many portraits, and among
them is the portrait of Senator Sprague.
| TIE picture which will be added to the
4
exact copy of Healey's original, and
was painted by Miss s. I. Putnam of
Boston.
Col. Stevens now has portraits of IA
of the 20 United States senators who
have served Maine since it became a
States.
Peleg Sprague was born in DuXbury
Massa chusetts. in 1898, being the
youngest of four sons, in numerous
family. His father. Seth Sprague, was
known for his capacity energy and
high character. He was for q years a
member of the Legislature. and the
foremost man in his community. His
mother. born Deborah Sampson, COM
hined much firmneSs of character with
great gentleneSs. The father was of
| Puritan, and the mother of Pilgrim
descent, and the subject of this sketch,
while inheriting the sturdy virtues of
| his ancestors, added to them a kind
| ness of heart and unfailing considera-
| ton for others derived directly from
his mother. He entered Harvard Col
| lego in 1908, and graduated in 1919.
During his college career commenced
Ia trouble of the eyes that hampered
i MN SltdllS III StuditS, anu pun
| sued him through life. Upon his grad
uation. he commenced the study of the
| law. On taking his second degree in
| 1915. he had the highest honor, an Eng
fish grafton.
In October, 1915, he took up his
residence in Augusta, Maine. which
| then. however, was a part of Mas
| sachusetts, and began the practice
| Of his profession. He removed to Hal
lawell in 1917. where he continued to
reside. He quickly established a repu-
| tation as q sound lawyer and brilliant
| ADVOCATE. He early entered into pub
licsaffairs. and took an earnest part in
the movement for the separation of
4 Maine from Massachusetts. He repre-
| scented the town of Hallowell in the
| first Legislature of Maine in 1921. and
also the second in 1922. and then de-
clined a reelection. He was appointed
to the Offices of district attorney and
l Judge advocate, but resigned both.
after n short time. In the autumn of
1854 he was elected a representative to
Congress from the Kennebec District.
He was reelected in 1926 and served
| both of these terms. He was again
elected to the same office in 1928 but
did not take his seat owing to his cleo
tior to the United States Senate, which
he entered in 1929, being at that time
&c years of age.
II the Senate as in the House
he attained distinguished position
showing learning. eloquence and
Independence. He was of the Whia
party and enjoyed the confidence ant
| CT 1el,;, af nd vA1e
dominating the scene. and was a sturdy
opponent Of General Jackson, who a
that time occupied the Presidential
chair. The limits of this sketch forbid
details of Mr.. Sprague's congressional
career. Webster's opinion of his abil
ity is given in Harvey's "Reminiscences:
of Webster as follows: "Of Judg,
Sprasue Mr.. Webster had a very higl
opinion. He told me once that Of tn,
members of the United States Senate
among the first as a debater was Peles
Srr3gue of Massachusetts. He is wha
I call a very eloquent man. He is able
Q man Of great dignity, and there i
scarcely his superior in the Senate"
Mr. Blaine in speech made in the Sen
ate in 1873 giving an account of tn
members Of Congress from Maine de
scribed Mr.. Sprague as 1.-The accom-
plished. the graceful. the eloquent, tn
learned Peleg Sprague," and mentione
his brilliant professional and politica
career in Maine
In 1885 Mr.. Sprague resigned his sea
in the Senate and removed to Bosto
to engage in the practice of his pro
;. fession. In this he was eminently sue
cessful. but his health being impaire
hr accepted in 1S41 the position {
United States judge for the District {
g Massachusetts,, the duties of which q
that time We're much less onerous tina
they subsequently became. In 1912 Lor
Ashbnrton came to this country on
= special mission to settle the NORTH
eastern Boundary question. Mr.. Wei
lster. then secretary of state, was an,
icus that the State of Maine should al
point commissioners with unlimitt
, powers to agree to a conventional lii
end wrote to Mr.. Sprague of his pla