The Republican journal., 1906-12-20
William Pitt EeSsenden.

',s enc pI INV "a
'a' 5.e and pass into oblivion, and
u '' ,yhich was his home for forty
t proud of it's distinguished
s. pis name is associated with
t and perpetuated in various
s r,r instance, it is borne by
sdIacent streets, each having a
Il 1 These are called many times
,' .Ip conductors of the electric
~ r6ey pass; so that travellers by
vs. .na. Al least are frequently re-
q If INN. There should be in
ifD more worthy memorial in the
statue on one of the public
r. and some time there will be.
'5I',-tj.uld las not the honor OF be-
.l' lIrthplace of Fessenden. That
g' 10 the little river town OF
ny a.n \. H., where he first saw
,.,St Pm Oct. 16, 1906. Last Tues
.-e1 was the centenary of his
G,aduatlng at Bowdoln in 1928,
.,rs before Lopgfellow and Haw-
he studied law here and was adj
t1e bar in 1927. He hung out
rs,s IN Bridgton, but after a
aztec there and in Bangor, he
r cortland, which was after
-.. home to the time of his death
.t{ soon attracted attention,
.- he was elected to the Leg
.- i, the early age of 26. The
f,narnment had then just been
-- and Portland adopted a city
same year. At various
lire following twenty years he
.srlI the city at Augusta, serv-
.. than SIX terms. In the
Infant. he took the leading rank as
..t and in 1910 he was chairman
nittee to revise the statutes:
... .H!jme he had twice declined
.qrMH, TO Congress, but i'll 1910 he
.-.. and was elected as a wing,
.I. term at Washington. His
... avery and other public ques-
Was strongly anti-slavery-
ur.fful way of putting them
,E attracted national atten-
..t,s political duties had 50 far
...aef Interruptions in the pur-
.rofession. His ability as a
.- M also given him a national
...... and his argument In a case
uational Supreme court in
uiel Webster to pronounce
% =, ever heard.
ISa4 that Mr.. Fessenden's
national statesman really
fr- MAS then in the Legislature.
. at lanes w. Bradbury as
.. states senator had expired the
.s.- hut the Legislature had
. flo. .pet his successor. In 1854
4ipu was elected by a combl-
.. Wigs and anti-slavery Demo-
ae term beginning IN 1888.
N 9rd for fifteen years and to
a... bis life he was continuously
aroual capital, in the Senate or
SINNER of the cabinet, helping to
nation through its time of
p.- s.ress and peril. The rule that
v suaror shall preserve modest
booming silence for the first year
". y the presence of the assembled
MH the nation does not seem
lave been in force, for it is re-
alta week after taking his seat
..l + essenden electrified the Sem
ttiH ! speech against the Kansas
4,s Dlli, which placed him in the
F.. -al5 Of the Senate. For the next
-s-s he stood as one of the ablest
r-4t- ut the pro-slavery measures,
,.r~u his discussions of the Lee
.... constitution and his criticism
-te bred Scott decision. He also
le4 Irmarkable speech on the Clay
G.Ner treaty i'll 1856.
II H- Fessenden' great service to
La.. was i'll connection with IT,
.u- the Civil war, and those ser
-.. not be too highly praised. He
.e ue of the founders of the Re
Party, and when that party
en control of the Senate on the
. Of the Southern senators,
.a a7-n chairman of the finance
1T was place to which
particularly adapted him,
gment of those who placed
ts VAS wise. AS chairman of
ttpe he prepared and carried
.. senate all measures relat-
rteuue. taxation and appro
4-v is the sinews of war, he
.. tlr sinewS. He opposed the
.'a|.r act as unnecessary and un-
'D.4H his opposition was in vain,
--oa like a rock for sustaining
m.nla' credit. Secretary Chase
ago Ii 1864, and by unanimous
'ir Fessenden was called to the
Vt the treasury. He took the
lv.jmgly. 1t was then in the
aa hour Of the national credit.
reucy had been enormously in
r with paper, and gold was at $50.
@eateIy on his acceptance, how
ne prlce of gold fell to 225, such
t.- puUllc confidence in his policy.
stopped the issuance of currency,
de ta appeal to the people and put
.e 4agket government bonds at 7.3
zee To- denominations as low as $50.
Z tdu Was a great success. The
.F.- allied to the aid of the govern
l Jrought forth their savings and
ugh. .ae bonds. Subsequently Secre-
r-saeaden prepared the measures,
.. &or= passed, for the consolida-
aud tuuding of the government
ts Mo The four and four and a half
rl, bonds.
5 He resigned the secretary
b W Ieturned to the Senate, to
'. Aad been the third time elect
Here he became again the chair
" -.e finance committee and the
.e3 lged leader of the Republicans.
"l5 aso appointed chairman OF
Mmittee on reconstruction,
' rapacity he wrote the cele-
N. gwIt on reconstruction, pro
'..."r of the ablest papers ever
..a 10 Congress. 1t vindicated
"F ut Congress over the rebelll-
>'a'es showed their relations to
-Felrnant under the constitution
q, We Iaw of nations, and recommend
0r eus,itutional safeguards made
AIRY 10y the situation. To this
paper more than to any other