Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/216

This page needs to be proofread.

2o6

��Hon. William E. Chandler.

��HON. WILLIAM E. CHANDLER.

��The successful candidate in tlie race for the United States seuatorship in New Hampshire was Hon. William Eaton Chandler, of Concord. He was elected June 15, for the term of twen- ty mouths. In him New Hampshire will have another strong senator. He will enter the senate chamber with a nation- al reputation for sagacity and wisdom already acquired, with the experience of his whole youth and manhood de- voted to public affairs, with the ac- quaintance and confidence of officials and statesmen of every section, with a thorough knowledge of the wants and needs of the state of New Hamp- shire and of the citizens of the state of every degree, with a familiarity with the intricate mechanism of all the departments of the government, with a full and discriminating un- derstanding of law, state, national, and international, which would grace the bench of any court, and with judgment almost intuitive.

As a lawyer his most marked char- acteristic is the clearness with which he can extract from a lengthy docu- ment, or a mass of facts and law, the the real inwardness and sense of the matter. He has acomprehensive grasp of the essentials of any subject under consideration, a remarkable povver of organization, and the rare gift of ac- com|)lisliii)g results through the in- strumentality of others. From a mass of conflicting opinions he de- duces practical results.

He has great independence of char- acter. He is aggressive, fearless of public criticism, bold in maintaining the positions he takes in political af-

��fairs, but not reckless, because his positions are sustained by sound rea- soning. He is, perhaps, too often indifferent to the opinions of others and too careless in opposing others, incurring oftentimes needless hostil- ity. He is thoroughly loyal to his convictions. Having taken a stand, he heartily supports it. If there is blame, he assumes it. He is loyal to his friends, he is loyal to his party, he is loyal to his country. He wants very good reasons to sustain a posi- tion, but very much stronger reasons to withdraw from its support. He is a safe legal counsellor, and a wise political adviser. He is a keen ana- lyzer, getting at the essence of a sub- ject ; and as a writer he is strong, forcible, vigorous, concise. He leaves nobodv in doubt as to his meaning : it is perspicuous.

He makes many friends, and keeps them because he is faithful to thera. He harbors no malice, cherishes no revengeful feelings, has a friend to- day in his enemy of yesterday, is hon- est, is sincere, is frank. He is care- ful in making promises, but ardent in keeping them. His keen intellect ap- peals to the enthusiasm of the bright, clear-headed, and zealous young men of the party, who are willing to fol- low his leadership. In the most tur- bulent scenes he evinces the greatest coolness, force, will-power, fertility of resource, boldness in devising methods for managing a political body swayed by the wildest excitement, and power in executing his move- ments and in controlling a legislature.

The late Samuel J, Tilden, the

�� �