he is one of the clearest and most profound thinkers on public questions in the country and possesses one of the most original minds.

Mr. Evarts has a clear, ringing voice of great penetration and power, a very pleasant manner of delivery, often rising to earnestness and eloquence; he possesses a most remarkable comprehensiveness, which always enables him to thoroughly grasp the question at issue or the case under consideration, and rarely fails to carry conviction to the reason and judgment of his auditors. "He is somewhat at times given to indulging in words that are extraordinarily long ones, and mostly of Latin and Greek derivation, and his sentences abnormally lengthy and confusingly complex ; but his diction, notwithstanding, is not the less eloquent, the matter not less valuable, the delivery no less forcible, the effect no less pleasing."

Of slender frame, but a giant in mind, and always ready to grapple with the most complex cases, involving the most knotty problems of law, his industry at such times is phenomenal. His wit is brilliant and spontaneous, his epigrams are always current, and he is in every respect a finished orator. He has been successful beyond measure in his profession, and for many years could make his income just what he pleased.

A pen picture thus describes him, which a study of the accompanying portrait to this sketch will abundantly confirm: "That forehead is the seat of mental profundity, acumen and versatility that have few superiors. Small and slight in figure, in intellect he is a veritable giant. Senator Evarts, who won fame a generation ago, has well maintained his high position, and is to-day one of the representative men of the country."

Of all the great lawyers ever practicing before the Bar of this country, none have been more continually employed as counsel in successive cases arising in which Con

stitutional questions have been involved as well as cases otherwise celebrated. A recapitulation will call to mind. that he was counsel for the State of New York in the Lemmon Slave Case, was the principal counsel for Henry Ward Beecher, counsel for President Andrew Johnson, for President Hayes before the Electoral Commission, for the United States before the Arbitrators at Geneva, Switzerland, and many others of equal importance briefly mentioned in this sketch of his career.

When many great lawyers shall have passed away, and their memories forgotten, Mr. Evarts will be remembered as one of the safest of counselors, and the prince. of lawyers at the American Bar.

WILLIAM PITT FESSENDEN.

WILLIAM PITT FESSENDEN, distinguished law

yer, statesman and financier, was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, on the 16th of October, 1806, and died in Portland, Maine on the 6th of September, 1869, in the sixty-third year of his age. He received a thorough classical education, having been graduated at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, one of the famous institutions of learning in this country. Immediately after Mr. Fessenden left college he commenced the study of law, and was admitted to the practice at Portland, Maine, in 1827. He then opened an office at Bridgton, Cumberland county, in the same State, but two years later removed to Portland, where he made his home until his death.

He very early became established in his practice, but soon manifested a decided predilection for politics. In 1831, when only twenty-five, he was elected to the Lower Branch of the Legislature on the Whig ticket. When he took his seat he was the youngest member on the floor of the House, this was a remarkably strange fact and out of the ordinary methods of New England's politics in those early days, where age carried with it a prestige to which youth could hardly hope to aspire. Notwithstanding this, so great were his talents in debate, that he became a leader almost immediately. His advice was sought on nearly every matter which required sound judgment, logical reasoning and familiarity with current questions. For nine years after his first appearance as a legislator, he devoted himself during the recesses of