Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-07-23
GRACE GREENWOOD AFTER SEN.
-ATOR CARPENTER,

-AIOR fCARPEkTkk,
A Sharp Review OF His Speeeh--Cen-
gressmen and Government CLERKS
A Contrast.
Grace Greenwood, in q New York
Times letter has the following caustic
review of the speech of the Wisconsin
Senator, which cuts clean and deep
Mr.. Carpenters elaborate defense
of the Credit Mobilier affair and the
'back pay steal" caused q ripple Of
sensation here. Some are Of the
opinion that 1t settles the question OF
the morality, justice and propriety OF
those disputed matters conelus1vely +;
and so It does on q Carpenter basis.
Others say the speech Is full Of sophis-
tries and bubbles Of q befogging and
pettifogging character, and that in its
special pleading and demagogism is
alike unworthy of an able jurist and
AL honest statesman. Allow me TO
supplement your admirable review OF
this speech by touching on q point or
so which you did not refer to. What
strikes me most foreibly in the clever
defence, If defence it can be called,
which seems more a defiance. is the
purely mercenary and merchantable
view which the eloquent Wisconsin
Senator takes Of his high position and
grave public duties. Honor seems to
count for little with him, patriotism
far less. According to his estimate, q
United States Senator is miserably paid
even st 81, 500, because with the same
outlay of ability and energy he might
make more at the Bar, or in ban king,
or rsilroading. Forensic genius, the
divine gift of eloquence, Is 8 marketa-
BILE commodity, to be sold to the high
est bidder. A great theme inspires it
no more than a big fee. He argues
upon the assumption that the Senate
is composed exclusively OF picked
men, whose intellect, wisdom and
culture represent the consnmmate
flower and the perfect fruit OF Repub-
lican institutions-men who could,
therefore, command in their various
callings and professions the highest
pay for their executive and oratorical
abilities. There may be gentlemen
who make social and peeuniary sac
rifices in coming to the Senate but /
believe there are very few Of this sort,
and these manage to console and re-
compense themselves-some by an
honest, old-fashioned sense ofpatri0t.
ic service; some by the gayetIes Rld
parades Of the capital s0melh by Credit
Mobilier and other speculatiOns, and
some by large and lucrative practice
in the Supreme Court, for which they
cody take the time popularly suppos-
ed to belong by contract 70 their con-
stituents. Mf. Carpenter states that
he cannot rent "a decent furnished
house in Washington for less than
So, 600. Now, peoples ideas OF decen-
cy in architecture and upholstery,
vary strangely. / have known q Cab
met Minister pay far more modest
rent than that, and yet live not only
decently, but with comfort, the
modern conveniences, and something
very like elegance and refinement,
But to be sure, he was q rare gentle==.
man, and his surroundings TOOK, on
decency and dignity from him. He
did not stay long IN office. Really,
luxurious living. Hveriess and nne
turn-outs are ofmuch less consequence
even in Washington, than jenkins
and Jeemes would have Us believe.
Brsins still count here, and character
weighs. A noble private life still
does more for man than, many din
ners, and one great speech in the Sen
ate cheers the heart more than the
choicest wines. 1t has q "Douquep
to 1t that does not vanish with the
quaffing. The glitter Of plate glass
and gliding sheds no glamour over
the Judgment Of the people. Their
representatives habits may concern
them. but not his habitation. -
Nor do believe that the voting OF
even a large increase Of pay, ineludinR
back salary, for themselves, would
have shocked the public sense OF pro-
priety and equity so severely IL those
had not so coolly and I'M
generously refused TO grant the mod
est increase asked by the humber but
not less deserving servants Of the gov
ernment. Many q second class clerk
is q man Of as good birth and breeding
as the Senator from Wisconsin, has
as refined and gentlemanly tastes,
has as dainty an eye for dress and
upholstery, would like to drive as fast
horses, and smoke as choice cigars,
and drink, If drink he must, as good
wines, but he has to content himself
with his meagre salary and do his
best to rear his family decently and
spare something for the claims Of
and religion. Not much 1
fear. Fit Is hard for q Senator to be
a good Christian on 5000 q year,
what are poor clerk g chances forsal-
walton onSl 400 ? By the way II struck
me as odd to hear Mr.. Carpenter. IN his
grand peroration, appeal from the
"sickly morality that condemned
the selfish injustice Of the sa.ary vote,
and the meIcenary greed Of the Credit
Mobilier ring, to what he called .'the
manly and healty virtue Of the Mas
ter Of Nazareth" that DiYine author
ity from whose lips fell the golden
rule, whose hands welded the scourge
which drove the money changers from
the temple. .--r