Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-17

| bIJ anu We wen TcltCtilUtf Tue sens
ton it produced in the ranks Of tie
Democratic party, aud particularly
that portion of it which fina ly became
substantially disloyal 10 the Govern,
ment. Many of his old Democratic
friends demonstrated with him earn
rsIly upon the subject saying that his
speech verged upon abolitionism. In
reply to these circumstances, on the
I'd of September, 1861, he wrote and
published letter which was exten-
sively circulated all over the North,
reviewing the whole subject, and
maintaining the right of the Govern
ment to capture slaves as enemies
property, and restore them to free
dom. He said, "not only would the
Government be justified in capturing
slaves in the South, but by the fami
lar principles Of the law of nations,
| they are contrdband.of ,0or, in which,
il the slave trade were lawful, neutrals
could not traffic with the South. Ar
tlcles peculiarly serviceable in war
without which the enemy could not
carry on the war, or which would en-
able him to carry it on at great adj
vantage over lis antagonist, are con-
traband"
He cited many authorities sustain
ing this doctrine, and also laid down
the proposition afterwards decided
and sustained by the Supreme Court
of the United States in the prize cases,
that the Government was at liberty to
treat as public enemies all rebels in
arms, Notwithstanding they were also
traitors amenable to punishment BY
the civil law.
In published letter written about
| this time he startled the entire country
by announcing the doctrine that this
war must be fought without regard t"
the right Of Southern citizens. He
said, 1.-The cry Of our Northern press
that this war Inust be SO fought as to
respect the rights which Southern cit
Izens would enjoy under the c>nstitu
ton it they were at peace with it is
treason. 1t is giving aid aud comfort
TO the enemies of our country. En-
emles not in rhetorical sense, but
enemies in arms, and whose artillery
- trained on the Federal capitol =
Every word spoken TO protect the
rights OF a rebel is word spoken TO
weaken the Government by narrow
ing the means which the Government
has of reducing him to obedience.
must confess ! am tired and sick of 1t,
and it | cannot denouncr il inside OF
The Democratic party / am ready TO
90 out"
This letter written before the order
was issued by Fremont, in Missouri,
looking TO the abolition of slavery in
that State as a war measure, which
Mr.. Lincoln revoked, and months be-
fore the similar order issued by Gen.
Hunter in some of the Cult States
which order Mr.. Lincoln also revoked.
During the war Mr.. Carpenter made
more speeches in the states of Wis
consin, Illinois and Iowa than any
other speaker in the west. He was
frequently sent for to speak in places
where resistance to the draft was ap
pretended, aud IN no instance did he
accept dol ar for any address deliv-
cred by him; and no one did more to
divide the Democratic party into its
great elements of loyalty and disloy-
lily and attach the loyal elements to
the Republican party, thus strengthen
ing and consolidating the Republican
party Of Wisconsin,, which maintained
uubroken supremacy until led to dis
astrous defeat IN 1878.
Near the close Of the war he made
and published in Milwaukee a speech
advocating a reconstruction of the
Southern States upon the basis of uni
versal suffrage on plan substantially
like that which was subsequently
adopted by Congress.
In consequence Of this speech de-
iivered by him rs private citizen
when the reconstruction measures
were brought to constitutional test
IN the Supreme court Of the United
States Mr.. Carpenter was selected as
counsel TO represent the Government
in that important litigation, and had
control of all the suits IN court touch
ing that subject. His argument was
pronounced, by the abest judges and
lawyers in the land, to be complete
vihdication of the canstitutlonality of
those measures. HIS services to the
Government ON this occasion were
recognized throughout the entire land
80 profoundly was Mr.. Stanton the
great war minister impressed with the
value Of his services that he addressed
him letter which we have seen, and
of which We have been permitted to
publish copy:
WAB DEPARTMENT,
WAsHlNGroN. April It'll, 1868
Ny Dear Sir: In eaki1g leave of YOU can
| not tnrhear exnressilIr nv ynrl great satisfic-