Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-22


CARPENTER still remains the most remark
able assortment Of contradictions in public
life. and will until the undertaken Is called
in Whether he dies like Il loafer or a
gentleman Is a pure matter of chance.
Hall of the visitors Of the Senate . home
with the belief that Carpenter is a dis~olute
genius. with an uncurbed prediSpoStion 10
rowdyiSm. The other halt carry away the
idea that he j. an ingram noheman n
modern Sir Roger De Coyerly the ideal of
all that Is cnviahle in q Senator.
To-day he was at his best. lie was to
seize the Louisiana enigma, and wrench q
manly solution from it, miserable twist
ings His carriage was Welsterian his
attire aS smart As Roscoe Conkling'S, with
none Of the suggestion of the private. sal
aried tailor so conspicuous in the clothe, Of
the Utica Apollo. Carpenter looks as
nice a. Sumner the day he was buried. '
said fellow of hdeou- taste in compari-
sons, behind me. To look at Carpenter to
day. was TO gaze upon an august Represent
atiye of great people; Senator brim-
ming with the earnest dignity Of a high
station, and higher mission.
Tomorrow this same man viii slouch de-
family around the chamber. with tnmbled
hair and shirt front; coat old and mis-
>hapen enough for the back of Richard III.
and slovenly vest and breeches which Gold
smith would have louted in his seeliest
days The Carpenter eyes will glover
under lip protrude, a Ia Nose; the walk
will hc a swaggcr. and the whole bearing of
the man viii suggest what the worldly call
"Be-icsus style"
In the chair Carpenter is the same strange
fu~ing of the admirable ana reprehensibie.
although he averages a better presiding Of
ficer than the senate has had since the day
of Breckinrilge The choking of of any
objection 20 his ruling. with Joke or Snecr.
i, one Of the singularities of his administra-
tion. In the house. his rctort- to members
would plump him into hot water the first
days. But if he was presiding over the
house. he would he too shrewd To commit
the blunder Even in the senate when his de
cisionS are questioned he Is careful to whom
he talks backs, and is rs grave a. 4 supreme
Judge when responding 10 Conkling, Thur
man. Schurz or Elmunds, for all Of whom
he has whimsical half awe Bat 10 Buck
ingham or Morrill, of Vermont. he Is abrupt
a a -choolmaster to dull pupils By the
time they have pondered over the snub, and
resolved it into its really rude proportions,
the debate is so far along into some other
phase that Carpenter Is safe from remon-
STRANGE.
He never i actually unmannerly while in
the chair. think he can tell when his bad
fits are coming on. a. Swift knew when he
was to become insane. When Carpenter
scents the approach of one of his B1wery
Srasms, he relinquishes the chair. tcmpor-
arily. to Anthony, and rolls off to corner
seat Anthony Is one of those pinks Of
senators, who are as little apt to papetmte
an improperly A. Miss Cornev. in Fast
Lynne" After eyins the dccorous Rhode
Islander for half an hour. and wondering
how long it would take butter to melt in his
mouth. Carpenter regains confidence in him
self, and returns to duty with the composure
Of n doge.
Few Congressman can claim the general
popularity of this bundle of incongruities.
lie is liked in and out of the capital. His
stock of what, for 4 better name, is called
personal magnetism, wakes with years. and
he has the indescribable mack of turning
chance of acquaintance into n staunch friend
with twenty words. Less is heard of his
bouts with the bottle than formerly. and if
the amative light still burns it Is hidden I'M
der the bushel of caution. To he sure. he
has been on the side of but one decent meas
ure this session, and can only offer his
course in the Louisiana business as an offset
for espousing the salary grab, franking
chouse and initiation. Yet good fellows"
are thinning ont, and Carpenters juicy
heart. leagued As it Is with great talent,
may keep him in the Senate until he dies
perhaps with his boots on.