Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-12-10
Il. q. HOWE ON THE WISCONSIN
SENADO

WASHINGTON, ID G., NoV.23, 1874
My Ueur Sir | ought, perhaps,
to have acknowledged your khd
/ favor of the 18th nit. before tins
time. But at that date, and up to
election, was busy with the can
vass. After the election | was busy
with my preparations for this place,
where arrived on Wednesday
evening last
Let me thank you now for your
offer to serve me in reference to the
senatorial question now pending IN
/ Wisconsin. But at the same time
must assure you there Is but one
way in which you can serve me IN
that matter. The only interest l
have in the matter Is to have him
/ elected who will do the most to
maintain tue Republican supremacy
III the state. DO you know WHO
that man is! My own Judgment is
/ not SO clear as wish it was. But
since you profess some confidence
in my Judgment upon political
matters" and the election Is over, |
will tell you c,mdi,ny what | think
of the problem. | assume from all
| hear That the choice OF the Legls-
lature will fail upon Mr.. Carpenter
or Mr.. Wasnburn. Both are de-
servedly distinguished: the latter
Z Al
for the solluity OF his counsels, the
former for the brllllancy OF his ad-
vocacy. Ii both were private clti-
zens Offering Tor the Senate now Tor
the first time, the choice OF tue
party would probably be determined
| by 1t, Judgment as to whether 1t
needed most help to frame a new
! policy or help to defend policy
ameauy agreed upon. But such Is
not the status OF the candidates.
On the contrary, Mr.. Carpenter IS
now senator. lie Is just now end
ing his 1lrst term. Ills friends claim
That ACCORDING TO political u az IL
second term Is due HIM, unlooo ne
has forfeited it 10y misconduct dur
ing his ilrst term. And in his case
the question IS, has he forfeited the
place! But General Wasnburn, al
though now private citizen, has
been often in the public service.
Three times, before the war, he was
sent to Congress. He was MAJOR
general during the war. Twice he
was sent to Congress since the war.
Tnree years ago ne was made Uov-
ernor, and one year ago he was re-
nominated without IA show OF oppo-
sitlou. Inert Is no pretense That
he mas forfeited anything. NO one
denies ne would make an eminent
senator. Ia fact, one seems to be
on tllal, while the otner Is not 10
elect W asnhurn Is to say that Car
penter is guilty. 10 elect Carpen-
ter does not say that Washburn is
guilty, but only that Carpenter is
not guilty. But Is Carpenter guilty.!
Guilty oil what. Not OF that vague,
neDulous, Haccuent, turSld log OF
reproacn under which some opposl-
ton newspapers have tried to pury
him tor a lew years past. lie IS al
ready acquitted OF tnat. lie Is ac-
quilted OF that 10y the Senate, which
made Alm Its presiding officer. lie
is acquitted OF that by the crowds
Of our telloW-cltlleus who have
gathered to hear him speak IN the
name of Repupllcanlsm during the
past autumn. lie Is acquitted OF
that by any decent man or woman
VINO admits him TO their parlor or
who bows to HIM on the street. lie
must be acquitted OF that 10y every
man who Is not Wiling to expose
his own character to the remorseless
cOllosiou OF that subtle, but spumy
slauuer against which the most eN-
aIted character Il helpless.
But more SPECIFIC charges have
been urged against Mr.. Carpenter
charges Wnlcn affect not his person.
al but ms representative character.
Only two, | TANK, nave really prey
uulceu hlm IN puplc estimation.
One Is that he supported the "Po-
land gu1-idw the other, that he
supported the 'oa4ary-srau law
line cnarge rests upon an utter
mlsconccptlun OF tue law. 1t has
a., .,u,.. f-a.4fitp tp fup tlppttaTu pI