Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-08-30

y ~ WISH iOT more convincing evidence
than his own statement of the fact
For the benefit of those who 60 not
know him intimately, We have anothe
witness whose authority is not likely
! TO BE questioned, to-wit. President
Grant himself. His testimony comes
IN the form Of a private letter from
Ex-Governor Fairchild, now Uui.
ted States Consul at Liverpool, which
one OF his friends in this city has Just
permitted Us to read. Gov Fairchild,
IN writing of Gen. Grant reception
at Liverpool. and Of some conversation
that he had with him at the time,
says: The General told NE that he
offered Senator Howe the Chief Just
iceship, and that he refused it for the
sake CT the party" After this, we
may consider the question-if one
really existed in any mind settled
1t may be well, in connection wit h
the subject, to recall the circumstance
under which the senator refused to be
chief justice. He had been three
times elected senator, the second and
the third time by the unanimous votes
OF every republican member Of the legis-
lature. In both instances, there was no
difference Of opinion, no caucus was
held, and he was elected as the unani-
NOUS choice Of the party, an occurrence
without precedent elsewhere, we think,
and contrasting wildly with most SEN
atorial elections. Subsequently, the
state, swept by sudden and transient
gust Of delusion, fell under the control
of the democratic party. By false
professions, and by strange and un-
natural combination of railroad in-
fuences, grangerism, temperance men,
and whisky dealers. Taylor and dem
oeratic legislature were carried into
power. 1t was during this abnormal I'M
dition of things that Senator Howe was
asked to accept the chief justice-ship,-
next to the presidency, the highest Of
fee of the government, an office for
life, the tenure of which is independ-
ent Of the chances and hazards Of po-
litlcal change. IF the senator had
been unprincipled or selfish, he
would certainly have accepted But
he knew that the victory won by The
democrats in Wisconsin was not fair
" won victory that the state was still
republican in sentiment while, if he
left the senate, at that time the trans-
tory ascendency of the democrats in
Wisconsin would enable them to Sc
lect senator who, for term of
years, would misrepresent the real SEN
timent Of the state. He remembered
the general confidence which the re-
publicans of Wisconsin had given him,
and he proved himself worthy of it by
'tramplng," as he says :on the only
real ambition he ever had" It was
an act Of selfsacrifce and selfdenial
which few men wonld have had the
frmness aud the magnanimity to make,
and we have thought it but simple
justice that the facts should be placed
before the people, especially since
there has been a disposition manifested
Of late, in some quarters, to seize upon
every opportunity for misrepresenting
and eliminating the cenator.
In these late years, the voice and
pen Of SANDER have been busy with
regulations of public men. In the
distemPerature Of spirit that has pre-
vailed, no reputation has been safe, no
character SO stainless, as to discourage
assault. Like the rain from heaven,
the tempest Of detraction has descend
ed upon the just and the unjust. The
scandal-monger has been abroad in the
land with fluent speech, ready pen,
nimble invention and forgetive mag
ination, and in the mood of the witch
harlot Yiyen when she
-''Iet her tongue
Rage like a fire among the noble~t names,
PoiIutiI and imputiug her Whole self;
Deiamjng and detacing till she LETT
Noteyen Lancelot brave or Galahal clean"
Senator Howe has been in public
life during this period, and has not
been spared. 1t is said that if mud
is thrown at a man long enough some
Of it viii stick. 1t is possible that
some impression may be made on the
public mind. if his enemies are indust-
rious and persistent. But, neverthe-
less, he remains the same upright citi
zen, the same conscientious and faith
full republican, who would rather be
right than to be senator or chief just
ice, who, twenty years rgo, refused
an election to the senate rather than
be untrue to his principles, and who,
three years ago refused the appoint
ment Of chief justice rather than be
untrue to his constituents.
TIE FALL term Of the State Nor
nal School at River Falls will open
for Normal Students. Wednesday.
August 29th. 1877. and for Primary,
intermediate and Grammar pupils,