Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-04-18

STAGGERING MATT. CARPENTER. HI
cARE-FoR-NoBoDY MANNER WHEN AID
DRESSING THE SUPREME COURT OF TIL
UNITED STATES. How HE sNUBBED TIL
JUDGE WHO MADE PRESIDENT.
From our Regular Correspondent
This city of dazzling white public
buildings and asphaltum avenues always
retains a magnetic attraction for the mer
who have once lived here in a political
| or an official capacity. The eX-cabinet
officers, ex-senators, and ex-representa.
tives, who haunt, like the ghosts of theil
former greatness, these scenes of theil
departed power are numerous. Washing
ton is the political paradise to which the
banished and 6lase politician ever turns
with longing, and it is 'slike the school.
boy spot, they meier forget, though there
they are forgot Loiterers about the cap.
itol will frequently see the awkward but
powerful frame of the big Oregonian who
has been Senator, Attorney-General, and
whom his wife almost succeeded in max
ing Chief Justice of the United States. ]
well remember the first New Years re-
/ NNptlOlt VI L tESiUSHI OTdnL Jew uaIs
after William had ceased to be a member
of his cabinet. After the Diplomats, JUS
tices of the Supreme Court, Senators, Cab
met Ministers, Army and Naval officers,
and small fry officials, had been present.
ed with form and ceremony, the tower
ing, rugged form of Williams appeared
among the white and colored citizen rab-
| 10 hot ~.
| opened, to shake hands with live Pres
ident. l had never been his admirer, but
the unconcern and cheerfulness with
which the deposed cabinet officer fell in
to ranks, and paid his respects to his chief,
in the place where he had appeared so
often to counsel and decide, made me
| think there might be some stuff in him.
The ex-A Attorney-General may be seen at
many unofficial receptions, and when
there is hop at the National Hotel, Or
at Wizards, he viii step through a
quadrille or the lancers with the neat
ness and precision of trained bear, but
I have never seen him waltz. Mrs. Will
liams has been for lorg time in Europe.
The disappointment of not attaining the
highest judicial position in the country,
with the social prestige appurtenant
thereto, was more than the proud ambi-
tious woman could endure, and she cross
ed the ocean to nurse, in retirement, her
chagrin.
The rotund form and wine tinged face
of ex-Secretary Robson may be seen
daily, but he no longer oscillates between
the White House and the Navy Depart
ment. He still lives in the elegant man
sion on K street, which, during the time
he held the Naval portfolio, was the ha-
ven of that gayest of cosmopolites the
3. s. Naval officer. Ex-Secretary Robe
son seems to be engaged mainly in de-
Tending himself before Congress and the
world from the charges of corruption and
dishonesty, that have attained such wide
publicity. He is pretty well equipped for
this defence, for he has money, excellent
health, and big newspaper.
Ex-Secretary Belknap of the flowing
red beard, handsome face and colossal fig
ure, is back again at the darlington. -
Official disgrace and mental care, have not
corrugated the pink and white smooth
ness of his forehead; he is as fat, and to
all appearances as happy, as when rich
men courted him, and fair ladies smiled
upon him, while the crowd followed, fiat
tered, sought and sued.
The gay, brilliant, staggering ex-Sen-
ator Matt. Carpenter has law office in
the city, and he makes more money by
his practice in the District and United
States Supreme Courts than he ever made
as Senator from Wisconsin; but he would
doubtless prefer the latter distinction ,and
would sacrifice much money to attain it.
There is an intoxication in the elevation
and prerogatives of office, that the good
old-gentlemanly vice of avarice cannot
make amends for. Carpenter is no shys-
ter: his speeches are not mere rhetorical
pyrotechny, but he is more effective be-
fore a jury than before the Supreme Court
of the United States. The reason of this
is his utter lack of reverence. His care
for-nobody manner when addressing q
jury in criminal case, or the Supreme
Court in civil suit, involving a million
is precisely the same, but while the -av-
erage jury may feel fiattered to have 9
distinguished, eloquent, ex-senator ad-
dress them in an off-hand, staggering
familiar way, the Supreme Court is ac-
customed to a style more defferential, and
although they are judges they are alsC
men, with tumefied vanities, and subtitle
preiudices. not mere distractions of Law
and fact. Haw much Matt. Carpenter
may have preiudiced the Democratic cast
before the Electoral Commission, will
never be known; but when I heard tina
he was to appear for the Democrat
claimant, and knew that Justice Bradle,
was to be the umpire, the first thing
: thought of was little episode that [ ha
seen in the Supreme Court a month be
fore: Carpenter was making an argumen
in a railroad case, when Justice Bradle
interrupted him with Il question, and
supposing a case, asked Mr.. Carpente
how he would dispose of it. Mr.. Ca:
penter replied that his mind was so TN
fortunately constituted that it could nc
consider more than one case at a time
and was unable to see the relations bt
tween the present case, and a hypothet
cal matter entirely wanting in analogy
The eyes of the nervous little JustiC
snapped in anger, his face colOred, an
those who suppose he forgot or forgay
the sarcastic thrust, know little of huma
: nature.
Ex-Governor Dennison, who is now
his home on brief visit, is about to r.
sign his position as Commissioner of tt
District of Columbia, and to resume I'll
practice of law in Columbus, for whiC
purpose he has engaged rooms in the ne
Huntington bank building. Mr.. Denn
sons public duties have kept him ava
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