Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-02

made mastery fight that utterly as
tonished his opponents, The lmmens
| deal of labor he showed him self capable
of performing filed them with amaze
ment. Notwithstanding the fact tina
the fight was lost the part he took in th'
htIgat1ons won him additional FAME ant
the successes in business that followed
hard after, were signal.
HIS SENATORIAL CAREER.
In 1853, Mr.. Carpenter was eleeted to
his first term in the senate Of the United
States. His fame as learned lawyer
preceded him and almost immediately
after taking his seat his mettle was
severely tired but gave back the tYae
ring that won him reputation that
was worldwide almost. Mr.. Carpenter
was not solely an eloquent man. The
chief features that 80 captivated those
who heard him speak were his wonder
full voice and earnestness Of manner
He was intensely interesting, while his
| language was forcible and his reason
ing irresistible, His chief beauty lay
IN the argumentative turn of his mind
and thought as we'll SO in his happy
manner of illustrating his points with
incidents and anscdotes which were new
en- trite, and always opposite.
. En- debate this "King of Men"
showed himself and his wonderful at
tainments to the best advantage In
this he WAS always powerful sometimes
sarcastic yet never harsh to- his victim.
The most remarkable trait Of his char
acter probably was his entire freedom
from passion. At times he would wax
indignant, but never became angry.
The punishment he melted ont to his ad-
versary WAS always the fruit of clear
head and impassionate Judgment. When
wronged he would not rest content till
he had been allowed to forgive, and this
he did at the slightest show OF regret.
The forgiveness was always cofaplete.
His work in the senator's fresh In the
minds OF the people, and needs but q
reference. When he adopted Repub
icanism he at once became the ardent
supporter of the principles Of that party,
and WAS often called upon in CAGES be-
fore the United States Supreme Court
where the status of states was. discussed.
In the Louisiana cases he was called upon
to take part in the argument and see
that the cases were decided in constitu-
tional manner. As is we'll remembered,
when Mr.. Garland was DISTINGUISHED by
reason of alleged participation in the
Rebellion, Mr.. Carpenters position sus-
tanned by a mastery argument, was held
with by the court.
MR.. CARPENTER SOCIALLY.
Wonderful and noted as Mr. Carpen-
ter was as a lawyer and statesman the
place in which his wit was keenest and
his mind most brilliant was the social
| circle. He was always. worker and a
| whole-souled one. His social life was
enjoyed by every fibre Of his being, and
he was as earnest In prosecution Of his
pleasure as in his hardest labor. Moth
ing gave him such intense pleasure as to
have friends, whom he loved, drop In
socially. His fund of quaint stories,
drawn from the large store collected in
his extensive acquaintance with books,
his silvery, catching laugh and his bril-
liant colloquial discourse made him q
much sought favorite.
Mr.. Carpenter attended large parties
and balls, as he often said,. because he
must. He was not dancing man, but
was always a genial companion for those
who met him in such places. He was q
prince at dinner party of ladies and
gentlemen. These cosy parties he loved
next to his family circle. and the friends
who saw him there saw him at his
best, for he threw care to the winds
and left the serious business
of life in the hall with his hat, and nc
school boy ever entered ON his sports
with keener zest than that which Mr..
Carpenter brought with him to the din
ner table. An intimate friend of this
gentleman told the WISCONSIN represen-
tative Thursday morning that the many
stories circulated regarding Mr.. Carpen-
unfounded. He was never lncapacitated
for business In any degree by the use OF
liquors, though he was not total absti-
nence man.
| THE HOME LIFE.
Senator Carpenter leaves a family COM
| posed of his wife, daughter and son.
The daughter, Miss Lillian, is a young
lady, and the son Paul. named for his
mothers father, is thirteen years of age.
| In this SOD are reproduced the lovely,
brilliant traits of character that so mark
ed the father, among men.
In his family Mr.. Carpenter was very
happy and here he spent the hours that
were not devoted to the arduous work OF
! his profession. Here too he engaged In
| labor of love in which he took much
pride and care. He directed at each
step the reading and education of his
children, with his own master hand
guiding them through the intricate path
| he had trodden so many years before on
his way to q lasting fame.
His library of miscellaneous works,
which still remains at the family resi-
dence, No. 557 Van Buren, street, is the
largest and finest in the state. and Mr..
Carpenter was master of the untold
wealth contained in it. He was seldom
seen at home without a book in his hand
and when the book was read his wonder
full memory made it his OVID. His law
library, which is in Washington, was
also the finest of it's kind i'll the state.
Senator Carpenter as well as his fam
lily, always expressed the warmest love
! for this city. and at the time of his re-