Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-16
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL.
MADISON. March, 18th.

MADISON, March, 18th.
For about week scarcely anything has
been talked about here but the election OF
United States Senator, TO fill the seat
made vacant by the death of Matt. ii.
Carpenter. The contest settled down to
real business last Monday, the day set
for the first Republican caucus. From
that time until "Wednesday evening the
excitement was intense, the friends of the
respective candidates eagerly watching
for the latest developments. The candi-
dates were Angus Cameron, E. " Keyes,
Coneressmen Hazelton and Williams,
and l.. S. Dixon. These men or their
friends for them, worked diligently for
the prize, the four first named, being on
the ground during the whole fight.
Other men were voted for in the caucus,
but they could in no sense be called can
didates The first republican caucus was
called for o'clock Monday afternoon,
and ballotting continued until nearly 6
o'clock with no choice-the candidates
standing about as follows: Cameron 81,
Keyes 80, Dixon II, Williams 3, Hazel
ton Z. Session after session was held
with no material change in the vote un-
til Wednesday, The contest from the
start resolved itself into Cameron and
anti-Cameron, the forces of the latter
being divided among the other candidates,
each faction while favoring its particular
man was also opposed to Cameron. This
peculiar state of feeling was alleged to
have been brought about by undue haste,
on the part o. Cameron's friends, in COM
ing here to work for their favorite the
day Carpenter breathed his last; but in
reality the anti-movement was a strug
gle for political leadership. Anti-Cam-
eron caucuses were held almost hourly
and the KeYes, Dixon, Williams and
Hazelton men solemnIy pledged them
selves one to the other that whatever else
they might do they would never vote for
the La Crosse Senator. This condition
of affairs was maintained with occasion
ally loss Of man, till Wednesday at
ternoon In the meantime Cameron had
been getting a vote how and then, and
Wednesday forenoon he polled above 40.
The Anti's fearing that Cameron might
be nominated unless each faction gave
up its favorite, they agreed in secret eau
Gus to unite on some new man. After
much wrangling the Reyes, Dixon, Will
iams and Hazelton forces united on
Jonathan Bowman, of Kilbourn City, ex-
cept four of their number who would not
sommit themselves absolutely to Bowman,
and Wednesday evening the contending
forces went into caucus in this condition
the four uncommitted men holding the
key to the situation. On the first ballot
eof the evening Cameron received 40 votes
e~AN AO"AhaA 1St duO @OuI SCdllCIILSs
This was critical point and spectators
with bated breath awaited the result of
the next ballot. In about fifteen minutes
it came, 81 for Cameron and 40 for Bow
man, and Angus Cameron was nominated
by the Republican caucus for the vacant
seat in the United States Senate after
most exciting contest. The caucus took
forty-eight ballots. The formal election
of Senator Cameron took place in joint
convention of the Legislature Thursday
at II o'clock, and Thursday night he
Started for Washington with his creden-
tials in his pocket.
Angus Cameron, of La Crosse, was
born at Caledonia, Livingston county, N.
Y, July 4, 1926; he received an academ-
ic education, studied law at Buffalo, N.
Y. Mr.. Cameron removed to La Crosse,
Wis, in 1857; was member of the
State Senate of Wisconsin in 1869, '64,
II and '72: was a member of the AS
sembly in 1866 and '67, and was Speak
er in 1867. He was elected to the United
States Senate by the votes of Republic
cans, Democrats and Liberals, to succeed
Matthew H. Carpenter, and took his seat