Morris tribune., 1881-03-03
HON. MATT. CARPENTER.
Death Of the Distinguished Wisconsin Senator
at Washington from Bright's Disease

Death Of the Distinguished Wisconsin Senator
at Washington from Bright's Disease
Hon. Matt. Carpenter, whose illness had be-
come well known to the country, failed rapidly
toward the close, and died on last Thursday
morning the 24th, in presence of his family
and Judge Macarthur, DR.. Fox, Hon. Charles
q. Williams, and others. Senator Carpenter
leaves family composed of his wife, daughter
and son. The daughter, Miss Lillian, is Young
lady, and the son, Paul. named for his mothers
father, Is thirteen years of age. His estate is
valued at about ST. O,OO0. Public bodies and
the press, of all shades of political opinions
unitein paying honors to his memory. His fu-
neral took place in Washington on Sunday, and
his remains, after the adjournment of congress,
will be taken to Milwaukee, and afterwards. if
his own request is observed will be cremated
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Matt n. Carpenter was born at Moorestown, VT,
December %, 1924. He entered the military
academy at West Point IN S43 and remained there
two years, during which time he was in Gen. Burn
sides class He studied law with Rufus
Ghoats aoads and vas admitted to the bar, re;
up on the practice Of his profession. He
elected to the United States senate as a Re2uh-
can in place of James +, DooIitte, and served
from March 4, 1859, 70 March ,, 1875. He prac-
ticed law at Washington and at Milwaukee, ard was
again elected to the United States senate
oHose an6 3oot his IN sea1 ea'e March NJ bmoR
1879 His term Of service viii expire
March 5. 1885. His career in the senate as in his
pl3itsslon; hs5 Geen rem2rkable one In 1874,
striving for the mastery in the Louisiana middle as
10 Inc legitimacy OF the Kellogg govern
menf, Carpenter SURPRISED the whole
country by proposing TO send the
lie whole question, whether Kellogg or McEnery
was entitled TO the goverHorship, back to the peopc
n9lding that there had been no legal election
Morton advocated the claims of the notorious
linchhack. as the only thing he could do without
abardoning the Stale TO the control OF the White
:cague, and tfA Re-, ublcans generally were with
huI. Carpenter had
GREAT REGARD FOR GRANT,
who rad virtually recognized kelC gg ard inter
posed the military 20 protect him, Csposi:tg the
minority crowd l.t L" order, but he could not sUs
tain wnat he conceived to be legal wr""g. and he
despl5ed PinchbaC1 in whose behalf the contest was
going OF for" seat IN the senate" Carpenter "as one
Of tie few men in the senate who, like C11.kljng,
Barard, Ingalls, an.! Thurman, would attract dtfen-
ton anywhere. He and Conking have often been
mentioned toge her, but they differed widely in
able Conklins Is reserved, naughty. i'm
pervioUs, imrlacahle and suspicious. Carpenter
swell manners ami dainty demeanor generally.
Carpenter is also swell. but of sturdy. western
yEe with an element q Swaggcr that was by II"
W With i: his sefasscron, s @"Sy ~ch :'>:S9 3 IL!
more pleasing than Conk:ings seLf-conscin1surso.
presidency. His speech in reply 10 Sumner md
Schurz during the French arms debate February
26 and June 3, 1872. gave him special prominence
in the arena of politics at the time, and ii was
MORE WIDELY CIRCULATED
than any other campaign document during the
Grant Greeley contest, more than million copies
being sent ont of Washington alone. In Marc!,
1878, ne elected president pro of the SEN
ate, tor which duty he was peculiarly wei
qualified. He had great powers of reasoning,
crticcl analysis ready perception.a retentive mcm
orY, intense application, resoue purpose. fine
voice, personea ami delivery in debate He was
doubtless greatly iniuencel in the formation of
close habits of study by his association with Choate
for he w&s an impressibe man. No lawyer
in the United States attained higher rank than he
within the last century. Northwestern people will
remember his brilliant seud-o in his law prac,r,
when he lirst to Wisconsin, in the case Of
Bashtord vs. Barstow for the goveruorship Of
that Site. Carpenter retained for
the Democratic candidate and made an argument
which lifted him at from obscuritv to the front
rank OF lawyers He has cleared as high as $4,000
in single year from his practise yet only has an
worth $4,000 as his accumulation for life
time of labor. Some of his earlier arguments, in
cases involving
were printed along with the opinions of the courts
before which they tried. in the Wisconsin re-
ports, and their research thus acknowledged. He
was retained by Stanton, when secretary of
war, 10 argue before the supreme court of
the United States twnere his appearance was fire.
Queutl, several import Il growing out of thc
reconstruction measure, of congress. and he Cav~
more color &c the Judicial construction of this cs
OF complicated questions when they v're
new than any other person in
the country. His literary requirements were t. so
extensive, and as a colyersa,ionalist he had f. W
equals He was Jeffersonian Democrat IA favor
lite claim of his), and acted with the party until the
war broke out, when he perceived the tendency of
the men who were controlling the
organization, and left it. He has
ever since been q stalwar among stalwart Republic
cans With this qualification, that on questions of
finance, constitutional law and municipal govern
ment; or, in other words, he is Democrat of the
thurman school, except upon questions
growing out of the war As a
leader he has been q tower Of strength,
toned, no one ever impugned his personal prohity
and incorruptible public character. He married in
early life daughter of Gov. Dillingham; of YER
mont, who survives him