National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-28
HAZELTON'S TRIBUTE
TO THE LATE MATT H. CARPENTER.
The Memory and FamO Of the Dead Statesman
Sketch OF His Early Struggles and the
Triumphs Of His After LifeAn
Eloquent Speech.

OF clOquence, and were delivered with much feel. !
ing. Mr.. Hazclton was one Of the deceased SEN
ators most earnest aud trusted friends. lie said:
"Mr. Speaker, the death Of Matthew II. Carpenter,
standing prc.ominent rs he did in the Nations
eye as jurist orator and statesman, creates u
void that cannot soon lie filled soon forgotten
Not far beyond life's noon his sun went down into
the night of DEATH but It's splendor still fingers
athwart the western sky, and another illustrious
name adOrns our American roll Of honor and
ame. The muniments of his title TO bo ranked
among the WORTHLESS Of American history and Sc.
cure the lasting remembrance Of the American
people are largely enrolled In this Capital Of the
free, where for quarter of century and more he
spoke MS an advocate or Senator and where the
light of his life went out forever. And as IL was
with Clay and Adams, rs It was with Sumner aud
Collnmer, with Stevens and Morton,
WITH CHANDLER AND BURNSIDE
this solemn memorial ceremony is no idle form
for orNtory cannot weave garland OF praise or
love that his sweet nature and commanding genius
did not merit. What could be more appropriate
than this customary pause in the active duties OF
national legislation to offer tribute Of friendship
and euogy to those Of our associates who fall from
time to time at their high post of duty to be seen
| by Us on earth no more. And now, turning from
| the new-mado grave of the dead Senator to are
rospect of his life and its results his long line Of
distinguished service in the forum of Justice his
| tions to oratory and literature
Fruits Oft genial morn and glorious noon,
| The deathless part Of him who died too soon
and then to undertake an analysis of those Gle.
ments of character which gave him commanding
| power and influence among men, that made his
presence the charm Of every social circle, and to
| those who sought him. sweet as summer can but
| realize how inadequate is this occasion, and how
| weak my ability to do justice
TO HIS MEMORY AND Ills FAME.
| know but little of his boyhood history, except
that with the blood Of the Pilgrims in his veins he
started ont from among the free homes and altars
Of New England solitary and alone, 10 make that
journey which has just ended at the gateway of
another existence. lie commenced with genius
for his soeprc, and for his fortune, poverty. The
extremes Of his life illustrate the marvellous op.
porunities for success afforded by free institutions;
and this life-picture In its trumphs stands not
alone in the history of our humanity. To para
phrase the language of Griffith to the Queen:
| From his cradle
lie was lawyer, and n ripe and good one.
THE EARLY INSPIRATIONS OF HIS LIFE
| inclined him toward the profession for which his
natural powers were best adapted, and It is this
! line of development that his genius shines with
| its purest lustrc and his fame finds It's strongest
| and surest foundations. From that period of his
| existence when he was first capable of fixing his
true course he never surrendered his purpose and
| his determination to reach the front rank Of the
| American bar. On his way up some generous
| spirit assigned him to West Point, and, remaining
there but two years, he resigned TO resume the
golden thread Of his true ambition. In his profess
sion he was tircess STUDENT And, If he had the
advantage of intuition in the consideration of n
cause, no essential fact escaped his notice and no
principle of law remained uneXamined. All
through his professional life he gathered the
choicest books of law and literature, until his
library grew to magnificent proportions and be-
part Of the rich heritage left by his death.
All along its pages are the annOtations Of his PEN
| cil and he who undertakes to follow him will
GROW WEARY ON THE JOURNEY.
Iic knew oil the paths the worthless held, and
the opinions of Marshall and Story and all the
writings of the great publcists read TO him like q
romance He became familiar with all the au.
thorlLies and the principles and practice of the
civil and common law, with the code and all that
pcrtained to 1t. Such marvellous facility, such
strength and practical knowledge had he acquired
in the wide range of his profession that there was
no court of justice on earth whose adjudication,
, were in the English Language before which h,
could not easily and readily practice. Lawyer,
who could do this were few in any age or any
, country. AS q trial lawyer few men ever held q
. keener lance and in the courts of final resort hC
was welcomed as an oracle of the law.
ADOPTING THE STATE or WISCONSIN,
/, as his home and the theatre of his carly profes
sionnl career, he commanded the leading practic,
of the Northwest, and through his untiring devo
ton to the law and through his commanding abil
ityand force of character pushed his way to thu
highest judicial forum of the Nation, where he be
came the recognized peer of its abest advocates
of such men Revordy Johnson and Black ant
Cushing and Evarts If, said Sir Isaac Newton
on one occasion, Il have seen further into science
than Others, than Columbus or Kepler or DesCartes
= IL IL because l have stood upon the shoulders o
I giants So he of whom we speak, mounting tn
shoulders of the older giants OF the profession. IL
= the growth and spirit of free institutions, and II
n the light Of new principles and broader demand
s constantly arising in our progressive civilization
= became stronger than they who were masters II
c another day and generation.
/. THE NATION ITSELF
1t in an eXigency Of great Importance TO its vel
!. fare recognized his ability in law when
l. summoned him to advocate and maintain befor
: its highest judicial tribunal the Consttutionalitl
1t of the reconstruction acts. and his great argmen
% in later days gave construction to the Fourteent
'e Amendment Of the Constitutions cOnstructio
y affecting the rights of untold millions Of men an
" perhaps for all time. SO well and so ably did h
l. present the McCardle case involving the consttl
tionaity of the reconstruction acts, that 1t bocam
l. the bridge over which he passed into the Scnat
J. Of the United States where his legal acumcn wa
H. destined to blend with the pollty of true statc
y
ID from the beginning for his profound knOwlCdp
III Of constitutional and parliamentary law, and
c, the threshold Of his service challenged its olde
is and Rblest members in debate on the most IL
r. trcate questions Of international and constitl
us tiOnal law, and those great measures of nation
l. legislation ever found him equal TO the enc
10 gency.
" AMONG THE FRUITS OF IIs HAEDIwoRR
4 Is the judiciary act, the guide Of the courts
the land aud upon the pages of all important d.
bates he stamped the impress of his great intelleC
lie made one mistake, and that was in the el
dcay0r to divide his energies between the dutl
Df Of that great body and the continued practice
the law. No man can serve well two such tyra
m masters And now Of his nature and person
nj qualities let me speak n word-speak Of him as
IN was:
a. Nothing eXtcnuac,
b" Nor set down aught In malice
in He was by nature great, and generous, and no
me- est. As q lawyer he wngcd warfare oil the hghC
ns plane of honor. lie sought no0dvGntage throu
In iavortism, and won no victory by doubtful met
,oi DDS lie dospised court, high or low, that "
os not pure ana unsulicd. His courage in the co
as, duct ofa cause was the sublimity Of hcroism, a
, his fidelity to his clients never open to sus
,S cion. With the weaker side he was ever generC
a% aud lorbcnrng and TO the poor he gave opini
rnl and counsel without money and without price,
,Ie THERE WAS NO MALICE IN HIS HEART
VA. and 10 tyranny in his nature. II he had be
M. born king he would have ruled his sube
.ho with u seeptre love. In his right hand he O.
carried gentle peace to silence enyious tongu
, All tho world knew his faults as we'll ms his v
nj, tues. There was nothing hidden In his natu
"s The life he lived and the battles he fought wore
m, on the mountain tops, sti open To view, aud VIII