Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-03-29
Postmaster- General Howe's Death.

Gen. Howe died Sunday afternoon
last at the residence of his nephew,
Col. j. Ell. Howe, at Kenosha, of pneu-
monia, after brief illness. The
Milwaukee Sentinel in an editorial
gives the principal points in his life
which We quote Judge Howe was
born in Livermore, Maine-the same
, town whence came the Washburns-in
1916, and was therefore 81 years of
age. After an academic education he
studied law and was admitted to the
bar. His first appearance in public
life was as member of the Maine
Legislature, in 1o45. In the autumn
of the same year he removed to Wis
consin, then territory, and opened a
law office at Green Bay, where he has
since resided. In 1850 he was elected
judge of his circuit. At that time
the circuit judges also constituted the
Supreme court of the State, and Judge
Howe was for a time Chief Justice.
In 1855, he resigned his Office to re-
sumo the practice of law In 1856,
he was appointed by the Governor one
of three commissioners to hear. and
determine the claim of Andrew
Proudft. who demanded large sum
from the State for refusing to carry
out its contract with him for building
hospital for the insane. He had
previously taken leading part as
counsel for the State in the contest
growing out of the fraudulent canvass
by which Barstow had been declared
elected Governor in 1856. In 1857
he was candidate for the United
States Senate, with almost certainty
of election, until the Republican eau
Gus adopted resolution requiring
candidates to approve the state sover-
eighty resolutions Of the Kentucky
Legislature of 1898 and 1899. These
he refused to indorse, and James r.
Doolittle was elected In 1861 he
was elected to the Senate, his principal
competitors being Gov. Randall and
Gov. Washburn, and reelected in
1867 and 1873, each time without ep-
position and without formality of a
party nomination. Upon the death of
Chief Justice Chase he was rendered
the appointment of Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court of the United
States, but declined it, as the Govern
or and Legislature Of the State were,
at that time, Democratic, and Demo
erat would have been sent to the SEN
ate in his place. For the same reason
he declined the mission to England
In the Senate, upon the close of the
war, he urged the temporary establish
ment of territorial governments in the
South, instead of the immediate or
ganization of state government, and
was one of the first, Il not the first, to
advocate the repeal of the law restrict
ing the number of national banks, and
to urge the adoption of measures for
the redemption and withdrawal from
circulation of the grsenback currency.
In the spring of 1881 he wah appoint
ed by President Garfield as one of the
commiss toner's of the United States to
the Paris Monetary Conference. On
December 90, 1881, he was nominated
by President Arthur to be postmaster
general, which position he held at the
time of his death.
The announcement of the death OF
Judge Howe will be received by the
people of Wisconsin, and by all who
have known him as personal loss
The country generally will be deeply
impressed by the sudden death of a
man of exceptional ability, unusual
integrity and national reputation
Wisconsin, during the past two years
has been called upon to mourn the los,
of Senator Carpenter, Gov. c. G
| Washburn, Gov. William Il. Smith
and now Judge Howe.