Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-13
Matt Carpenter. IErtracta froTo his Biopraphy,1

Matt Carpenter.
 Extracts from his Biography.l
 Carpenter always defended his profession al character, while other attacks were passed by without notice. When the cataclysm of political islander poured it's poisonous streams upon him, he was fully consoled with the cheerful remark: ''Well, have never yet been accused of being bad lawyer" When his fellows in the Senate evolved sophistieal theories or high-sounding clsp-trap, or ad- vocated an unconstitutional measure, he would say that being ''only lawyer" he must oppose them, and close by begging to be 'tspared from degenerating into mere statesman" One of the things that, more than any other, exasperated Charles Sumner was Carpenters frequent taunt: My friend from Massachusetts, once a sound and up right lawyer, has been degraded by public life to the blass purlieus of a common states man, as may be observed by the unsound views he is advocating" He regarded learned and conscientious lawyer as the only true and safe law making statesman. It was
 we'll known that James G. Blaine was not, and never had been, lawyer. Therefore, when he eseaye yed to speak on legal question
 the mode of ridicule that gave Carpenter the most abundant relish was that of ironically
 praising the senator from Maine as ''beyond
 all comparison a distinguished and learned attorney" As Burns was displeased with any title save that of poet or Highland bard, so Carpenter desired no title of distinguish ment beyond that of law giver.
 Young Carpenters first professional en- gagement, after returning from West Point, was made early in 1S46, when he was be- tween 21 and 22 years of age. The oppos- ing counsel was no less than George F. Ed munds, then living at Richmond, something | like 20 miles down the Winooski river The | two hedglings, each afraid of the other, met | in little gray wooden school house in the | town of Bolton, in a gap of the Green noun \ tains and halfway from Waterbury to Rich mond. The suit, small as it really was, at ! tra cted no little attention from the peasants \ of the neighborhood, and the srtless but at- | tentive audience was present, until far into l the night, to listen to the forensic efforts, ! the sharp retorts, and the crude legerdemaln l of the young Blackstones.
 His first case after settling in Beloit was heard before justice of the peace at point | in Rock county, ten or a dozen miles above Beloit. A farmer named Ebenezer N. Bald win came down in search of 8 lawyer, and, observing Carpenters sign, entered the office and made known his errand. Of course he could 'go at once" and in five minutes the young attorney was seated beside the farmer on the hewed poles which constituted the 1 box of lumber wagon, and thus jolted over the rough, unworked roads of 8 new country. AS the twain ascended the valley of the river the farmer recited all the facts and clrcum stances of his cass, and when they arrived at the office of the justice Carpenter was ready for trial. Who opposed him, or what the cause of litigation was, IS wrapt in obscurity. T,okn of inhf ha oaG 6fA6ad farmer brought Carpenter back to Belo1t. On inquiring of him what fee and charges were to be paid, Carpenter replied, "Oh, J guess about dollar"
 The first case Carpenter carried to the su preme court of the United States was that of Bronson and Soutter, trustees, against the La Crosse and Milwaukee railway company ct al, in which, February 20, 1863, he argued motion to dismiss the cross-appeal of other parties. On February 2, 1864, he appeared
 before the same court, in the same manner,
 for eompIainants, to make an argument on the merits of the case. In one sense he was
 victorious, and in another he was not. The court held that a United States district court, from which the appeal was taken, exceeded It's jurisdiction, but decided, "for the present, D to withhold the remedy. This was, in many respects, the most extraordinary case that had been taken to the United States supreme court.
 Caleb Cushing once said to Henry Wilson, as %he twain sat in the chamber and observed Carpenter entering, his coat and vest un- fastened on account of excessive heat, bundle of papers and 8 volume of reports Tn one hand, and @ large palm-leaf fan in the other: t'I do love to watch the entry of that man into court he comes in with such sunshiny smile, such boyish indifference Of step, and such roguish twinkle of the eyes, as seem to say Now, listen while I have some sport with these old codgers.
 Wherever Matt went he bubbled over with wit. It would be impossible to pick up all his bright savings. His bioerapher has cer tainly done well in this respect.
 He said President Hayes should have been an insurance agent, he ''had such an extraor- dinary ability to get up policies '
 Years ago Carpenter described the late Alexander Stevens in this wise: ''An empty coach halted at the treasury department, and Aleck Stephens got out of it'' The same joke was fitted to Bernherdt when in Ameri- ca, but it was original with Carpenter.
 In one of his great railway suits he turned
 to a wealthy witness and said: He commits
 perjury as gayly as g troubadour thumped
 his guitar"
 Many a bank cashier has been convulsed by bis checks. For instance, one for his daughters read: ''Pay to the order of the | Celestial Pet Lillian the sum of $10. When his daughter recovered from dan | gerous illness he telegraphed from Washing
 ton: '"Fhank Godl you are better. If I l were not temperance man should go out | and take drink!'
 | Once, while discussing theology with an
 eminent Catholic divine, he observed that ''purRatory was merely motion for new 1 trial"
 1 Of an opposing attorney, who was pump | ing testimony out of @ witness by leading
 questions, he remarked to the court, ''he
 might at least filter his testimony through | the witness"
 Jeremiah s. Black could chew tobacco.
 In the McCardle case, in which Carpenter
 and Black were of opposing counsel, the lat l ter had begun, as the cause progressed, to
 chew and strengthen and strengthen and chew. Observing this, Carpenter leaned
 over to Lyman Trumbull and whispered,
 loud enough to be heard everywhere:
 They've got usI Black has filled one spit