Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-05-23
Mr.. Potter's Early Days.


comes by lineal descent from John Fox,
author of the Book of Martyrs" an
early folio copy Of which, in two black
letter volumes, is on his library table.
His maternal grandfather was chaplain
OF a Revolutionary war regiment which
participated in the battle of Saratoga
and was praying before the soldiers when
the cannonading began. His cousin
Mary Potter, was the first wife Of the
poet, Lorgfellow, and died in Europe
while on visit to the German springs
with her husband for the benefit of her
health.
In 1866 Mr. Potter was elected a mem
Der of the Wisconsin Legislature. In
1856 he was elected Il member Of Con-
gresS. He was reelected in 1898 and
elected again in 1860. He was defeated
ip 1862 and was afterward appointed
cunsul-general at Montreal. vacancy
in that office having been created by the
dings, who had held the place as one of
the first appointees of President Lincoln.
He remained at, Montreal until 1866,
when he gave up the Office and returned
home.
Shines in the Legislature.
When in 1896 MI Potter went TO a
legislature whose record is black with
the scandal of the La Crosse land grant,
he believed in the construction of rail
IOUuS 10 ueNplOD inc RESOURCES Oh inc
state, but he did not believe in the ac-
ceptance of brides. The report of the
committee Of the succeeding Legislature
which investigated the corruption of that
session stated that the only members Of
the Assembly who voted for the bill and
Burchard, NJ. NJ. Davis, Joshua Stark
and John +. Potter. 1t was natural
that the marked ability, the positive
character, and the answering integrity
which Potter exhibited as Il representa-
tive of the people in state affairs should
lead to his selection for the broader field
of national legislation by the new
ton for Congress by the Repub-
licans of the First district III
the fall of 1856 came to him unsought
The district at that time comprised the
counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha. Keno
sha, Racine and Walworth. Potter did
not expected to be elected. His opponent
was Jackson Hadley, and Milwaukee,
the most denscly populated county in the
district, was overwhelmingly Democratic.
Hadley received 1007 votes in Miwau-
kee county against only $3.50 for Potter,
and the friends of Hadlcy celebrated
what they supposed to be their candi-
dates victory: but when the returns from
the rest of the district came in it was
found that he had been defeated by q
majority of 294. AS the Republican jok-
ers Dhrased it, Potter had turned up a
Jack"
Ante BelIum Days in Congre SIS.
Potter entered Congress in the first
year of Buchanan's administration.
James l.. Orr of South Carolina was
speaker 1t was q time when there was
no personal safety for any Northern man
who dared to utter sentiments displeasing
to the shareholders of the South. Scenes
of violence were of frequcnt occurrence.
The ruffianly assault by Preston Brooks
upon Charles Sumner had been made in
the Senate chamber the year before, and
Sumner was still disabled, his seat in the
Senate meantime remaining vacant be-
cause MaSSa chuSettS refused to elect any
one to take the place of her representa-
tive who had been brutally stricken down
at his post of duty. Southern members
Of Congress ingratiated themselves with
their constituents by bullying and brow
beating representatives who dared to as
sumo the role of spokesman for the
North. Baltimore plug-uglies frequently
sat in the gallery with revolvers on their
knees, ready to fire down upon the North
ern representatives if there should be q
row. Potter was q man of StalWart
frame hardened by experience as a pion-
eer, uncomprOmisingly positive in decar-
ing and standing by what he believed to
be right, and while not reckless or pug
naclous, utterly fearless of bodily dan
ger. On more than one occasion he
taught the hot-blooded Southerners by
practical demonstration that if they pro-
voked Northern men too far they would
encounter peril. The South learned to
respect him. He became popular lion,
and from one end Of the country to the
other the name of Wisconsin was asso-
ciated with the fame of her gallant repre-
sentative, "BoWieKnife Potter
In his first session he was the central
was recalled by him few years ago
substantially as follows:
Pryor Feels Insu1ted.
"Lovejoy was making a speech When
lation to slavery. He was standing in
front Of his desk. Pryor was on the
opposite side of the House. He walked
over and shook his fist in Lovejoy's face.
saying, - - you, you shall not come
over on our side of the House, gesticu-
dating in a violent manner | stepped ND,
who had with more or less deliberation
attempted to physically intimidate Galu-
sha A. Grow, while that gentleman was
speaking in the House on the Kansas
question. Mr.. Potter himself told the
story as follows:
when Grow was assaulted it was
nearly o'clock in the morning. I seized
the man who had him by the throat and
threw him to the floor. Then Reuben
Davis. Lamar and others came up and
joined in the melee. 1t was raining
blows all around. | hit Davis, and he
drew a knife. Someone seized him.
Barksdale came up then. J never saw a
man who looked more as if possessed of
a demon than he did at that moment: he
was gritting his teeth like a tiger. I
struck out right and left, and men fell
down. l never struck one of those fell
lows but once. and every blow was in
self-defense. 1t appeared to me that half
a dozen were down at one time The
floor seemed strewn with men The
scuff1e continued l remember looking up
and seeing Orr the speaker, standing
with a white face and his gavel in his
hand. l wheeled around and saw E. B.
Washburne in the clutches of Barksdale.
Washburne gave cry. ] supposed that
Barksdale was armed, and / struck him
on top of his head. Cadwallader Wash