Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-08-08

convention and was PROBABLY lnelastllN-
ing signer of that organic act. He was
less than thirty years Of age when he
sat as a member Of this convention. In
1852 he was elected a member OF the
lower house Of the legislature and the
following year was chosen a state
senator. As a legislator he took an
active and prominent part, having
place on many important committees.
II was during the session of 1853 that
the senate sat as a court of i'm
peachment upon the trial OF Levi Hub
bell. Judge OF the second judicial
circuit. The trial attracted universal
interest because of the prominence of
the defendant and the eminence of the
attorneys engaged on either side.
Judge Hubbell was acquitted after a
prolonged trial. Senator Lewis voting
for acquittal.
In 1854 Senator Lewis was elected
lieutenant governor and as such it
became incumbent upon him to pre-
side over the senate of which he had
so recently been a member. AS pre-
siding officer of the body he was
specially distinguished for fairness,
impartiality and uniform courtesy. His
term as lieutenant governor ended, he
resumed his private business at Co
lumbus, which he continued uninter-
rupted till the outbreak of the civil
war. Hitherto he had been a consistent
and steadfast democrat of the Silas
Wright school, but at the opening OF
hostilities, he soon became FESTIVE I'M
der party restraints and early repudiat-
ed what he conceived to be lack Of
frankness and unquestioned loyalty on
the part of the dominent leaders of the
democratic party. Indignantly de-
claring that "he who is not faithful
friend of the government of his country
i'm this trying hour, is no friend OF
NINE" he at once threw the weight OF
his name and influence in support of
the war. holding that partisanship
should abate in such a fearful emerg-
ency.
In the autumn of 1861 he was nomi-
mated and elected secretary Of state,
on the so-called union republican
ticket. and at the following election,
1868. was chosen governor by the same
party. with the largest majority ever
given in the state to that time, and
for many years thereafter.
Since his retirement from the execu-
tive Office. January, 1866, Governor
Lewis had devoted his attention to
private business. the education of his
children, the up-building of his home
city and the promotion of educational
and church enterprises. He had also
travelled extensively abroad and
throughout the United States. A few
years ago he made tour of the world,
visiting all parts of the orient and
Europe. Since quitting the governor
ship he had never sought, but had often
declined. public Office, but, meanwhile,
he maintained a keen interest in
public affairs, abating nothing within
reason that would promote the success
OF the republican party to which or
ganization he had persistently adhered
since the great war between the states.
His life-span covered the most
wonderful period in the annals CT the
world and was almost co-extensive with
that of the republic itself. Governor
Lewis was born in the same year with
Victoria. and during the first term of
President Monroe. AT his birth, Wash
ingtcn had been in his grave scarcely
twenty years. He had lived under the
rnle of % presidents and enjoyed per-
sonal acquaintance with most of them.
He was seven years old when Adams
and jefferson died. In his youth he
knew many of the heroes of the revolu-
ton and must have known some OF the
.signers of the declaration of independ-
ence as the youth of today knew him or
as they know the surviving leaders OF
the civil war. He was helping on the
constitution of Wisconsin when the
Younger Adams fell stricken upon the
floor Of the old house of representa-
tives. and was 33 when Clay and Web
ster died. Far within his lifetime
Wisconsin has grown from a wilder
ness to an empire Of more than two
and a half million souls. In the
work of her upbuilding, Governor
Lewis contributed much; few more.
Governor Lewis, in his best days,
laid no claim to great oratorical gifts,
but. as Jeremy Taylor once said of an
ether. he had always "the endearment
of prudent and temperate speech" and
as I.amartine said of Mirabeau, his
genius was the infallibility of good
sense" However. the governor pos
sessed the power of strong and fluent
speech and of succinct and ccgent
statement far beyond the average OF
men in public life.