CARPENTER ATTHEW HALE CARPENTER, an American statesman, was born at M Moretown, Vermont, December 22, 1824, and educated at the United States Military Institute. He then studied law in Waterbury, Vermont, being admitted to the bar in 1847 and removing the next year to Beloit, Wisconsin, where he soon rose to prominence in his profession. In 1856 he made Milwaukee his home and when the civil war broke out he travelled extensively in the west, making many speeches in behalf of the Union cause. He received the appointment of judge advocate general of Wisconsin and in 1868 was engaged as government counsel in the famous McArdle case, which involved the legality of the Reconstruction Act of 1867. His success in this instance brought him into such prominence that he was soon after elected to the United States Senate, serving there 1869-75. After practising his profession for a few years he was in 1879 again returned to the Senate, but did not live to complete his term of office, dying in Washington February 25, 1881. Carpenter was known politically as war Democrat," opposing the Fugitive Slave law in his earlier career, advocating emancipation of the slaves as early as 1864, and in 1864 declaring that they must be enfranchised. Among his more noted efforts in the Senate were his speeches on Johnson's Amnesty Proclamation, on the bill to restore Fitz John Porter, and his defence of President Grant against the attack of Sumner. His name was originally Decatur Merritt Hammond Carpenter, but about the time of his removal to Wisconsin he adopted the signature by which he was afterwards known. "a MISSION AND FUTURE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES DELIVERED AT THE DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL HALL, BELOIT COLLEGE, JULY, 1869 R. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR The American people have just emerged from the thick darkness of national distresses: emerged, as no other nation could reasonably have expected to from such dangers, triumphant, though bleeding at every pore. The first impulse of a great people on being delivered from eminent perils is that of joy and thanksgiving; then comes gratitude for those by whose guidance, under God, safety has been attained; then a sad reflection upon the fearful sacrifices by which success has been purchased and a tender recollection of those who have fallen in the strife; and finally the composed mind gathers up the teachings of such a fearful experience, wisdom for the guidance of future years. On the surrender of Lee and Johnston in 1865 our people gave themselves up to the wildest rejoicings; for a time the toils, the trials, the sufferings of four dreadful years were all forgotten; business places were closed, our people rushed out of doors, impromptu processions filled the streets, music led our exultant emotions as far as musical sounds could conduct them; and then the roar of cannon and the shoutings of the multitude took up the joyful strain and bore it in tumult to the skies. Our people are fond of excitement and may be aroused to enthusiasm upon slight provocation. But then the grounds for national rejoicing were adequate and philosophical. Such dangers as had never threatened any government had been averted; such a rebellion as the world had never seen had been suppressed; such results as had never before been accomplished by war had been achieved. We plunged into the war cursed with the institution of slavery,three millions of our fellow creatures held in bitter bondage; we came forth a nation of free men, equal in civil rights, no longer recognizing any distinctions of caste or color. Our young Republic had successfully ended the experiment of its existence and for the first time took its place-a full, round, high place among the powers of the earth. We had to thank God, after the storms of war had passed, that we at last possessed what our fathers had hoped and prayed for, “a country, and that a free country.' Our people had shown their gratitude to their leaders in works more substantial than words. They have raised Grant |