Wells wrote passionately of the atrocity and advised her readers to abandon Memphis and move to the western territories. Many followed her advice. Carmack demanded retaliation against "the black wench" for her denunciation of the lynchings. As a result, the offices of the Free Speech were demolished. Fortunately, Wells was out of town when the attack occurred. She did not return to the South for another thirty years. Political career Carmack was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1896, and served two terms in that body, March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1901. He was then elected to the U.S. Senate by the Tennessee General Assembly, serving one term in that body, March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1907. Carmack served on the Lodge Committee investigating war crimes in the Philippine–American War. Carmack failed to secure reelection to a second Senate term, being succeeded by former governor of Tennessee Robert Love Taylor, and returned to the practice of law. He then contended for the 1908 Democratic nomination for governor, running against the incumbent, Malcolm Patterson. Carmack ran as a Prohibitionist, while Patterson had the support of the "wet" lobby. Narrowly defeated by Patterson, Carmack returned to journalism, becoming the editor of the Nashville Tennessean, then a prohibitionist daily. Death and legacy On November 9, 1908, Carmack attempted to shoot his publishing and political rival, Duncan Brown Cooper, attempting to act preemptively after Cooper threatened him over the content of anti-Cooper editorials Carmack had published. Carmack missed Cooper but wounded Cooper's son Robin, who returned fire and killed Carmack. Carmack's remains were returned to Columbia, and he was buried in its Rose Hill Cemetery. Perhaps in large measure because of the spectacular and violent nature of his death, Carmack was memorialized by the Tennessee state legislature. They commissioned a large bronze statue of Carmack, which was erected on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol building and stood there until May 2020. The bronze statue was designed by Nancy Cox-McCormack in 1924 (dedicated in 1927), and engraved with several quotes from Carmack on its surroundings and pedestal. Because of Carmack's support for lynching, the statue has long caused tension in Nashville. A commission suggested replacing Carmack's statue with Davy Crockett. The statue was torn down by George Floyd protesters on May 30, 2020. For many years the public library on Hartsville Pike (Hwy 25E) in Gallatin, Tennessee, was