Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-03-23

iature and there he fearlessly and sue
cessfully met the, occasion, and originated
and pressed through series of measure:
which produced the most happy effects
He introduced and effected the passage
OF the hrst plank road bill, and an entire
system of improvements which has pro-
we'd of incalculable advantage to that
State. After this Mr.. Dobbin was re-
elected a number of times, and was cho-
sen speaker. AT the late session he was
selected as the Democratic candidate for
United States Senator, but was defeated
by the factious course of rival, much to
the regret and disappointment of the en-
tire Democracy of his State.
Mr.. Dobbin was at the head of the de-
legation from his State in the Baltimore
Convention, and probably it is not too
much to to say that no man in that body
did so much towards harmonizing the ex-
cited and conflicting elements which at
one period threatened its dissolution with
out making any nominations. On the
4ath ballot General Pierce had but fifty
five votes, the largest number he had re-
ceiyed. The 49th ballot commenced, and
twelve States had voted, with but slight
changes from the previous ballot. Then,
as the State ofNorth Carolina was called,
Mr. Dobbin rose, and in most eloquent,
beautiful and appropriate little speech,
touched the very heart of-the convention,
and sent an electric shock through it
which changed the spirit of discord and
strife into a cordial and enthusiastic
union, and secured the triumphant no.
mination of General Pierce upon that bal
lot.
Hon. James Campbell, the new Post
master General is forty years of age, ha-
wing been born in Philadelphia, in 1918.
He is of Irish parentage, his father ha-
wing emigrated from the north of Ireland
i'll the latter part of the last century
Judge Campbell. after a thorough educa-
ton, was admitted to the Philadelphia bar
in 1884, and continued in successful prac-
tice among the proverbially able lawyers
of that city, until 1842, when. ut the ear
ly age of 90, he was appointed Judge of
the court of common pleas of Philadel-
phla. He was recommended by the en-
tire Democratic delegation in both branch
es of the Legislature from Philadelphia
county, and was unanimously confirmed
! by the Senate. He held this post about
ten years, discharging its duties with
marked ability and success. By an al
iteration of the constitution in 1850,
Judges were made elective by the people,
and at the first judicial election under
this provision, in 1851, Judge Campbell,
while on the common pleas bench, was
nominated as one of the Democratic can
dates for judges Of the Supreme Court
He received more than two-thirds vote
of the convention.
Notwithstanding his high character and
admitted qualifications for the office,
Judge Campbell was defeated in the cleo
| ton; but this was caused solely by secta-
rian bigotry and intolerance. In Janua-
airy, 1852, he was appointed by the pre-
sent able and popular governor of Penn
sylvania to the office of Attorney Gene
raj, which he held until his appointment
to seat in the cabinet; and the manner
in which he discharged it's duties has adj
ded to his previously high reputation
among the people of that great State
During the late presidential campaign,
the result in Pennsylvania was every
where regarded with deep interest on ac-
count of circumstances which we need not
name, it was at one time considered very
doubtful. AT that critical period, Judge
Campbell, forgetting the personal injury
done him by those political friends who
had caused his defeat, and mindful, only
of the success of the great cause of De-
mocracy, entered the contest with the
utmost enthusiasm, devoting his whole
time. and exerting all his great personal
influence with his countrymen to the work
of healing their disseusions, removing
their doubts, and exciting them to the
support of the Democratic cause.
General Caleb Gushing, the Attorney
General, is universally admitted to be
one of the ablest and most learned men
in the country. He is now in the fifty
fourth year of his age, having been born
July 7, 1900, in Salisbury, Massachusetts,.
He was early remarkable for industry and
rapid progress in the acquisition of learn
ing, and entered Harvard College before
he was fourteen years old, and gradu-
ated with high honors before he was
eighteen, in 1917. He then entered the
law school connected with that institution,
where he remained two years and in
1919, before he was twenty years old, he
was appointed tutor of Mathematics and
Natural Philosophy in Harvard College,
which Office he held two years and in
1891 he settled in Newburyport, where
he completed his legal studies, and was
admitted to the bar in 1899. He devo-
ted himself studiously to the practice of the