Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-12-10
Sketches Of the Candidates for Speaker of the
House of Representatives.

The numerous unsuccessful ballotings for
Speaker of ,he United States House of Represep-
tatives have naturally drawn public attention I"
the several prominent gentlemen named tor the
responsible pos. and awakened desire to know
seme Of their anteee dents We therefore con
dense from the New York Herald the following
sketches:
William A, Richardson, Of Illinois. was born
in Payette County. Ky. in 1911. His father
was Virginia farmer and his wife one OF the
Edmond .ou family af the Old Dominion. Her
fath r and sey, u Of biz lrothers died IN battle.
Mr. Richardson studied law IN Kentucky. prae-
tscd n short tme there. and then removed 4" IL
linnis. where he was elected States attorney,
which office be subsequently, signed to accept
n seat in the legislature. For nine years he was
n democratic member of either the State Senate
or House ana of the latierhc was at on" tune
Speaker In 1876 he raised company oi yoIun-
teers aud proceeded 20 Mexico. At the battle
of Buena Vista. (where he was promoted to
maior-hip) he greatly distinguished himself be
fore his return home he wa elected TO Congress,
and has been n member ever since. lie Is known
as the father of the Kansas Nebraska bill.
Nathaniel T. Banks. of Massachusetts. is a
native If that State.A was born in 1916. De com
meneed life by working in cotton factory, then
learned the trade of mnchinist. Subsequently
he studied law under the Hon. X. RantouL and
was admitted to the bar in iSis, in which year
the democrats elected him 10 the Iegi stature.
In 1910 he was n supporter If Martin Van Bu-
rem and subsequently at Gen. Cass. In FOL
he was chosen To both the Massachusetts senate
and House. He accepted the latter and was
chosen Speaker hv n coalition Of democr ats and
free soilers in 1851 aud 1852 In 1853. he was
chosen Ia preside over The State Constitutional
Convention, although he had just been elected To
Congress by the democrats AT the las Con
gres sional election he was nominated ny h"th
democrats and Know Nothings, aud although
many ofthe former bol,cd the nomination because
Of his opposition to the Nebraska bill, no was e.
lecied by abou, 1000 minority.
Humphrey Marshall, oi NY, was born IN that
State in 1912. and i u distant relative of the
late Chief Justice Mur,hall. His mother Is the
sister of John G.. Brnpv, often the can ildote
of the Liberty party for the Presidency. Mr..
Marshall is graduate of West point, and served
ms n lieutenant under General Scott III the black
Hawk war. lie alsn served gollantly in the
Mexican war. In 1919 the wings elected hun To
Congress. and in 1882 he was reelected. but ~
signed HE seat to accept the mission TO China
Last fall he was elected again by the Know
Nothngs, his majority being over 1900.
LOWS ID. Campbell, of Ohio. was born in that
State in 1911. His father was a Nirginian.-
! Mr. G served nm apprenticeship at the printing
business. and afterwards started Clay paper Mt
Butber Ohio In 1896 he admitted to the bar
and in 1870 was defeated for Congress by Col.
Weller. by only 50 votes, out of l400O. In
IS4S he was elected to Congress rs whig, and
has been member ever since. He ia dstn-
guished for his decided OPPOSITION TO tho further
Spread of slavery. His principal business Mt
home Is farming.
Henry NJ. Fuller, Of Pennsylvania, was horn in
TINT state in leo. lie j. n lawyer by profession
and was first elected TO Congress ASA whig III
1852 He defeated by Mr.. Wright democrat
but in 1854 by the mid of the Know Nothing-,
wa again returned, having this time defeated Mr.
Wright