St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-07-28
Samuel J. kirkWOOd.

Under our Republican form OF Gov
crnment there is no "royai ROAD 10
eminence. A person in this country
may inherit poverty, but not peer
age. Whoever rises must, ordinarily,
build his own ladder. Not "A lew OF
the great men of the Nation have ris-
en- from low strata of society, Dorm
near the base of the pyramid, they ed
ucated themselves, and worked the'f
way upward. by indomtabie energy,
and perseverance, to prominent anu
honorable position. -.
Hon. S. j. Kirkwood, the hePuo'i-
can candidate for Governor OF Iowa,
is selEeducated and sell-made man.
Born in Hartford county, Maryland, Ill
1918, at the age of ten years he was
sent to Washington City to be eoeca-
ted, but remained in school oniy lonr
years. At the age of fourteen he had
to leave it and make his own hvihg'
He remained in the city OF W ashing-
ton in the position of clerk Tor an olaer
brother, until he was OF age. lie
then moved to Ohio, because, having
his own wav to make in the world, he
had the good sense to see that new
county, as Ohio was twenty-five
years ago--presentcd a more inviting
field than any other. He plunged into
the wilderness, where he made MS
impression with the axe, to SUB.
sequently emerge in pursuit OF well
meri,ed honors. In connection with
his father and brother, he cleared a
large farm in Richland county, ONO
but, unlike too many farmers boys,
did not content himself with hard
physical labor ; he read and studied
considerably, verifying, in his mental
progress. the truthfulness OF the re-
mark that 1.-The spare moments OF
year are mighty laborers, if kept to
their work"
After working on the farm few
wears, he eutered law ofhce-a'
Mansfield, we believe--and was ad
mitted to the bar in lS43, when just
thirty years of age. His standing at
the Richland county Bar may be IN
ferred from the fact that he served foi
two terms as Prosecuting Attorney
He represented that county in the
Convention which framed the Constr
tuition of Ohio.
Mr.. Kirkwood continued the prac
tice of law until March, 1865, wher
he renewed to this State. Since be
has been here he has forsakcn law al
together and confined himself to farm
ing and milling. But his occupation
has not concealed his talents and
worth. They were soon discovered
by his political friends in his Senate
rial district, and as early as 1886, one
wear after he settled in Iowa, he was
elected to the State Senate. Two
wears afterward, he was reelected
and distinguished himself as the lead
cr of that body. Political opponen,'
as well as friends cheerfully conced'
to him the palm in debate. lie ha
few Supporters as political canvasse
west Of the Mississippi.
Mr.. Kirkwood was a Democrat u
to the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise Act. an infamous measure
which shocked the moral sense OF TIL
| Nation, and caused an exodus OF hun
dreds of thousands of high-mlnde'
/ Democrats from that party. Slhc
1855, Mr.. X. has been an earnest an
efficient worker in the Rcpubhca
cause.
Wise in council and blcst with IN
executive capacities, as well as SKI
at the plow, the Cjncinnatus OF low
is soon to leave his farm to preside q
the helm Of State-Dubuq@e Times,