The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-07-05
NUMBER Il.
From the Jackson Citizen.
Hon. Austin Blair. ~

our trends, and our long and intimate
acquaintance with our candidate for
Governor, seems to warrant MS In, givs
ing our readers and the public general
ly, brief sketch of his life and public
career -cva5 sf ati ra;s,Ir-s fsafe-
Mr.. Blair was born in Tompkins
County, N. Y, and is now AZ wears
old !; his ancestors on the fathers side,
being of the old New England Puri-
tan stock, and his mother descendant
OF the early settlers of Virginia, Though
we believe he lays no claims to the
title of 'sF. F.'D His education was
perfected at Union College, under the
veteran Prof Mott, and he studied his
profession in the Office of Messrs.
Tracy, and Col. Davis, of Owego, NJ.
T., where he was admitted to the bar.
In 1871 Mr.. B., emigrated to Michi-
gan, and settled in this place, but not
finding the encouragement and success
ne had anticipated, and encountering
misfortunes and rebuffs that would dis
courage almost any man, (some of
which he related SO feelingly on FRI
day evening last, he removed to Eaton
Rapids, where he remained three years.
meeting with better success and soms
degree of prosperity. While resi-
dent of Eaton Rapids, Mr.. Blair was
nominated by the Wings in ls43, as
their candidate for the legislature in
the District comprising Eaton and Ing
ham counties and their dependencies,i
and though PROSTATE with sickness du-
ring the entire canvas, was defeated by
a very meagre majority in strong
Democratic District. = s6aais qis1
In the spring of 1874, Mr. B. again
removed to this place, impelled princi-
pally by determination to live and be
known by this people, even though
they had once fairly driven him from
among them, and formed co-partner-
ship with the late Henry Frink, Esq.
This business connection was of short
duration, and he has since mostly prose-
cuted business by himself 1t may not
be amiss here to give some reasons for
this. saes-a sfi Ina 15k6eri nuob sff
From his earliest life, MI. Blair has
been an admirer of the character and
politics of the noble Henry Clay, and
to no part of his creed was he more
devoted than to his noble sentiments
of humanity and universal liberty
While Mr.. b. was known as Wing,
his strong anti-slavery tendencies,s
though learned from the lips and life of
the illustrious founder of the Whig
party, made him obnoxious to the man.
ayers of our local politics, and they
for years, omitted no opportunity to-
make their differences felt and to insult
and injure the objects of their hatred.
Yet, Notwithstanding all this, the cam
paign Of 1914 found Dir. Blair actively
and efficiently at work, and all were
compelled 10 admit that more devo-
| ted, abler, or efficient stumper or labor
err was not to be found in the county.
In l845, bis friends insisted upon max
ing him candidate for the Legislature,
aud he was elected to the House,
though the county was strongly Demo-
cratic, and he was warmly opposed by
many who called themselves Wings.
In the Legislature, he acquitted him-
self with so much credit and satisfac-
ton, that he was again nominated in,
l846, yet he was defeated in the elec-
tion by the same indicative clique
who had always manifested such Bit
terness towards him and bis liberal
opinions. e@a.
/ From this time to ls48, Mr.. Blair
took no part in politics The defeat of
his old favorite, Henry Clay, at the
Philadelphia Convention, and the bit
ter rancour with which he had been
pursued by the old Whig leaders, to-
gether with the then seeming tendency
of his party towards ultra-pro slavery.
ism, aroused and alarmed him, and he
threw the whole weight of his charac-
ter and influence into the Free Soil or
ganization. The result of that canvas
wasla bitter lesson to the old clique,
for the Wings of Jackson county came
out of it the third party, in some towns
polling only six, ten and twenty votes.
While this canvass humbled the old
I Whig Regency of the county, it also
proved the breaking down of the pow
er of the Democracy. BY oombina-
ton with. the old Wing leaders, they
carried it partially the next two years,
yet it was their last victory. bfE sed
In 1850 Mr.. Blair run upon the Free
Soil and Whig ticket for Attorney Gen.
eral, and was beaten by something
over 5000 majority, running over tsoo
Thousand votes ahead of the regular
ticket. In 1852, upon the nomination
of Gen. Scott to the Presidency, Mr..
Blair Immediately gave him his sup
port, and performed yeonan servics
throughout the campaign. In that
anvas Mr.. Blair was a candinate for
Prosecuting Attorney, and while Gen.
i Pierce had l49 majority in this county,.
Mr.. B. was elected by 455 majority
over his Democratic opponent--then,
as now, one Of the oldest and most re.
spectedslawyers of this city, d = Z
AT the first public intimation Of the
repeal Of the Missouri Compromise, by
the introduction of the Kansas Nebras-
ka bill, Mr.. Blair again set himself to
4 work with his accustomed energy and
power upon the side of Freedom
] Some two years stince we gave full
j detail of the circumstances resulting in
i the final organization of the Republi-s
can party, and put forth a claim that