Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-07-11
SKETCHES OF THE CANDIDATES.
: STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS OF ILLINOIS.

IL
year of his age. His father, whose name he bears,
waa native of Rensselaer, county, in this State,
where he was practicng physician. He died leav-
ing two children, one Of them the subject of this
notice. who was but two months old at that time
Stephen Arnold Douglas, at the age of fourteen
years. apprenticed himself to learn the trade of
cabinet-maker, at Mlbury At this trade he wrought
for two years, and getting wearied of it. he sought
the means of procuring an education. He was adj
mitted pupil in the Canandaigua Academy, and
entered upon course Of classical studies, and at
the same time studied law with attorney of that
village and while there evnced fondness for poll
tics. In 1888 he moved to Illinois, and for some
time taught school in the village of Winchester, in
that State While engaged in teaching school ne
still continued his legal studies and was admitted
to the bar in 1884 In the following year. at the
age of twenty-five years, he was appointed State
Attorney by the Legislature, which office he re-
signed in 1886 to take his seat in the legislature
He was the youngest member of the House. but
soon was remarked for his industry in legislative
matters. The first position of Importance which he
took in legislation was IN opposing the extension of
the wild cat" banking system but the majority
was opposed to his views, and the extension meas
ure was carried. He was in favor of a measure put
ting the railroads completely in the power of the
State He subsequently held, for short time, the
post of Receiver Of the Land Office at Springfield,
Illinois. By this time he became a prominent poll
tcian, and for Congress in 1885, but was beaten
for the Presidency IN 1910. In December, 1910, he
elected Secretary of State, and in the following
February was elected by the Legislature Judge Of
the Supreme Court He was subsequently twice
elected as a member of Congress, but only served
one term, when he elected to the United States
Senate, in lS47. While member of the lower
house he took strong ground on the question of our
Oregon boundary and belonged at that time to the
"a 40 party. lie has always been an advocate of
internal Improvements; favored the Mexican war
voted for the Independent Treasury bill, and has
always repudiated the power of Congress on the
question of citizenship in the States; opposed the
Wilnot Provso and expressed himself in favor of
the Missouri line to the Pacific. Has always been
a friend 10 The Homestead measure bill During
Mr. Pierces administration the Kansas Nebraska bill
came up Mr.. Douglas was Chairman of the Senate
Committee under which the bill came and finally
engineered the passage of that measure The doc
trine OF popular sovereignty, with other things
linked together advocated by Mr. Douglas are
questions of the day well known to our readers
In the Thirty-Efth Congress he arrayed himself
against President Bucha1an's administration in the
matter Of the admission of Kansas under the Lee
compton constitution, which produced schism in
both houses Of the national legislature sufficient to
defeat the measure Mr.. Douglas has been most
hostile to Mr.. Buchanan's Administrations
At the last State election in Illinois he stumped the
State, and his party, after a determined fight
against the opposition, carried the day. He was
Since then he has been considerably before the
public in connection with the question of slavery
in the Territories.
JOHN C. BRECKENRIDGE, OF KENTUCKY.
Mr.. Breckenridge, the candidate for President,
was born near Lexington, KY, January 16, 1921;
was educated at Centre College, Kentucky spent
few months at Princeton; studied law at the Tran
sylyania Institute, ard admitted to the bar at
Lexington, where he practiced his profession with
n,r:r fho H., l.
one Of the Kentucky regiments Major, and whilst
in that country made many warm friends amongst
the officers of the army, and established an honora
bic reputation a soldier and gentleman His
campaigning over, he returned to the practice of
law in Kentucky, where he soon made name for
himself at bar renowned for the learning eloauence
and acumen Of its members. In 1S41 he was elect
ed to the State Legislature. In this sphere he
at once established for himself distinguished posi-
ton orator. His style compact severe and log
ica, whilst his views on public questions marked
by solitude and breadth. These qualifications in
duced the party to select him as their candidate in
1851 Congressional nomination in opposition to
General Leslie Coombs-a strong man-and the re-
suit was the election of the Democratic nominee
In 1853 he reelected after one of the hottest
canvasses ever known in the State. His opponent
was Gen. K. z. Letcher. Among his numerous and
brilliant speeches. that on the Nebraska BILL deliver
ed March %, 1854, may be instanced as a master
piece OF hightoned oratory and conclusive reasoning
During his administration President Pierce rendered
to him the mission of SPAIN but domestic affairs for
babe its acceptance. Ever ready, however, to do
battle for his party he did not hesitate to accept the
nomination for Vice President on the ticket with
James Buchanan. He was elected, and entered up
on the duties of his Office in March, 1857 By vir-
tue of his Office he is the President of the United
States Senate. As presiding officer he takes
high rank. He has just been elected to the United
States Senate for six years from the 4h of March,
foln Nha aofh NJ
term then expires. Mr.. Breckenridge is about thir-
ty-nine years old, and is possessed of moderate
fortune, accumulated by his own efforts.
JOSEPH LANE, OF OREGON.
General Joe Lane, the candidate for Vice Presi-
dent was born in North Carolina, December IA,
1901. In his fifteenth year he became q clerk in
mercantile house in Indiana In 1921 he married
and settled on the banks of the Ohio, in Indiana,
where his family continue to reside In 1922 he
was chosen member of the Legislature serving in
that capacity, with occasional intervals until 1876.
He supported General jackson in 1S24-2Se32, Van
Buren, in 1S36-40, and Polk IN 1874. His course
while in the State Legislature was marked by de-
voted patriotism and singleness of purpose to ad-
vance the prosperity of Indiana. He was most act
i've in the arrangement by which the State was sa-
we'd from bankruptcy, and her honor from the stain
of reputation None but those who were residents
of the State in that trying time sufficiently est-
mate his invaluable services on this question In
the year 1916 he was a member of the State Senate
but resigned his seat when call was made on In
diana to furnish volunteers for the Mexican war.
He entered the army as private, and in few
months afterwards, was appointed Brigadier Gener-
al He served with distinction during the war, and
covered himself with honor. About August l. 1S4s,
he reached Indiana where succession of public
ceptions were rendered him, but to which he had
no time to respond, for on the 18th of August he
was commissioned Governor Of Oregon, without his
solicitation, and organized the government; was
elected delegate to Congress in 1851 and is now one
of the United States Senators from the State of Ore
gon In politics General Lane is Democrat of the
jefferson and Jackson school, and is thoroughly &C.
quainted with the history and politics of this
try His retentiye memory and ouick active INTEL