Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-07-11
SKETCHES OF THE CANDIDATES.
srEPHEN ARNOLD DoueLAs, OF ILLINOIS.

SKETCHES OF THE CANDIDATES
STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS, or nLNose.
The subject Of this paragraph was born in the
town ef Brandon, in the State Of Vermont. on the
28d Of April 1918, and Is now in the forty eighth !
year Of his age. His father, whose name he bears,
waa native Of Rensselaer, county, in this State,
where he was practicing 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
wears, apprentieed 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
United as q pupil in the Canandaigua Academy. and
entered upon q course Of classical studies, and at
the same time studied law with an attorney OF that
village, and while there evinced 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 he
still continued his legal studies, and 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 1885 to take his seat in the Legislature.
He was the youngest member of the House, but
soon was remark I'd for his industry in legislative
matters. The first position of Importance which he
took in legislation in opposing the extension of
the wild cat" banking system; but the majority
ure was carried. He was in favor of 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 prominent poll
tician and ran for Congress in 1885, but beaten
by five votes. He stumped his State for Van Buren,
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
kho Enurt Ho ,ncon 10 fvuip
elected as member of Congress, but only served
one term, when he elected to the United States
Senate, in 1847. 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 He 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
Wilmot Proviso, and expressed himself in favor of
the Missouri line to the Pacific Has always been,
q friend to the Homestead measure bill. During
Mr. Pierce's 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
In the Thirty-ffth Congress he arrayed himself
against President Buchaaan's administration in the
matter of the admission of Kansas under the Le-
compton constitution, which produced schsm in
both houses Of the national legislature sufficient to
defeat the measure Mr.. Douglas has been most
hostile to Mr.. Buchanan's Administration
At the last State election in Illinois he stumped the
State, and his party, after determined fight
against the opposition, carried the day. He was
subsequently reelected for another Senatorial term
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 q
few months at Princeton; studied law at the Tran
sylvana Institute, ard was admitted to the bar at
Lexington, where he practiced his profession with
success. During the war with Mexico he served in
one Of the Kentucky regiments as Major, and whilst
in that country made many warm friends amongst
the officers of the army, and established honora
BILE reputation as a soldier and q gentleman. His
campaigning over, he returned to the practice of
law in Kentucky, where he soon made name for
himself ut bar renowned for the learning eloquence
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 as an orator. His style is compact severe and log
ica whilst his views public questions are marked
by solitude and BREADTH These qualifications in
duced the party to select him 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 was reelected after one of the hottest
canvasses ever known in the State. His opponent
was Gen. R. p Letcher. Among his numerous and
brilliant speeches, that on the Nebraska bill, deliver
ed March %, 1854, may be instanced as master
piece of hghtoned oratory and conclusive reasoning
During his administration President Pierce rendered
to him the mission of Span but domestic affairs for
babe its acceptance Ever ready, however, to do
battle for bis 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, 1867. By vir
tue of his office he is the President of the United
States Senate. As q presiding officer he takes q
high rank. He has just been elected to the United
States Senate for six years from the 4th Of March,
1861. to take the place Of Mr.. Crittenden, whose
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:Uarolina, December "A,
1901. In his fifteenth year be became clerk in q
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 l846
He supported General Jackson in 1824,2S-'S2, Van
Buren, in 1ss6-40, 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 81
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 can sufficiently est
mate his invaluable services on this question; In
the year 1916 he was member of the State Senate
but resigned his seat when q 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 /, lS4s
he reached Indiana, where succession Of public re
ceptions were rendered him, but to which he hat
no time to respond, for on the 18th of August h,