Gazette and sentinel., 1860-08-18
SKETCH
II o John G.. Breckinridg o,
OF KENTUCKY.

The history Of John C. Breckenridge
the nominee of the National Dcmoc
racy for the highest office within the
gift of the American people, is one o
the most brilliant and successful ia the
annals of the distinguished men of on
country. He was descended from an
ceStry, both on his paternal and ma
tcrnal side, who were distinguished il
the wars of the Revolution, in the sub
sequcnt political conflicts and history
of the country, and especially distin
gu!shed for their great services in the
advancement of religion, learning and
good morals. In Kentucky the name
OF Breckinridge is held in special ven
Grafton T; for it is connected with the
authorship of the first regular Consti
tuition of Kentucky, and the celebrat
ed States Rights Resolutions of 1898.
end is also connected with the first
efforts made in Kentucky to open the
navigation Of the Missississippi to the
great West. OF his. ancestors on the
maternal side are Witherspoon and
Smlth-thc former a signer of the
Declaration OF independence, and both
Presidents of Princeton College. The
connection is an extremely large one,
and has been characterized by patri-
otto and useful services throughout sew
eral generations. He was born near
Lexington, Ky, on the 10th of Janu-
airy, 1921, and although not forty wears
of age, is the second officer of the Gov.
ernment-a position, it is universally
conceded, he fills with ability, dignity
and impartiality; and now, by the
unanimous voice of his party, he is
presented for the first ofice-selected
to bear their standard in the approach
ing Presidential contest, to contend
for those great constitutional ~principIes
OF justice, right and equality, for which
his fathers struggled during the stormy
days of the Revolution, and who dedi-
Gated the energies of their gifted minds
IN establishing and defending the true
principles of u glorious Constitution.
under which we have grown from a few
feeble and sparsely peopled Colonies.
to be a great Confederacy of thirty
sovereign States, teeming with a popu-
lation of more than thirty millions of
free, prosperous and happy people.
Mr.. Breckenridge lost his father at an
early age, and, with his mother and
four other children, was left almost
entirely dependent. With, however.
the generous aid of relatives and his
own constant exertions, he was enabled
to pass through the necessary course
OF studies revuired to enter upon tbe
professional career he had marked ont
for himself. He graduated at Center
College, Kentucky, in 1888, passed six
months as resident graduate in Prince
ton, pursued his law studies under the
instruction of Judge afterwards Gov
ernor) Ouwsley, and completed Them
at the Tranoylvania Law School.
Admitted to the bar in lS4I. he de-
termined to try his fortune in a new
land: Accordingly, with no heritage
but his talents and fair name. he set
out In the fall of that year with a frind
and lelsurely pursuing his way to OBJ.
serve the country, he settled in Burlinr-
ton, Iowa. 1t was, indeed, the then
far distant West ; for Mr.. Breckinridge.
during his two years residence in
Iowa, hunted the elk and the buffalo
on the site of its present capital. Thus,
In the earliest period of his manhood
was Mr.. Breckenridge thrown upon the
remote frontier ; and he knows. from
the warm and heartfelt associations of
those days, this patriotic, noble and self.
sacrificing character of the American
pioneer. He addressed and married
Miss Mary c. Burch, of Scott county.
his present wife-a lady endeared to
all by her domestic virtues and her
accomplished manners. She was large
ly connected with the influential fami-
lies of Kentucky, aided by whose in
fuence, the friends of Mr.. Breckenridge
induced him to abandon the idea of
returning to Iowa. He settled in
Georgetown, KY, and rose rapidly to
distinction In his profession. But he
took part in the political contests
Of his State in 1874, canvassed it for
Er. Polk, and FROM that perjod has