, 1860-03-20

Gov. uI2ltn11l II. HIsscll.

William Il. Bisssl was born near Coop:rs-
town, New York, April Is, 1911. His father
was one Of the pioneers Of o:sego county,
whittier he had migrated from Connecticut,
I've believe he was d;<t2ut rclatirc Of lion,
Clark Dissel1, late Governor Of tho latte. State
Ile early education young William WAS OBJ
taiued in one Of tho conanoncst Of common
schools, whero ho maoaged 10 pay Ills own;
way b. alternately toacilsng aud studying. In
1923 ho commenced the study Of medicine,
which llo pursued diligently until 1885, al
which time l1o graduated at tke Jefferson .lel-
ie:,s College in Philadelphia, then in his clt.
year. Returning TO New York, he rracticcd
Ills profession two years at Painted Post, s:cu
lien county. lie tAcu removed 10 Aonroc
co2uty, Illinois, whcrc l,o followed his mc1i
cal PRACTICE until compelled 10 dc:ist by serious
threads II Jon his health. In 1s1o he WAS elect
ed member Of the Legislature from Morroc
County. Having determined to abandon tho
practice Of medicine, llo comaercil iho study
Of law il the ;:0th year Of his age. lIo re-
,uored to Bsl!eeil'e and sooa took L prominent
position ia tue Legal profession of that city.
WLca tie sccoud regiment 0: Illinois :o:uu-'
teers waa raised for Tho Mexican War. Mc. lis
sell was elected its Co,cnel with but Ole dis
stnting vo:c-!l.at ono buing given to Mr.. J..
L. D. Morrison, WHO was also 4 candidate.
Wien chosen 10 tbs commaul Of the regiment,
be was holding the Office Of States attorney ier
Bellevillc Circuit, TO which l!o lad been ap-
pointed hy Gov. Ford. 1u fulfilling the dulles
If the latter Office, la lad Displayed powers :s
an advocate, and character as c:tlzen, which:
gave him remarkable hold. On lie Fenple Of,
that section Of tho State- IFS career in thc]
war with Mexico is we'll known 10 the Statel
and tho country. 4. the battle of Duena Tis-|
IA he d'splaysd a coo!,icss and military sagac-
itr which elected tho special cncamiums of
Gen. Taylor. Ga his return homo, ii 1sls, hc
mas elected without opposition as member Of
Congress- from tho Isl District Of 1!liuo;a.l
Ho vas reelected unanimously in 1850. In
1852 Nr. Fouke, the present representative OF
:he B=}lsv!!lo District was nominated bT tic
Democratic party, aud CoI. B;stell ran us al III
dependent cauiidalc. Ofthc three candidates in
the field that yea. l.o received tho lisl.cst
number Of votes By nearly 1l00. He declined
reelection in 1854 On account al ill-leal.h.
His career in Congress was sienalized By lis
prompt defence Of tho ysl:r o. the Northern
troops, aud particularly those Of his own Stats,
in Mexico, and by his zoa!s'us opposition 10 the
repeal Of tic Missouri Compromise. Ills fl.
nous renco1tro with JEFF. Davis, then ,nensbe.
Of Congress fran Mississippi, grew out ol
lis rindication of the Illinois regiment and
their conduct a: Duena VISTA Nr. Davis
challenged him to & duel. Col. Dissell promptly
accepted and naned tic wcapcUs- cooling
meanwhile 1hc irsolcace O: tic person wIle
bore Mr.. Davis hostile rote, by helping lin
down staiEs in sur;,:ary Way. Tho iu:crpo
sitiou Of President Taylor: wl,s b>re ,l:c 1e!a
ton Of father-in-law to Mr., Davis, prevented
the hostile meeting. Col uiescll belonged Il
tue Free Soil wing Of the rcn,sc cratic part,
until the passage Of the Nebraska bill, vile,
he separated himself from the party, and jo:rct
the general opposition which WIS Incorporate.
in the Republican party in 1856. During Ii
Congressional service he made several el,eccl,c
Of such marked ability tlat thcy hare lee,
used ut campaign documents N tie E4stc.,
statos IS la,o as 1858. At the Rcpuhlica!
State Convention held at Bloomington in Mag
1856, he was nominated by acclamation e
the Office OF Governor. Bclrg still in il hcals9
1lc was unable to make . canvass Of tho Ssa:'
lie vas nevertheless elected by a,7;2 majorlt
over Colonel Richardson. the Democratic non
iuee, At the sane election, Mr.. Buchana
received !, l59 over Fremont. In the Rernl
lican National Convention ot that year, Co
D'ssells health and his chances of recover
from disease which lie contracted in Mcxict
were caovassed with tue utmost sulicitud,
and it is believed by tho nlost sagacious pei
ticians in TIC country, that II his frierds cprl
have given tho assurance of III. ability 10 ci
d,ra tho labcr AID fatisuo incident upon I'll
c.ficc, l.o would have been tue Republican ca,
ditlaic for tbo Presidency instead q: Col. f:
mont. His.:election MS Governor Of Illinois,
the face OF a defeat of tho Republican eIecto:
ticket added greatly to the favor in which |
had formerly stood among the leading men