Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-07-22
FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR, JR.


The nominee for the office of Vice
President Of the United States by the
National Democratic Convention was
born in the town of Lexington, Kentucky,
February 10, 1921, and is now in his
forty. EIGHT year. In his twentieth year
he graduated at Princeton College, and
removed to st. Louis, Missouri, and there
began the study of law, in which profess.
sion he made rapid progress. In 1915,
being then in his twenty.ffth year, he
made journey to the Rocky Mountains
with party of trappers for the improve,
ment of his health, which had failed some.
what owing to close pursuit of his stuss
dies; and on the breaking out of the
Mexican war. Blair joined the forces un.
der Kearuy and the gallant Doniphan, in
New Mexico, and served as private sol
Her until l941, when he returned to St.
Louis and resumed the practice ofhis pro-
fession. In ls4s, like his father, Francis
P. Blair, ST., he gave his support to the
Free Soil party, and, in a speech deliv-
cred at the court house in St. Louis, con.
tended against the extension of slavery
into the Territories of the nation. In
1852 he was elected from St. Louis coun-
ty, Missouri, to the Legislatures q as an
avowed Free Solcr, and he was re. elected
in 1854, though Thomas II. Bentonsthc
Congressional candidate of the Free Soil
ers, was beaten. In 1856 Mr.. Blair was
returned to Congress from the St. Louis
district, over Mr.. kennett, who had de-
feated Col. Benton two years before. In
1857 he delivered an elaborate speech in
the House of Representatives, in favor
of colonizing the black population of the
United States in Central America. Mr..
Blair was also an editor and writer on
the Mississippi Democrat at one time.
The father of Gen. Blair was firm and
fast friend of Andrew Jackson; the Gen
eral, when child, was wont to play on
the knees of Andrew Jackson in the
White House. His father was at that
time editor of the Globe, in Washington.
In 1860, Mr.. Blair contested the seat in
Congress of Mr.. Barrett, from the St.
Louis district, and soon after was returned
to the House, after which he resigned his
seat. Inls60 Gen. Blair made speech
in Brooklyn, in favor Of Mr.. Lincoln for
the Presidency, and also dclivereda speech
at the Metropolitan Hotel, in New York,
in June, 1861, in favor of strong war
measures, limiting that General Scott was
rather slow campaigncr. Mr.. Blair
was very assiduous in raising volunteers
in St. Louis, and was the first volunteer
of the State of Missouri He raised the
first regiment of Missourivolunteers, and
acted as it's Colonel, albeit he did not hold
commission as Colonel of the regiment.
a difficulty arose between Colonel Blair
and Gen. Fremont, and Col. Blair was
unjustly placed under arrest by that
officer. who was commander of that de-
partment. This arbitrary measure of
Gen. Fremont aroused great excitement
in St. Louis, where General Blair was
universally known and. respected, the
journals of that city taking part in the
quarrel at that time. President Lincoln
ordered Colonel Blair to be released from
arrest in September, 1861, thereby cous-
ing great feeling Of relief to the nu-
merous friends Of Colonel Blair in St.
Louis. He was again arrested by Gen.
Fremont, but finally released after con-
siderable trouble and newspaper discus
sion bv both parties Colonel Blair
rapidly rose as q soldier and became one
of the most skillful Generals in the Wes
tern armies. On the 22d of May, 1862,
General Blair commanded o division in
SheIman.s attack on Vicksburg. he
bade farewell to his troops July "a, 1865.
ETe was nominated Internal Revenue
Collector Of Missouri in March, 1866.
His nomination was rejected by the Sen.
ate. His popularity in the West is very
great.