The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-03-01
Dssth Of Mr.. Bsg1l 1lsssme.

lY w edne0day, FEB. Z30s oe 0t. refers
burg, where he was engaged In prosecu.
ting his diplomatic labors - Envoy Ex.
traordinary and Minister Rlenipotentia-
~ Of the Chinese Empire. A to the
cause OF his death, nothing 70 yet known.
The news win be received with univer-
| sal sadness in this countSy, and will pro-
duce a sensation throughout the civil>
lied world:
| He was born in New Berlin, Chenan-
| 20 county, New York, on November IA.
1922. His parents removed at an early
day TO this city, where his father, poor
man, pursued the avocation OF butcher
and drover, living at one time on Nccd-
bridge street, near what b now Duncans
malt house; at another in what was
then known as the Old Cook House
now the Park House-in Hamtramck
and at still another, out on the Grand
River Road. The son enjoyed only the
ordinary advantages adorded by the
public schools Of that day, but these he
! seems to have dilligently improved.
These studies he pursued into the branch
| of the State University then located here,
but whether he went through it's entire
/ course is not known. During this peri
| cd, at different times, he was attached
to surveying parties pursuing their work
| in this State, and was also an attache to
one or more Indian commissions charg
ed with the making Of treaties with the
original occupants and owners of the
soil. He was also, for . time, clerk in
the office of Zephaniah P1att, Commis-
sioner under the old Bankrupt Law, and
made out most or all Of the papers Incl
dent to the transaction Of business in
that Office He also pursued the study
! n. nf48 ole
those of Atterbury & Williams and the
late Charles Tyron, but WAS not SO spe-
cially indebted to the latter gentleman,
| in any particular, as has been the popu
lar belief He was admitted TO the bar
before leaving this city, bst never OBJ
tanned any position as . practitioner, as
he almost Immediately removed to New
England, under the following circum-
stances.
In the spring of 1874, having become
possessed of few hundred dollars in
money, the proceeds Of some copper
stocks, which had been presented to him
when comparatively worthless, but
which had risen on his hands, aided.
perhaps, by some of the leading citizens
of Detroit, who admired his genius,
among whom General A. S. Williams
and the late L. b. Mizner. Esq, are to
be particularly mentioned. be went to
Cam bridge, Massachusetts, to attend the
Law School at that place. There he was
q classmate Of our fellow citizen, E. c.
Walker, Esq. At the close of the term
| in July, needing funds for the continu-
ance OF his studies, and having. by
few political speeches delivered before
the Wing Clubs of Boston attracted the
attention Of the Whig State Central
Committee, he was employed by that
body for the sum of 5000 to stump the
State of Massachusetts for the remain
der of the campaign.
Burlingame being possessed of style
/ of oratory entirely different from that to
which the staid and cultured New Eng
/ landers were then accustomed, his
speeches attracte d no little public atten-
tion, and he became at once immensely
popular. So positive was the impress.
sion made by him that the late Govern
or Briggs took great fancy to him,
and insisted on his remaining in Massa-
chusetts, offering him the powerful aid
of his influence and position to assist
him in making his way in life. His fa-
ther. and brother who Was dentist,
had removed to California shortly after
the first breaking out Of the gold fever
in that then far.of Eldorado. The
young orator, always sagacious in MAX
ing available every advantage, readily
accepted the Governors kind offer, and
he further pursued his studies in Harv-
ard University and law school. conclu-
ding them and receiving degree in
| 1916. He then settled down to the prac
tice of the law, forming . partnership
| with son of Governor Briggs. Short
ly after, he married the daughter of Mr..
Isaac Livermore, Boston gentleman of
| considerable means. who had also be-
come interested in him.
He almost Immediately went into pol
itics and was elected to the Massachu-
setts State Senate in 1916, and in the
following year was elected . member Of
the State Constitutional Convention.
From these positions he was speedily
advanced, and was chosen successively
to the Thirty fourth. Thirty fifth, and
Thirty sixth Congresses, taking a good
position in them all, serving on import
ant committees, and always acquitting
himself handsomely In general debate.
He was brought into national promi-
nence, however, by an exhibition of
pluck at this time that earned for him
warm place in the popular gratitude
Having denounced in fitting terms the
cowardly attack Of Preston S. Brooks, q
member of the House, upon Senator
Sumner, which aroused 60 intense
feeling throughout the whole country,
that Congressional bully challenged him
to fight duel. Burlingame promptly
accepted, and named the Canada side Of
Niagara River, near the Falls, as the To-
cation, rifles as the weapons, and, if we
recoliect rightly, ten PAGES as the dis
tance. This meant business as Bur
lingame was accustomed to the use of
the rife and was an excellent shot,
though that fact had not been generally
known The South Carolin;an ascer-
tanned enough Of his antagonists prof.
cheney to lead him to break up the affair,
and to very clearly exhibit the white
feather, which ended his career in Con