Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-05-28
GOV. B. GRAFT, BROWN.
Biographical and Political Sketch of th'
Liberal Republican Nominee.

was born in Frankfort, in the year 1926. Hi
father was the late Judge Mason Brown, O.
Frankfort, noted lawyer and jurist. g~or,
Judge Brown was the son of John Brown
the first Senator that Kentucky sent to Con
gress, and who held the position for three con
secutive terms. aafeF 6e5
Gratz Browns mother was one of four sisters
| the daughters of the celebrated Jesse Bledsoe
of Kentucky, who was also Kentucky Sena.
tor and Democrat. He was the rival Of Henry
Clay as lawyer, his equal as speaker, and
his superior in wit and education. One of the
| four daughters married Frank Blair, the old
editor of the Washington Globe; one married
Judge Brown third married Mr.. Henry Bod
ley, a prominent and respected merchant of ST.
Louis, who, with his wife, is still living; and q
fourth sister married, we think. a Mr.. Hart, Of
Kentucky, who was one of the volunteers ir
the ill-fated Raisn River campaign, and never
returned from that disastrous field. 1t was
never known whether he had been killed in the
fight, or carried off.a prisoner by the successful
Indians, and tortured to death.
Gratz Brown, 1t will thus be seen, is closely
related to Montgomery and Frank Blair, the
latter Of whom spoke of the Governor the 9TH
er day to an interviewer" as follows:
He is double cousin. On his fathers side
he is my fathers cousin on his mothers side
my first cousin; but that has nothing to do with
my choice. Gov. Brown would resent polit-
ical suggestion from me at this period as quick
ly as from any Democrat
The Governor derives his name of "Grats'
from prominent Philadelphia family of that
name who came originally from Germany. An
aunt of the Governor S married Mr.. Bepja-
min Gratz, and the nephew was named after
the uncle.
1t may be well enough to note here that this
Gratz family were of Jewish descent, and one
of the European daughters of the house was re-
puted to have been Walter Scotts original In
his description of the beautiful Re6ecca in
s'Ivanhoe.'
Gratz Brown is kinsman of number Of
old families besides those above named the
Masons of New York. the Breckinridges, Pres
tons and Baylors of Kentucky.
Young Brown graduated at Yale College in
1847; studied law and removed to St. Louis.
in connection with Thomas H. Benton; was
editor of the Missouri Democrat. He was one
of the most influential leaders of the Free Sol
party in Missouri. In 1861, he was prominent
in connection with Gen. Lyon, U. s. A., in the
attack and capture of Camp jackson, near st.
Louis. He there commanded regiment of
militia, which be had organized for the occasion
and is reported as having behaved with mark
ed gallantry and GOODNESS. During the first
year Of the war he commanded regiment oi
Missouri volunteers, but resigned on being elect.
ed to the United States Senate.
When his Senatorial term expired, Gratz
Brown retired from politics, and devoted him.
self to professional pursuits and to the enjoy
ment Of domestic life with fine family. In
1866, sooner than any other Republican states.
man, except Horace Greeley, he proclaimed
the doctrine of universal amnesty" In 1870
heading the Liberal Republican movement il
Missouri, in opposition to the straight laced
Radicals, he, as candidate for Governor, was
elected by an unprecedented majority and en-
franchised fifty thousand prescribed Tex
rebels" who lived in Missouri on bare suffer
ance.
Gratz Brown is very popular with the Ger
mans OF the West He is the friend of Car
Schurz, and may be considered the author O
the movement that has resulted 10 the Libera
Republican Convention at Cincinnati,
In.person Gov. Brown is of slender build {
little below middle height and of nervous or
ganizatioD. The Cincinnati Commercial says
of him:
His most noticeable characteristics, next tC
vigor and directness of thought, are boldness
and decision In action, thorough gameness and
great capacity for long continued labor. His
speeches and public papers evince scholarship
and are always pointed and forcible. His man
ner in debate is said to be very impressive anG
attractive.
A correspondent of the New York World
| lately wrote of him: rl
| Not much known to Eastern voters, he is the
best embodiment of that sagacious, bold anG
| large-hearted hberality which is sweeping the
Western prairies like wildfre. Few men in tht
country have greater power of reaching the
convictions and sympathies of popular audi.
ence, and very few, indeed, have given proc
of so much of that daring frmness which dsfe
any odds in just cause, andfmasters the heart
of brave people as If by magic. These are hi
great qualities: A prophetic sagacity that ha
never yet been at fault, and glorious courage
that forces admiration and warm liking evel
| from his foes. He is electric. Men who fgh
with him fear nothing. and sweep away resist
ance by the sheer momentum and audacity c
their charge,
PREsIDENTIAL-THE AsPIRANTS IN A Rae
-HoRsEY POINT OF VIEw.-The Ezabetl
! City Economist in, anticipation of the CinciI
natl Convention, had the following quaint an
original article s af
The QuadrenDial National Race is approach
ing and the grooms and jockeys are prancin
their nags around and exhibiting their point
to the greatest advantage. First in the fiel
comes Ulysses S. Grant, war horse, with hols
ters on his saddle and pistols in his holsters
| snorting defiance to all competitors. He is pom
built, and his friends say can ''rattIe his peg,
ahead of all the nags. We don't like him.
! There danger in him.
| Then there's Judge Davis, fat old nag tha
looks sleek and fat, and kicks at Ulysses, an
his friends say is backed by big pile of money
| They say he's safer horse, honest and even
| his PAGES, and has no sly devil lurking under
/ hidden face.
/ Francis Adams is another horse, that come
of blooded stock. They run well for quarter
but are rather deficient In bottom. Frank is
/ thoroughbred, and his stock is lucky, but tn
i tide of luck sometimes turns and we are rathe
/ afraid to risk him.
i Horace Greeley is an old nag, little shak
in the limbs, from age. But we can't help lii
ing old Horny. He's an honest old horse, love
the green pastures where farmers congregat
He's wide between the eyes, means well, and
"good natur'd d. If old Horny would peg alor
even with a young Democratic Conservativ
racer, running by his side, we'd bet on hin
we'd '.go for him. we'd boiler for old Horl
} in preference to any one else. They've poke
} so much fun at him, because he knew abo1
farming" that farmers owe him something
Salmon Chase is another horse that his bacl
: ers has good running qualities. He's new
been on the turf, and is little wind-br
from age, but his blood's up and some S;
would run beautiful. He's never been trie
If he was younger and had good training ar
grooming he'd run well.
Then there's Gratz Brown. Gratz is
; ''dainty bit of a baste," born and bred On Il
Kentucky blue grass. He's thoroughbre
} but never showed his running qualities uu
recently He's got some strong hackers, al
for colt, promises well.