The Portland daily press., 1875-05-18
Holm C. Rreckinridge.

The telegraph announces the death of John
9. Breckinridge at Lexington, KY, yesterday
afternoon, after lingering illness, in the 54th
year If his age, being born at Lexington, KY.
Jan. q, 1921. His family has been one OF the
most distinguished in that state, his grandfath-
er having been United States Senator and At
torney General He was educated at Centre
College, in that state, and studied law at Tran
sylvania Institute, also in Kentucky. He re-
sided in Iowa brief time, and then return
ed to Lexington, which has been his home
since that time. He served in the Mexican
war as Major of the third regiment of Ken
lucky volunteers, but saw but little actual SER
vice as his regiment was mustered at late
period of the war. On his return be was elect
ed to the state House of Representatives, where
he first displayed his fine powers as debater
In 1851, after an animated canvass, s,he was elect
ed to Congress as Democrat over Gen. Leslie
Coombs. In 1858 he carried the election again
over Gov. Robert Letcher, the contest being
one of those peculiar to the Southwest at that
period, being violent aud protracted. In this
contest he carried himself in such a manner as
to place himself among the foremost OF his
party in Kentucky. During the discussion of
the kansas -NoDraSRA Ulll Ill tuc OOu OOhSiOoci
he was involved in a personal alteration with
Mr.. Cushing of New York, and duel was
prevented only by the persistent interventono OF
friends President Pierce offered him tbs
Spanish mission but he declined it. At this
time he was the most promising of the younger
Democrats of the nation, possessing the conf
dence of the party in both sections. In 1856
he was elected Vice President Oh the ticket with
James Buchanan. He presided in the Senate
with great ability, though the youngest man
who had ever held the position. In the bitter
contest which followed between the two wings
of the Democratic party, the Buchanan and
Douglas, he took moderate ground with the
former, but was so discreet in his course that
be was undoubtedly the least Objectionable of
any of the administration adherents to the
other faction. In the memorable contest which
began the rebellion-the Charleston Conven-
ton of April, 1860, he was one of the strongest
ntiDouglas candidates. When the ultra pro-
slavery men, including B. F. Butler, jeff Da-
Wis and Caleb Cushing, seceeded from the Ma
tional Convention, his name was SO strong with
the Democracy of the country that he was
nominated as the candidate of the administra-
ton wing for President.
In the contest which followed, Breckenridge
received S47 900 votes in popular vote of
4,6S6 O00 Failing of an election to the Presi
dency, he was elected United States Senator
from Kentucky and took his seat on the 4th of
March, 1861, when Mr.. Lincoln was inaugur-
ated as President. He at once took sides with
the secessonists, though not so decided as
others. Nevertheless his influence was the
worst possible; for while he deplored disunon,
he professed that he saw no way to avoid it
except in the complete surrender of the Lincoln
government to the demands of the slaveocracy.
In the memorable debates Of that session he
frequently measured his powers with Senator
Fessenden, Ibut only to meat defeat on every
occasion. His debates with Douglas were fire.
quent and bitter. One by one his Southern as
sociates Withdrew and left him the sole
defender of secession in the Senate from the
states which were leaving the Union. He oc-
cupied his seat in the Senate until its adjourn
ment, opposing measures for the defense Oh tue
Union and uttering sentiments which the rebel
sympathizers in the North heartily applauded
When the federal forces took Paducah, n.y.,
the papers of the knights of the Golden Circle
were seized Among these were documents
;mplicatng Breckenridge with those who were
nlottipg to overthrow the Lincoln government.
Breckinrdge became alarmed, and escaped in
disguise from Frankfort, KY, on the night of
Sent. 20, 1861, to the confederate lines. He
was next heard of advising with the rebel lead
ers, aud soon after issued an address resigniug
his seat in the United States Senate Soon
after, he was commissioned as a general officer
in the rebel army His success as a general
was not brilliant. He acted no conspicuous
part in the war aganst the Union, and ever
after appeared to be broken and disheartened
man.
At the close of the war, he returned to his
old home, but he never took any part in public