The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-18
John q. Breckenridge.

John q. Brcc kinridge.
The career of John G. Breckenridge,
though neither . remarkable nor brill
liant one, when measured by the highest
standard OF craftsmanship, was sufficiently
prominent TO mark its close as something
out Of the common way. Ia early life he
was q lawyer of not unusual type ia
this country, where young lawyers have
altogether too much influence and 100
much power, and his subsequent career in
Congress was only supplementary to his
career at the Bar. Quick in perception,
ready in debate, and oyerbearing and at
the same time suaye in manner and
method, he gained in the House Of
Representatives q position he had scarcely
earned, and of which, in 70 far as his intel
lectual worth was concerned, be was scarcely
worthy. Were VIC to estimate him now ac-
cording 10 the value hat is placed upon the
public services of q Representative IN Con-
gress his position as leader Of great party
IN a special crisis and the favorite OF one en-
tire section OF the country would be utterly
anomalous, II not altogether impossible Ho
had not earned Obstruction by the evidences
Of craftsmanship and years Of patient labor
in the public service. He bad no far-reaching
insight into the future he contributed 80 much
10 mould, but vas in all respects the mere
Inouthpiece OF the mad and reckless spirit II
the epoch 10 which he belonged.
Neither Jeffgson Davis nor Al, xaulrr H.
Stephens. II, one the President aud tue
Other the yicePresdent Of the. Southsrn Con-
federacy, was IN any respect the representa-
tive Of the rue sentiment Of The South 80
nearly as join q. Brtchnrdge. They were
its statesmen 10 III IS statesmanship entered
into tina. madaui misguided endeayor. Lee,
jackson aud Johnston we're its soldier:
bat th,y wer too much the soldier to bs
truly representative OF their section. Davis
was too extreme 70 lie sensible and Stephens
too sensible % be extreme. With the rel
soldiers 81 IN, lniederlcy war vas a science.
The South of.he time had no real sympathy
with any 81 bese men. but found in Brecl.-
inrIdge bon tho sentimental statesmen
and tie Sentimental soldier who Ms
truly representative of tbs rebellion ~
on actual forcs and H. underlying
causes IL I'd been their choice lor Presi-
dent when thrc was i chance Of making lie
nahoral goYrnment the vehicle Tor gaining
all the euds the sLveholGing aristocracy.
ADD II The stSn realities Of var and Of mill
tary administration aftcrNArd gave bin
secondary plcc il vas ~. because lie uas not
stu the daring II the southern people ana
the real representative 81 All their aspirations
and their hoes II il latter yoars H. has
sunk out 81 ,ghs il Is only because all these
hopes ard a4irations were turned into bitter
ncss Oh thtlrongues. and tIcrc was nothing
lett to TIE sIrcst ntative man Of his time
but to expil with the time which, ia one
sens4. he outved And ali this i the reason
Why ve havs heart 70 httle Of Brccklnrdge
since the w, and Why tie reports Of his
approaching leath come 70 a. = "reminiscences
u Tie philoiphy u posi- tlst : long snee
dead.
Though irnsu of The past, Mr. Breckin-
ridge sti!k young man. When no was
SOLDIER n MSico he vas almost . youth. lie
entered CORES u bis carly manhood and
was candidate tor President almost before
he reached * prime o. lite All the achieve
ments 81 hi career were gained before most
men acquIrproninenc. at al, and hs public
life ended the time when even the most
ambitious cly begin q have hopes Of the it,
ture Tror this comes tie dclusion that hi
statesmansp vas brilliant and that be left
an endHrin impression upon his time We
are net surttat this impression viii soon b
overlooked forgotten; tor If II was not en-
during it - - truly representative Of his
age and thpeople for whom no spoke es to
make him essential and inseparable part q
tie epoch which he belonged. 10 was
not the tponen; Of great principles.
but oeel his fame aud his position
to this yertact, for had he been leader in
] The true sese Of the word he could not have
been 90 tru' the representative man Of that
\ old South ~ So rapidly passing into the
region OF siiyioa aud forgeralness. lie was
simply ,hanczrnatIon Of the extreme spirit
Of his sccsn, dong it, bidding with JOY be-
cause his IN heart puisated to every COM
riand as u, had been = thought Of his own.
lis speeces N Congress, his canvass for the
:, Presiden. his short career in tho Senate
after the ar had begun, and bis military SER
vices in s Confederate army AL prove this
aud Bho,us that 10 losing him 70 lose The