The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-02-26
JUDGE SIDNEY BHEEsE.


an answer 10 the State J0vrH0i as to what hat
become of the distinguished men inscribed
on what is Justly termed roll OF honorable
names.
1t Is noteworthy that your correspondent
merely mentions the name OF one Of the mos
eminent Of our public men, Hon. Sidney
Breese, and nothing more. We venture e
supply a brief record Of the most useful act!
of the ey.chicf Justice, now one Of the Judge:
of our state supreme court.
The career Of Sidney Brecsc deserves par
tjcuar mention. lie was graduated at a very
early age at Union College, in the state Of
New York, under the presidency OF DR.. Mott
of which state he is a native On the invita-
ton of Elias Kent Kane, then prac.icing
lawyer at Kaskaskia, who, in boyhood, had
been an inmate for many years OF Dir BrceSe's
fathers family, young Breesc came ilmcdi
ately to Illinois. With Mr.. Kane he pursued
very diligently the study Of the law. and had
so fully mastered its iutrlCaCies that, before
he was tGentyonc, he was admitted to the
bar and formed partnership with his PIE.
ceptor in the practice Of the law.
In 1922 he was appointed by GoverLpr
Bond circuit attorney Of one Of the largest
circuits in the state, and was continued in tlc
Office by his successor, Governor Coles, Whose
election, il is said, he violently opposed.
In 1927 he was appointed by Prcsidcht
Adams and the senate district attorney of tie
district Of Illinois, succeeding Jeptha ilT'
din, whose term had expired. In 1929 lie
was superseded by Samuel Mcl.oberts.
In 1891 he published the first book ever
printed IN this state. being the "Reports Of
Cases Argued and Determined at Common
Law in Chancery By the Supreme Court Of
the State Of Illinois, This was private u.
terprise, undertaken at the request of tie
Judges of that court and Of the members If
the bar. This work has gone through two
editions, the latest by Judge Beecher. 1t S
quoted as authority in our courts. In 1872
he volunteered as private to repel and r.
press Black Hawks aggressions, and on tie
formation OF regiment at Camp Wilborn lie
was elected lieutenant colonel. There was thn
serving in the regular army in the expedition
in pursuit of Black Hawk, Zachary Taylo
then maj of infantry; he was ranked "
Lieut. Col. Breese.
In 1888 "a, he pursued his practice at Ka-
kaskIa and N the adjacent counties, whcb
on the reorganization of the judiciary u
1895, he was elected judge of one of the lar-
est and most populous circuits in the stat.
Exchanging circuits with Judge Ford, wlp
was elected at the same time for the north, n
circuit, Judge Brcese held court in the sprig
of 1880 at Galena, Rock Island, Peoria, u
con, Hennepin and Ottawa, closing at CHIC
go, where he held a six weeks conrt ending
late in May, having disposed Of all the CaSes
on the docket In the fall OF that year he
purchased a handsome farm near Carlyle in
Clinton county, known as Mound farm to
which he repaired, and by its productions
eked out. with the small annual salary Of
$3.50, a tolerablc subsistence
In 1871 the legislature added five addition
al judges to the four composing the supreme
court, requiring them to perform circuit du.
ties, Without his knowledge, Judge Brcese
was elected, by unanimous vote of the general
assembly, one OF the Judges and he cOntinu-
ed to perform all its duties until December
&c, 1912, when he resigned having been
elected t. the United States senate for six
years, from and after March T. 1Si;i.
AS q senatorial representative of this state,
he performed his whole duty, thus acquiring
u national reputation as a parliamcntarian,
statesman and patriot. At his request lie was
chosen chairman of the committee on public
lands, IN which this state then had an absorb
ing interest. He caused the lead mines at
Galcna and in Missouri to be sold, thus be.
coming private property, and relieving them
and the country from the servitude they were
under, and had been for years before. Nv the
compact between Illinois and the United
States, the former agreed, for valid consid.
sideration, not to tax any of the lands sold by
the United States after the Is, of January,
1919, until the expiration Of five years after
the sale. This was the consequence of the
policy then existing Of selling the public
lands on credit of iiYc years When the
cash system was adopted few years later,
the compact remained, anu all lands purchas.
ed and paid for by individuals escaped taxa
ton for state purposes Senator Breesc
caused this compact TO be abrogaied by the
passage OF law making the lands liable to
taxation SO soon rs sold, thus putting into the
state treasury thousands, if not millions, of
dollars.
He made the first report In favor of the
grant of land TO the Illinois Central Railroad
Company. This project Judge Breese start.
cd in 1880 He also made a long, elaborate
and exhaustive report, replete with statistics,
in favor of the construction of railroad from
Lake Michigan 10 the Pacific ocean, to be
made from a grant Of land, but without any
subsidies from congress.
Had Senator Dresses course, IN this re-
speci been pursued in later years by congress
the country would not now be burdened by
subsidies 10 railroads III the shape of millions
of bonds 10 secure their construction. when the
grant of lands alone was sufficient for such
purpose
When in congress, not having "thc prrSl.
dency on the BRAIN" he made himself cspc.
Cialiy uSeful-gave warm advice 20 all mca,
urcs necessary 10 promote a vigorous and
successful war against Mexico: advocated
the annexation of Texas; opposed the treaty
with England by which our Oregon boun.
Diary was sacrificed He, with Senator Cass
and few others, was for the line of "54 40.
or fight" HIS vote carried the bill for the
reduction of the tariff 10 a revenue standard
BY these and other public acts in congress,
he acquired not only a state but n national
reputation, and illustrated the converse of the
scriptural axIum, that prophet ana honest
politician is not without honor in his own
country. On the expiration of his senatorial
term, he was, in 1850, elected without oppo-
sition by the people of Montgomery. Bond
and Clinton counties TO the house of repre-.
scntailves of this state, and was chosen speak.
er, serving at the session of 1851 and az tie
special session Of 1852
The three following years lie was dircc
Tor Of tho DhiD & MiSSisSiDpi RAILROAD 1s,,,,