Omaha daily bee., 1877-01-20
ALVIN SAUNDERS.
Historical Sketch of Nebraska's Next
United States. Senator.

Alvin Saunders, who q Just been
elected to represent Nebraska in the
United States Senate, for six years,
ending March 4th, 1883, was born
in Fleming County, Kentucky, on
the 18th day Of July, 1917.
GunnelI Saunders, his father, a
native of London county, Virginia,
was q descendent of a British fam.
lily. He removed to Kentucky
while quite young, locating on a
farm ten miles .outh of Flemings-
burg. His mother, Mary Saunders
nee Many, was of Virginia birth
and of French origin.
Gunnell Saunders was a farmer
by occupation, and he trained his
boys, five lie number, to some BUSH
nes pursuit. When Alvin was about
twelve years OF age, the entire fam
ily moved from Ketucky, and To-
Gated near Springfield, Illinois.
But little attention was then
given to education in Kentucky,
snd especially with those living out
side of the cities and large towns,
and with families OF moderate
means, and the subject of this
sketch, so long as he remained in
that region, shared the fate com.
mon to all of his class; nor wag
his condition much improved by
removal to another State for
the section IN Illinois where his
father located was then very sparse
ly settled, and consequently a very
poor opportunity was afforded for
ever q common school education.
A school was taught two miles
distant from where his father lived,
for only three months in each year,
and that too in the winter season.
The consequence was that he receive
ed only the first rudiments Of ali edU.
cation, and here many boys would
have rested their studies, and pass.
ed through life without further
educational advancement. But
ALVIN Saunders had D natural
liking for books, and a high degree
OF ambition fer Improvement
Of the mind, and he diligently
prosecuted his studies even under
the most adverse circumstances.
When the postoffiee was estab.
lished in Mount Pleasant, Mr. Saun-
ders was appointed postmaster, an
office that he held for over seven
years. In 1846, he was elected as q
member of the constitutional con.
vsntlon under which the State of
Iowa was admitted into the Union.
In 1854, he was elected to the Iowa
Stale Senate, and took a very active
part in the politics Of that day. He
was uncompromisingly opposed to
the Ksnsss.N ebraska bill, which
would have opened up the terrific
ries to the introduction into them
Of slaves. "No more slave terrific
ry'' was his motto. In 1858, he WAC
reelected as his own successor.
He was a delegate 10 the first re-
publican state convention ever held
Ia Iowa, and ever since he has been
an active member of that party.
He was a delegate to the republican
national convention In 1859. and
took an active part In the nomina
ton of Abraham Lincoln. After
Nj. Lincoln's nomination, Mr..
Saunders made an active canvass
of the state Of Iowa, and every-
where he strongly pressed the
claims of Lincoln and the republi-
can party.
In 1881, end uhly a few days after
the Inauguration, President LIN
coln appointed him to the office of
Governor of Nebraska Territory, a
position that be held for six years,
including the entire period of the
great rebellion and until the State
was admitted into the Union. Be-
sides the very arduous duties that
grew out OF the wat between the
South and the north he had
the additional work Of protecting
The Tont'ersmen in this state from
The tomahawk and scalping knife of
The border savages. The larger pro-
portion of the able-bodied men Of
the state were in the army and were
fighting southern rebels. Governor
Saunders issued proclamation cali
ing for volunteers for frontier SER
vice against the savage foes. q
hearty and cheerful response was
given to this call, and as a result,
the Indian depredations ceased.
For many years before the Union
Pacific railroad was chartered by
Congress Governor Saunders was a
Jealous advocate of q trans-conti-
mental highway Of the nation. In
his message to the legislature in
1871, he alluded to the subject in the
folio wing language: IA mere
glance at the map of the country
will convince every intelligent
mind that the great Platte valley,
which passes through the heart and
runs nearly the entire length of Ne
braska, is to become the route for the
great central railway which is to
connect the Atlantic with the Pa
ciic states and territories. Through
Nebraska must pass, within a few
years, not only the trade and travel
between the eastern and western
portions of our own country, but al
SO most of the trade and travel bet
ween the old and new world"
When the bill was finally passed to
authorize the company to
build the Union Pacific railroad,
he was made by congress one
OF the commissioners, OF incorpor-
ators, to give practical form to The
measure. Shortly after the meet
ing of the commissioners, which
took place in Chicago in 1883, the
company was organized, and on the
I'd OF December, 1858, Governor
Saunders participated in the break
ing of ground for this great national
work.
In the legislative assembly, Feb
ruary 10th, 1855, the council by a
vote of ten yeas to two nays, and
by q unanimous vote In the house,
endorsed the general policy of his
administration, and asked the Pres
ident of the United States to reap
point him for the ensuing four years.
Nebraska's admission into the
Union before she had the requisite
population was largely due to the
energetic efforts of Governor Saun-
ders. In 1867, when our first State
Legislature was called upon to
elect two United States Senators
Governor Saunders came within
one vote of being elected, and his