Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-05-22

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Address-''Staunton Spectator,' Stanton, Va.
| tinguished in the various walks of lif
| in different sections of this country.
Such is q brief sketch of the lineage O
Gen. John C. Breckinridge, and it will
thus be seen how warm an interest Vir
ginians would naturally feel in the his
tory of one so closely identified with tn,
three families of Breckinridge, Preston
and Cabell, which have furnished, al
various eras of her history, so many men
who have so nObly illustrated the history
of their State and Country.
! Gen. Breckinridge, after the usual pre-
paratory schools, and after the still more
important training. received at home.
from his pious and accomplished moth.
er, was graduated from Centre College.
KY, where he was also brought under
the influence of that able and distin-
guished Scholar, Teacher, and Divine.
DR.. John G. Young, then the President
of the College. ell. 81
From that place, he naturally went to
Princeton, of which his Grandfather.
Samuel Stanhepe Smith, had formerly
been the renowned President. There he
studied law, and from thence he imme-
diately went out to the active duties of
life, first going to the State of Iowa,
where he remained but q short time.
soon returning and settling permanent
ly in his native city of Lexington, Ky..
in the practice flaw, in which his great
talents as a public speaker soon gave
him high position. In very few
years, however, war being declared be-
tween this Country and Mexico, his
patriotic desire to serve his country, and
his natural fondness and aptitude for
military life, induced him to enter the
military service as Major OF one of the
volunteer regiments which Kentucky
sent into the field, and in that capacity
he served with great credit and distinc-
tion under the command of Gen. Scott
until the close of the war.
Upon his return to Kentucky, he first
entered political life in 1S49, when, after
an animated contest, he was elected a
Representative in the Kentucky Legis-
lature from his native county.
This was the commencement of q poli-
tical life the most remarkable to be found
In the political annals Of this Country.
From his first appearance upon the poll
tical stage, he became man of mark,
possessing, as he did, in an eminent de-
gree, those personal traits which attract
popular favor, and at the same time be-
ing profoundthinker, and dignified,
majestic, and captivating orator, COM
manding the attention and respect of the
most grave, cultivated. and imposing au-
diences. s
He was, as you know, Democrat in
politics, and most pronounced advocate
of the doctrine of States rights, as con-
tradistinguished from the doctrine of the
supremacy OF the authority of CEN
tralized general government. He could
not have been otherwise, inheriting and
acquiring his political principles and
faith from his distinguished ancestors
who had themselves taken so prominent
part in laying the foundations, upon
which the doctrines of the great party,
to which they belonged, were built.
centre of the Ashland Congressional
District, the home of Henry Clay, the
great leader of the Wing party, and the
exponent of its principles:
the statesman who exercised a greater
personal influence over his followers
than any party leader then living. The
district was considered impregnable to
any Democratic assaults, and was re-
garded as the especial Whig property
This was the feeling, when, in 1851,
Gen. Leslie Combs, who was q personal
fliend, and an ardent admirer' of Mr.
Clay, became the Wing nominee for
Congress, and his success was regarded
as certain. In this condition of things,
John c. Breckenridge, young, ardent
and brilliant, proud OF mis- own party,
and devoted to its principles, and him
self the pride of the young men of the
district, many of whom had served with
him in the Mexican campaign and had
there learned to love and admire him,
was announced as the Democratic can
didate
Then commenced the most exciting
political canvass ever before witnessed
even in kentucky, which has always
been so prolificOfg gifted popular speakers,
and whose people have ever been ardent
and enthusiastic iu the maintenance of
their political preferences. Gen. Combs
was an effective popular orator, and he
had besides all the great influence of Mr..
Clay, Mr.. Crittenden, Gov. Letcher and
a score of other powerful and influential
Whig leaders of the District. Breckin-
ridge, stirred by the recollectiOns of his
ancestry, for whose principles
he felt that he was contending, went
before his people, bearing aloft the BAH
ner of his party around which the young
men of the district rallied with the great
est enthusiasm, and by his powerful
logic and resistless eloquence, overcame
the majority which was considered so
overw helming against him. The result
was his triumphant election, and the
display of power which he gave during
the canvass at once placed him in the
front rank of the public men efthat day.
FNxxvr o,.<ye, s,,1
scene was re- enacted, when Breckin-
ridge was nominated for reelection. On
this occasion, the Wings, chagfined and
mortified that the citadel of their party
in Kentucky had been wrested from
them, and determined to regain it, select
ed as their candidate Gov. Letcher, q
gentleman of deservedly great personal
popularity, and regarded as the most
powerful public speaker in Kentucky of
his day. The contest was earnest and
excited, and the interest aroused was
intense. Everywhere throughout the
district Breckinridge's voice was heard
like a clarion, calling his party friends
to the rescue. No knight of the ancient
days of chivalry ever bore himself more
gallantly than did the young Democratic
leader in this contest. The eyes of the
whole country were directed to the
struggle, and when, on the evening of
the election, it was known that he was
again victorious, all men recognized him
as one of the leaders of the greatest par
ties which the Republic will ever know.
In these fierce political antagOnisms,
whilst the passions of men were oftimes
deeply stirred, yet was there never the
slightest suspicion of unworthiness of
character or conduct on the part of the
successful candidate. All men honored
him, and not one failed to recognize and
acknowledge the exalted ability and
chivalric bearing which he displayed.
From his place in the House of Repre-
sentatives, he announced the funda-
mental cardinal principles of his party
with such power, and, on all proper oc-
casions, discussed, with such clearness
and elequence, the important questions
of the day, that he at once took rank
among the first statesmen of the coun-
try.
All rejecting men knew that one who
had thus early achieved such magni-
ficient triumphs, must be destined for
hirh nnd fha frxy