The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-30

State, or give more universal satlsfactlon |
to the people of the United States, than
the election of Gov. Vance to the Senate.
He will make one of its most popular,
influential and useful members.
Gen. James Shields, who has Just been
elected to the United States Senate, to
occupy the unexpired term of Senator
Bogy, of Missouri, has led perhaps the
most remarkable career of any man in
America. Born in the State of Illinois
in 1910, when he arrived at the years of
maturity he began the practice of law as
a young man without strong friends or
remarkable abilit;"- His prospects APP
peared not dilfereL ON those Of thou
sands whose names are never known TO
fame. His, however, was more fortu-
nate lot, and in 1910 he was appointed
State Auditor of Illinois, and six years
later became one of the Supreme Judges
of the State. Under President Polk he
was Land Commissioner, which position
he resigned to enter the Mexican war.
He started as a brigadier-general, and
never rose above that rank. AS brave
and faithful soldier, however, he was un-
excelled. In the charge at Cerro Gordo
he was shot through the lung, the grape
shot passing through and out near the
spine. Although the physicians gave
him up, he was out at the head of his
brigade in ten weeks. At Chapultepec
he was again wounded, and at the close
of the war he returned home as one of
the bravest and most popular heroes of
the war. His war record elected him to
the United States Senate from Illinois in
1S49. At the end of his term he was not
reelected, and moved to Minnesota, then
territory. In 1859 he was elected one
of the first two Senators from that State,
and drew the short term. When the
late war broke out he espoused the Union
cause, and was again placed in command
of brigade. In this return to the mill
tary he achieved victory which has dis
tinguisbed him in defeating Stonewall
Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley,
though the victory was of short duration.
Gen. Shields throughout his whole career
has been Democrat, and despite his
fine opportunities for amassing wealth,
he has come out poor but honest and
respected man. Last session Ben Butler
brought him into prominent notice po-
litically by endeavoring to have him
elected door-keeper over Gen. Fields, the
Democratic caucus nominee. This failed,
but it accomplished his election to the
Senate from the State of Missouri. Thus
he has served his country in two great
wars, and has represented three promi-
nent States of the Union in the United
States Congress. His highest praise,
however, consists in his purity and integ-
rity of character. His term of Office will
expire on the 3rd of next March.
The New York Legislature has, as was
expected, reelected Roscoe Conkling, of
Utica, to the United States Senate for six
years from the 4th of next March. Mr..
Conkling is one of the most accomplished
and able members of the Senate, and un-
til very recently has been one of the most
conservative Republicans of the Union.
He-was born at Albany October 80, 1929,
and is therefore in his fiftieth year. He
received only an academic education, and
located in 1876 at Utica for the practice
of law. Ee was District Attorney and
Mayor of Utica, and was elected to Con-
gress four times previous to his first elec-
ton to the Senate, which was for the
term beginning March 4, 1867. He was
reelected in 1873, and has therefore been
elected for three successive terms, which
is an honor never before conferred by
New York upon any man. Mr.. Conk-
ling has always been one of the Republi-
can leaders of the Senate since he entered
that body, but has never had such undis-
puted sway as he probably has at this
time. Until recently he has maintained
the respect of both political parties, but
his unfair Misrepresentation, which were
intentional, upon the Southern question
and other matters have proven him to be
g time-serving politician, looking after
his own promotion more than his coun-
try's good. he is possessed Of the ability
and judgment necessary to make a great
statesman, but lacks the moral courage
to allow it to control his actions. In
other words, he measures the propriety
of any action by the probability tLat it
will advance or injure the prospects of
Roscoe Conkling. 1t has been stated
that his seat will be contested ON the
ground that the Constitution of New
York, which requires a new apportion-
ment of members of the Legislature, has
been omitted by the Republicans for the
purpose of retaining control of the Leg
islature and re-electing Republican to
the Senate. The charge is substantial
one, and is sufficient to refuse Mr.. Conk-
ling his seat upon, if the Senators have
backbone enough to stand up for the law.
The Democrats in the New York Legis-
lature have published protest against
his election on this account, and present
the facts in such strong light that it is
difficult to see what answer Mr.. Conkling
can make to it. The protest in substance
recites the following facts:
By the fourth and fifth sections of the