The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-27


ma he appealed 10 the eynpathlcs Of tho jury
| With tears in his eyes he dwclt on the honesty
And rrspcctneillty OF 9ld Steve Sawyer. pictured
an adverse verdict and actually wept tho jury
| into an acquittal.
Tho rising lawyer did not follow Douglass
| advice M to the collection OF his fees A score
| OF cnses IL given whore he champonod the
cause Of the poor without hope q reward. One
| IN particular merits attention. family named
| Keller lived near Carlnville. They were pros
| elytes from the Mormon faith, but the faint Of
| Morlnonism chung to them. Indignant citi2ens
| tried to drive them from the county. They
sstood upon thor rights and refused to 40.
app"sied to pnlwsp Inr nnrotertinn. Fin3ing
| argument useless. ho had the leaders Of tho
mob arrested and bound over. The Keelers
were 50 great that he turned In and defended
them, clearing them free OF expense.
xii.
Tho Mexican war broke out In 1846. Palmer
| was Probate Judge OF his county. but his mill
tary ardor quenched all desire for judicial dis
tinction. He raised a company, and was elected
captain Col l.. ID. Baker aiterward Senator
from Oregon. killed at Balls Blum. was organ
izng regiment at Springfield. Palmer ten
dered him his company. and the tender was re-
fused. Tho quota of Illinois was filed without
him. and he returned 10 his law practice. In
April. 1S47. he was elected to the Constitutional
Convention. The pro slavery feeling was strong
Ben Bond introduced the following:
ARTICLE XIV.
Tho General Assembly shall at is nrst session under
the amended Constitution. pass such laws A. will ef
ectualy prohibit free Of color from nmgra,ins
to and settling In this state, and 10 eeetuay prevent
the owners OF slaves from bringing them this State
for the purpose Of setting them tree.
The spirit Of freedom was aroused Palmer
opposed the measure in a speech Of remarkable
power. He stammered no longer. and spoke
with the greatest ease. The speech aroused the
Indignation Of the pro slavery men. His term
as Probate Judge expired In August. and he
was a candidate for reelection. His opponent
was Capt Gilmore. who had won laurels in
tho war with Mexico. but who could scarcely
read and write. Tho slavery men determined
to defeat Palmer. His speech before the Con-
stitutional Convention was read at the polls on
the day Of election. 1t stripped him Of his per-
sonal popularity. He WIS defeated by large
MAJORITY, In one polling precinct. where in
April he had received every vote for delegate to
the CONSTITUTIONAL Convention, he did not get
Gilmore resigned. Palmer again became a
candidate. and went IN with rush.
In 1919 the new Constitution was adopted.
Under lts provisions the Kentucky boy was
elected County Judge. He held this office two
years. and was sent 10 tho State Senate, whore
he was made Chairman Of the Committee on
lncorporations. The State was developing with
great rapldity.. Northerners and southerners
were pouring In by thousands. and the slavery
question came up in every shape. Palmers
sympathy with the Free. Sellers had been plainly
shown. While he WIS decidedly ant-slavery In
his tendencies. the Federal law kept him out
side of the pale OF abolitonism. He was in full
fellowship with the DEMOCRATIC party. and was
States Senator in 1853. During this session.
John A. Logan. introduced his well-known
ored p@opln. Palmer bitterly orn"sei II - WI
The repeal Of the Missouri Compromise and
the passage OF the Kansas Nebraska act brought
Palmer into the foreground. The sensibilty OF
public feeling was quickoned 10y this extension
OF slavery; An extra session OF the legislature
was called. Douglas determined upon having
an endorsement OF his course. There were
eighteen Democrats and seven Wings in tho
State Senate. Democratic caucus was held.
Palmer made speech standing on the COM
promise measures Of 1850. and opposing the at
tempt 10 make the Kansas Nebrnska act a test
OF fealty. majority OF the Democratic SEN
aiors stood 10y him, aud Doucas's object WAS
defeated. Palmer. however. represented a dis
Congress. and tina, was devoted 10 his interests.
In the following year the District Democratic
Convention passed resolution that no man
should he nominated for State Senator who did
Rot sustain the Kansas Nebraska act. Tue hand
set the Little Giant t1i--rcsmGIfsi no
copied in his great contest with Buchanan after
the passage OF the Anti Lecompton act. The
kentuckian boldly Joined issue. He ran for
reelection to tho senate on an independ-
slavery was not Democracy. aud that the KAN
sas- Nebraska net should not be made party
test. MAJOR +. 7. Burke was the Douglas candi-
date. Palmer WAS elected by 200 majority
. The new Senate contained four Anti. Nebraska
Democrats, Norman B. Judd. Burton c. Cook
Uri OsgOod and John NJ. Palmer. DR.. George
b. Allen and Judge Baker represented the
party in the House. A United States Senator In
the place OF Gen. James Shields was 10 be-
chosen. and the six AntNebraska Democrats
held the balance OF power. The law required
that the two Houses should ballot separately on
the first day and Jointly on succeeding days
The Wings nominated Abraham Lincoln and
the DEMOCRATS placed Gen Shields in renomi-
nation. Mr.. Palmer offered 10 go into the reg
ular Democratic caucus. provided the Kansas
Nebraska act was not made party test His
offer WAS spurned He was told that he must
submit 10 the action OF the caucus without
conditions retire. For several ballots
the Anti Nebraska Democrats voted indie
pendently. Finally. the regular Democrats
made overtures. and II was rumored that
enough OF the independents had accepted
to reelect Shields. In this dilemma Sen
pendent DEMOCRAT. in nomination. 1t was
shrewd move. Five of the Anti Nebraska Dem
ocrats supported 1t. The sixth. Uri Osgond
voted for Shields, and the vote stood, Lincoln
A.; Shields. a; Trumbull. 5. The frightened
wings moved to adjourn. but the Democrats
united IN voting the motion down. The regu-
lars withdrew Shteldss name. and nominated
Gov. Madison. Lincoln saw that the crisis was
al hand. Obtaining assurances that the five
independents would stand 10 Trumbu for one
more ballot, he walked into the Joint Assem-
bly,, cOllared his friends, and made them vote
sold Tor the independent candidate. Lyman
Trumbull WAS declared elected on the eleventh
ballot. The Democrats heard the announce
ment with blanched faces, and cursed the Anti
Nebraska men. The great Rail-splitter and
Palmer had done their work we'll. Had a soil
tary Wing waVered, Madison would have been
elected on the next ballot.