Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-04-08
"a GOOD RoYp
Beriah Browns Sketch OF the Boyhood q,
Gen. Lueirs Fairchiid. - An intervening
History.

History
Beriah Brown, for many years the
best known editor in Wisconsin, now
the publisher of q newspaper at Pu-
get Sound, Washington Territory,
has the following article of ga Good
Boy" which will he read with inter-
est by the friends of Gen. Fairchild,
of Wisconsin, the present United
States minister to Spain.
over thirty years ago, there was
tair-haired boy, between Ii and 10
years of age, the son Of small store.
keeper in the then little village of
Madison, Wisconsin, who distributed
our paper to the village subscribers,
and was always ready 10 do any small
Job that offered foy reasonable COM
pensation. He was always cheerful,
polite, unobtrusive, industrious,
prompt and faithful TO all his trusts.
When he was free from other engage.
ments, and the legislature was in ses-
sion, he would ill a market. basket
with apples, nuts, cigars and-other
commodities, stand in the hall of the
capitol and retail them out to mem.
bers, employees and visitors. Every
body liked him, all trusted him and
predicted for him life future use.
fulnegs. In ls47 he had accumu-
lated of his own earnings enough
means 70 take him to California
across the plains, and reached Sac-
ramento in The fall of that year,where
he was employed as a clerk in the
store of Nick. Turner Richard j.
Oglesby, subsequently governor and
U. S. senator, of Illinois, being fel.
iow-clerk in the same establishment.
After few years our boy returned
to Wisconsin aud the following year
was elected clerk of Dane county, on
the Democratic ticket. On the first
call for volunteers TO defend the in
tegrity OF the Union, in 1861, he was
among the first to enlist, and as lieu
tenant q his company was mustered
into service in the First Wisconsin
Infantry. Four years aiterward he
returned home brigadier general of
volunteers. The same year he was
elected secretary of state. In 1865,
1867, and 1869 he was elected Gov
ernor of Wisconsin, and having worn
the honors of that position logger than
any other governor of that state, on
retiring from 1t he was appointed con-
sui to Liverpool by President Grant,
who has since said that he long aud
seriously considered the question of
calling him to his cabinet, instead of
Belknap. That boy, as the reader is
already aware, is now General Luci-
us Fairchild, American minister to
Spain.
Young Fairchild's school advant-
ages were exceedingly limited; GER
iainly not greater than those offered
IN our common schools to every boy
of the age of IA in this community
for he was never an attendant at any
school when past that age, and he
was by no means remarkable for gen.
ius. BY sheer industry, attention
and observation, he acquired the IN
telllgence of statesman, and he
graces of refined gentleman. 4
London journal in speaking Of mis-
at the reception given TO
General Grant, awarded TO him the
pain of noble bearing. 1t said:--
General Fairchild looked as if the
blood of the Dukes of two centuries
flowed in his VEINS" the highest COM
pliment ever paid to the department
IT any American gentleman by
leading London journal.
Lucius Fairchild furnishes for the
of our youths an example
Of achievement within the reach of
The poorest boy in the land not in
he high positions he has held which
are not always attainabio = - merit
but in the grace, dignity and honor
be has reflected upon those positions,
which are always attainable by the
same means, aud command honor
and distinction without the aid of
political preferment.