The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-09-29
MORTIMER F. ELLIOT,
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS
MAN Ar-LARGE.

| Hon. Mortimer +. Elliot is a descen
dant of one of the pioneer and staunch
| Democratic families of Tioga county.
He is the only son of Colonel Nathan
iel A. Elliot, who was elected by the
Democrats a member of the House OF
Representatives of Pennsylvania and
served with credit in the year 1S49
Mortimer was born in the township Of
Charleston, in the village of Cherry
Flats, Tioga county, Pa, September
oath, 1912, and is therefore in the for
tieth year of his age. He was raised
upon farm and educated in the com
mon schools of his native township and
at Alfred University, Alfred, Alleghe
ny county, N. Y. The work upon the
farm, the pure mountain air, coupled
with good habits, gave him a strong
and sturdy constitution, clear head
and vigorous mind. He studied law
with Hon. Stephen f. Wilson, and was
admitted to practice at the Tioga coun-
ty bar in the year 1864.
At that time the bar of Tioga coun-
ty was distinguished for its able prac
titioners, among whom were Hon. Hen
ry Sherwood, Hon. II. w. Williams,
Hon. Stephen \. Wilson. Hon. John
w. Guernsey, Hon. b. b. Slrang, Hon.
p. E. Smith, Hon. g. II. Seymour, and
it would seem that there was no room
for young lawyer,or no lucrative prac-
tice at his command. He however
opened an Office at Wellsboro, facing
the public square, among these distin-
guished men, and began the practice
of bis chosen profession. His clients
were few at first, but they increased
rapidly as his course and manner of
trying suits became known. His
knowledge of law, his close application
to business entrusted TO him and his
power as an advocate before a jury,
won the confidence of the people and
gave him high standing at the bar,
and in the year 1870 he was the Dem
ocrotic candidate for president Judge
of the 4th judicial district, composed
of the counties of Tioga, Potter, Nc
Kean and Cameron, and although the
district was largely Republican, he
came near to gaining an election, re-
ducing the majority several thousand
votes.
In 1878 he was elected to the Con-
stitutional Convention and served with
distinction, being the choice of the
young and progressive Democracy of
his district. Amid the pressing cares
of a large and extensive practice at the
several courts in Northern Pennsylva-
mia, the Supreme Court of the State,
and the United States District and Cir
cult Courts, he has always cheerfully
responded to the call of the public eth
er in Northern Pennsylvania or South
ern New York, and has done yeoman
and distinguished service upon the
stump.
AT great mass meeting of the Dem
ocracy at Elmira, when Gen. Mcclellan
was present, Elliot was literally carried
upon the shoulders of his auditors,
having made speech unexampled for
argument, logic and eloquencc in the
history of that campaign, At the great
Hancock meeting at Corning, n. V,
in October, 1880, where Col. John w
Forney, Hon, Darius a. Ogden and
others spoke, Mr. Elliot made the
speech of the occasion. He is the pride
of the young Democracy, and has been
justly called "The Little Giant of the
North" AS lawyer he is able and
learned, and as an advocate he has no
superior in the northern portion of the
State. He is gentleman highly re.
spected by all parties for his sterling
integrity, his legal and forensic attain
ments, and in his election the people of
the State at large may rest assured that
they will have representative honest,
capable and fearless, one who knows
the right and dare maintain it. Born,
raised and educated in county which
has been for the last twenty-five years
in hopeless Democratic minority, his
democracy is clean cut, but liberal, pro
gressive, courageous, fair and honest,
and his views well defined aud estab
lished, and no policy of mere cxpc-
diency will ever turn him from his pro
gressive but sincere and straightfor-
ward political principles.