Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-24
Augustus H. Garland.
UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM AR
KANSAS, VINO WILL PROBABLY
BE ATToRNEY-G GENERAL AT
WASHINGTON

The name of Augustus II. Garland,
United States Senator from Arkansas,
appears in all, or nearly all, the many
"slates" which represent the more or
less well-founded coniectures of
editors, as to whom President-elect
Cleveland will call to his counscls.
lie is a learned, able and powerful
man, and the compliment paid him
in this virtual unanimity of journal
istic Judgment regarding him, has
been earned by his diligence and the
remarkable evidences of statesman
ship which he has exhibited in a
career comparatively but short.
lie was born in Upton county, Ten
nessee, June IL, 1882. A year after
wards his parents removed into the
State of Arkansas, of which Mr.. Gar
land has been resident ever since,
with the exception of the time he
spent in acquiring an education.
At a suitable age he was removed
from the freedom of his fathers farm
to the restraints of school life. lie
acquired his academical training at
Bardstown, Kentucky, where he was
an inmate of Saint Mary's and after
wards Saint Joseph's, two Catholic
colleges. There too he decided upon
becoming a lawyer and began TO
read sheepskin bound books and to
follow the proceedings of courts Of
justice with the view 10 future appear
unces in a professional capacity.
lie was admitted to practice at
Washington, Arkansas, in the year
1858, and Immediately opened an
office. In 1856 he removed to Little
Rock, the capital of the State, where
he builtup an excellent business as u
lawyer.
In 1860 he was Bell and Everett
Electur, and opposed threatened
secession as long as there existed the
apparent possibility of preventing it.
When, however, it became inevitable
he went with his State. lie was a
member of the Convention IN Arkan-
sas, which passed the ordinance of
secession, and of the Provisional
Congress of the Confederacy, which
met at Montgomery, Alabama.
Subsequently as a member of both
houses of the Confederate Congress,
he did his utmost to assist the cause
which collapsed with the surrender
of General Lee. In 1866 he petition
ed the Supreme Court Of the United
States for readmission 10 practice
within it. The iron-clad oath stood
in his way, and he accompanied his
application with an argumentintend-
ed TO show the unconstituti0nality of
that requirement. In December,
1857, the Supreme Court rendered a
decision agreeing in three of the
four points urged by Mr.. Garland.
Meantime the statesman was denied
the seat in the United States Senate
to which the Legislature of Arkansas
had elected him.
He was elected Governor of his
State in the year 1874, without oppo-
sition, and, after giving an admins
tration characterized by wonderful
ability, was again elected to the
Senate. On March 4, 1877, he was
sworn in as Senator Garland, and
the second time six years after.
Garland ranks with our greatest
lawyers and statesmen. lie is a man
of playful and affectionate DISPOSE
ton. Itish happiness to be honored
and reverenccd for his abilities, and
loved for his childlike naturalness
and other amiable qualities. He is a
tremendous worker, and recreates
with the joyful abandon Of the school
boy.