St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-04

DIdile, t,ofo,o0f, BuUler, 1861 $50, St.
John, 151,S 800. The total vote cast in all
the states was 10,04S,O61.
GEN. BLACKS CAREER.
A Soldier, Patriot and Statesman
Favored for the Second Place.
1t was not always thought necessary
for ce-presidential candidate to have
"StrOng points," AS late as 1880 he was
chosen to placate the faction defeated
in its choice for first place on the ticket.
But the fact that the vice president has
twice in less than three decades been
required to fill the executive chair is
very properly remembered now as a
reason why due care should be exercised
III fllllng the second, as we'll as the first
place on national ticket. AS soon as
it became evident that Mr.. Cleveland
must succeed himself at the head of the
ticket Gen. Blacks boom for second
place began to reverberate over the
prairies of Illinois, held now to be
doubtful state. and to echo even as far
east as Washington, where statesmen
who fought, and still fight, for the
ate delight in ridiculing the ''tota
land had foisted on the pension bureau.
John Charles Black was born Jan. 90
1889, in Pennsylvania. where his family
were among the earliest settlers. He
was preachers son, and succeeded
early in life to heritage of hard work
and educational struggle. Soon after
the death of her husband, Mrs Black
went West and made a new home in
Danville, Ill. After the various pre-
paratory stages, John G. Black entered
Wabasha college at Charlottesville Ind,
undertaking the regular collegiate
course. 1t was here the first call to
arms reached young Black, and OH the
same day that cannon balls began bat
ter0g the walls of Fort Sumter April
II. A0 the student turned his back upon
Alma Mater and enlisted IN the Mont
gomery Guards as private. This com
pany was afterwards regularly mustered
into the service as Company L, Eleventh
Indiana infantry, Col. Lew Wallace
afterwards maj Or-generaD commanding.
After the expiration of the three months
term for which the regiment had en-
listed, Black returned to Danville, ILL.,,
and recruited company for three years
service. This company became Com
pany X of the 'rhirty-seventh Illinois
infantry, Of which regiment young
Black was commissioned major. From
that position he was rapidly promoted
until he was brevetted brigadier-general
for gallant service on the field. Until
fought Gen. Black remained at the
front, commanding a brigade with
marked ability.
As Gen. Blacks wounds left him a
''total wreck" and he has been deemed
worthy of the highest pension paid by
the government, it may be worth while
to describe them accurately. At the
battle of Pea Ridge, Ark, Major Black
was shot in the right forearm, the bullet
passing between the bones about two
inches below the ulna and injuring the
elbow joint. After he was promoted he
again was wounded at the battle of
Prairie Grove, Ark, in December, 1862
This time he was shot in the left upper
arm. The bone being shattered, resec-
ton became necessary, and from
permanently disabled. The wound
inflicted at Pea Ridge apparently healed,
but in December following reopened
and caused great suffering. From this
time Oh until the close of the war Gen.
Black was cripple and unfit for active
duty. But such service as he could rem
der he cheerfully gave. Having ell
listed in the reserve corps he was, in
November, 1864, placed i'll command of
the Fourth Brigade, Reserve Corps, Mil
itary Division of the Mississippi, and in
March, 1865. while in active service, was
made brigadier general by brevet for gal
liant and meritorious service in the field
and mustered out of service in August,
years old when he was mustered out
He enlisted as private at nineteen
years of age and left the army at the
close of the war with two gaping
wounds and brigadier-generaPS COM
mission, and he less than twenty-four
years! 1t was a great record. Had
Gen. Black been other than a Democrat
in politics the political preferment he
might have reached in a Republican
state like Illinois might have equaled
that of the great unhurt Logan, or even
the glory of the unarmed and ununi-
formed ingalls, himself.
The war ended, Gen. Black, un
daunted, sought livelihood He set
tied in Champaign county, studied. or
rather perfected himself in law, and be-
gan practice. His success has gener-
ally been commensurate with his free
dom from pain and suffering. For sew
eral years his right arm seemed to have
recovered its functions. But his left
arm was always a total wreck. 1t is
useless, and ought really to have been
amputated at the time the reSection took
place. A few years ago the wound in
the right arm broke out afreSh, blood
poisoning came, and but for a strong
and youthful constitution the man
would have died. Senator Voorhees,
was right when he said in the senate:
His shattered and splintered bones
leave him not one-mOment'S free
dom from pain; he can sleep but
in one position in his bed at night, and
had he not been upheld by spirit pos
sessed by few men on this earth he
would have sunk and died long ago
from excessive and constant suffering.
He is made of the material that consti-
tutes heroes. Since his wounds broke
out afreSh he has had no more ability
to earn livelihood by his own exer-
tons than child. And even though
his constitution has survived the shock,
yet his hair has whitened, and, for
young man of forty-fve, he is prema-
turely aged"
As lawyer and as political orator
he ranks deservedly high. AS a gov
eminent officer he has given general
satisfaction. He has repeatedly been
nominated by the Democracy of his dis
trict for congress, and his party i'm the
state at large would often have delight
ed to honor him had it not so long re-
manned in decisive minority.
GRAY'S DEMOCRACY.