The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1888-06-11
Hon. stephen B. EIkins.

11Es a19tEpHGu pa E1lhlMS, VIII aCALfT
ers the annual address before the
Literary Societies tonight, was born
in Perry County, Ohio, III 1S41. His
early boyhood, like many of our ILL.,
lnstrions Americans, was spent on
his fathers farm, and in an adjacent
country town, where he attended
the public school and was there fit-
ted for college. He was, soon after
passing through the village school,
sent to the University of Missouri,
where his extraordinary ability and
close application to study raised
him to the head Of his class and en-
sabled him graduate at tho age Iof
eighteen. About this time his7 fam
lily suffered some financial NreFerses
which partially threw the young
graduate on his own resources, and
raised in his path obstacles whichIto
. less sturdy and resolute youth
might appear insurmountable,H Not
30 with young Elkins, however.
With that mastery will and frmness
Of purpose which has been SD char
acteristic of his whole after life, he
entered the law school and 30 worked
his way up gaining admission to the
bar in 1864. %H1 azn # III
At this time New Mexico offered
a fair field for men Of talent and en-
terprise and thither he went imme-
diatcly on receiving his diploma,
Here very unexpected and perplex-
ing difficulty doomed up in his way:
more than half the population was
Of Spanish extraction, and spoke.
that language, To do business sue
cessfully it was necessary that d
practical lawyer must be able to
speak and write the language. Far:
from being discouraged at the new
difficulties which beset his career,
NJ Elkins settled down once more.
to a feat of intellectual skill, and in.
side of one year was entirely master.
Of the Spanish tongue. n III
His progress was rapid from that
time forth. Within the first year Of
his residence in the Territory he was
elected to the Legislature and soon
!. after was appointed Attorney
General. An additional honorIwas
conferred upon him by the TesiaentS
Andrew johnson, Who made him
unike1 States tskk sf3hk
fitef), lhicb ~ 3itSoA L. hkld dVIinN
- snhssfaent Grant Aaministfas
tion. N y \ ILL.,
!. a little incident which aptlyillusr
trates the character of the man oc-
Cured after the lapse Of his first
years practice. He found Himself
she possessor 81 some fifteen hundtsd
dollars saved from his haTd WoFk.
One Of the United States Judges
who was the owner Of a very exten-
sive library wished to dispose of tt.
The young lawyer set his heart upon
the possession of the prize, and offer
ed the whole sum Of his years saving
for it. The library was soon trans
ferred to his rooms. +. ~ I
In 1872 he resigned his office of
United States Attorney, and was
elected to represent the C territory in
the Congress. Of the United States.
After serving his first term with
marked distinction he visited Europe,
and was greatly surprised on bis re-
turn to find that his numerous friends
and admirers had again elected him
for second term. This, without
any knowledge or effort On his part
was distinguished compliment sell
dom paid to men il political life.
Mr.. Elkins won the esteem 8and
confidence Of the best and ablest
men of the country while in the Ma
tional Legislature. Speaking Of him
one of his colleagues pays this high
tribute to his merits: ellis intellect
ual strength, his hard sound sense,
his generous nature, and high mind
ed personal worth won him the friend
ship Of the best men of I'LL parties.
This high regard won by force of his
own liberal merits, He has constant
~ kept, and it has changed only to
be- frightened by lapse offtime."
During this second term, the ques-
ton of the admission, AS "a State of
the Union, Of New Mexico came up
in Congress. # FL
Tt is needless TO say that the chief
advocate of the Territory's admission
sto.the dignity of 4 Sovereign State
was Mr.. Elkins and nobIy he acduit-
ted himself iii the discharge Of this
duty. His speech raised him at
once to the highest rank ali an orator.
His single effort alone carried the
bill through the House and silenced
every opposition which might have
Otherwise tended To check its pas
sage
The following pen portrait .of MI.
Elkins is given by one az the most
eminent writer's Of The country, and
one who has an intimate knoMleage