Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-10

prove IN health little, but he did not aban
don his intention of going abroad Passage
mad been engaged for Mr.. and Mrs. SWEET on
the steamship Vera, which will sail from
New York June Is. 1t was planned that they
would leave for New York to-day and spend
three days there before the vessel sailed
His Sudden and Final Illness.
Friday evening Mr. and Mrs SWEET took a
short walk along Ashland avenue. He had
not been looking well during the day, but as
evening approached he said he felt better.
About 10 O'Clock at night the attack began
which resulted in his death. Shortly after
midnight Drs. Wescott, johnson, Lyman,
and Davis were called to the bedside but
were unable to relieve the sufferer They
saw at once that the attack would soon prove
fatal and so informed the family. The sick
man failed rapidly and all the latter part of
the night was in comatose condition. He
renamed without regaining consciousness
until 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when he
breathed his last. He died so easily that
those at his bedside hardly knew the exact
moment when his heart ceased to beat
The funeral will be held at O'Clock to-
morrow afternoon at the Third Presbyterian
church, Rev. j. L. Withrow preaching the
funeral sermon
Sketch of His Life.
Mr.. SWEET was born in Oxford county.
Maine, near the little village of Turner, in
1924. His early boyhood was passed on
what was and is still known as the Albin
Richer farm, where, on the old homestead,
his mother, now nearly 80 years of age, is
still living He came of a typical New Eng
land family, strong in the traditions of the
past, whose members accepted the universal
popular theory that at least one of the fam
lily should enter the ministry. Accordingly
young Leonard was elected" by his parent
TO follow that sacred calling, and began
preparations therefor But the bent of
his mind was in another direction, and at
the age of II he began the study of law in
the office of Howard and Shepley in Ports
land, after having pursued courses in Var
mouth academy and Waterville college, now
known as Colby university. He read law
for two years and then began the battle of
life, and started out to seek his fortune
His Military Experience.
1.-THE young man came west in 1s47, shortly
after war had been declared against Mexico
de enlisted as a private in the Fifth Indiana in
fantry, commanded by Gen. James H. Lane,
afterward United States senator from Kan
sas. Although not commissioned officer be
was ctiCally captain of his company
while holding the rank of orderly sergeant
He served through the war and entered the
City of Mexico with Gen. Scott after its cap
ture by the United States forces He re-
turned to the states in 1S49 greatly impaired
In health. In the same year he was admitted
to the bar at Bloomington, Ill
Distinguished Friends.
The life of Leonard SWEET was made pictur-
esque by the prominence in it of the friend
ship of the Illinois giants of the slavery agi-
tation days of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A.
Douglas, and David Davis. At that time
there were but few courts, and they were
widely separated by wild and trackless prai
ries. He rode the circuit of the courts with
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen T. Logan David
Davis, and others who afterward rose to
prominence in the history of the country.
Through long association in court with Lin
coin a friendship was formed between them
that lasted until the letter's death. Lincoln
was genial companion, safe counselor,
and Mr.. SWEET found in him warm friend. |
David Davis and Mr. Lincoln were the two
men who took the warmest personal interest
In the young attorneys success
Influence at the Convention of 1860
In the preliminaries to the presidential
convention of 1860, next to Judge Davis Mr.. |
SWEET was most influential in securing Lin
coins nomination Under their manage
ment the nomination was secured by the
combination of Illinois, Indiana and Penn
sylvania delegations, and in forming this al
lance the diplomatic hand of SWEET was
powerful and pre- dominating In the re-
markable campaign which followed he was
the prime mover and central influence
Power During the War.
Mr.. SWEET was best known as a LAWYER
He never mixed in the turmoil of POLITICAL
strife and never held but one public office.
At the earnest solicitation of friends he be-
came a candidate and was elected to the
office Of state senator, but after his term ex-
pired he declined all offers of DO
litical preferment He was in Wash
ington frequently on legal business
during the war and the friendship between
him and the president, begun when they
were lawyers on the Illinois Circuit, was re-
newed and strengthened. He was in no sense
an office-seeker, and his views on public af-
fairs were colored by no Interior motive.
Lincoln knew this, and he placed great con-
fdence in Mr. Swett's Judgment During
those troubled times he was a power behind
the throne to an extent that few even of his
intimate friends dreamed.
.strengthlBeforet the jury.
Leonard SWEET was a born orator. He de-
pended more upon argument than evidence
and his rea soning was SO clear and his argu-
ments so logical that opposing counsel have
often said that though they were sure the
facts were at variance with his reasoning
his eloquence was enough to convince
the jury that his: position was CORE ct.
While 1t can not be said that his eduoa-
ton was accurate. his legal learning was
varied and thorough and he possessed wide
knowledge of men and affairs Of the day. He
was able at glance to detect the true from
the false, and his profound knowledge of thu
law and his unerring Judgment gained him
the highest place at the bar and won him the
esteem and respect of all classes. In politics
he was Republican and his services were
always in demand for the stump
He came to Chicago in 1865, when be
formed partnership with Van a. Higgens
and Col. David Quigg for the practice OF
law. At the time Of his death he was the
central figure of the firm of Swtet, Grosscur
and Weans. Mr.. SWEET was twice married.
His first wife died in 1854. In 1887 he mar.
ried young woman who for some time had