The Southern herald., 1889-03-30
The Brecklnridges.


promotion by President Cleveland
Of Colonel Joseph Cabell Breckin-
ridge to the place Of inspector
general of the United States, vice
Roger Jones, deceased, is the last
event in a family record Of over 100
years, which is the very romance
Of American history and politics.
If the day ever comes when curious
scholars from New Zealand or
Ethiopia delve among the remnants
Of ancient history for facts about
the Americans, they will certainly
be as much puzzled to reconcile the
varying references to Breckinridge
as the scholars ofto-day are puzzled
by the Hasdrubals of Carthage and
the Ptolemies of Egypt. This par
ticular Breckinridge is veteran Of
the union army and second son Of
the once noted divine and supporter
of President Lincoln, yet he is the
brother of ex-Confederate and
present Congressman Breckinridgc,
cousin of the vice president of 1857
81, and descendant of the co-authOr
of the Kentucky Resolutions Of
1799."
To begin at the beginning, there
was in Scotland in 1850 a Presby-
terian and q covenanter by the
name Of Breckinridge, who escaped
to America when the Stuart kings
were restored. His grandson,
James, was a noted patriot in the
American revolution and colaborer
of Thomas Jefferson. That grand
sons brother John removed to
Kentucky and assisted in framing
the noted resolutions above
mentioned. He was a United States
senator and attorney general under
President Jefferson. His son John
was noted Presbyterian writer in
his time and was the father Of John
c. Breckinridge, vice president Of
the United States and the youngest
who ever held that Office.
A brother Of the preacher John,
and consequently uncle Of the vice
president, was the eminent Robert
Jefferson Breckinridge, who was as
determined an opponent Of slavery
and secession as ever lived, and
was president of the national con-
ventiOn at Baltimore in 1864, which
nominated Abraham Lincoln for
the second time. A Kentucky wit
Of those days said of the Breckin-
ridges that they were ''lovely in
their way, but in life they we're
divided" It was poor parody on
the scripture, but too true for jest,
for of the two cons Of the eminent
Robert j., one went into the service
of the United States and the other
into that of the confederacy.
Of the latter, William Campbell
Preston Breckinridge, tits sufficient
here to say that he was a fighter
and rose TO the rank of colonel,
that he Surrendered in good faith"
and became 3 good citizen, and in
1884 was elected as Democrat to
the house of representatives, where
ne has taken a very prominent part
in the discussion of economic
questions. He is reelected to the
fifty-frst congress.
The second son Of the preacher,
Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, is the
new inspector general. He was
born in the parsonage manse of the
Presbyterian church at Baltimore,
Jan. IA, 1912, was educated at
Transylvania, KY, and at the uni
versity OF Virginia, read law at
Danville, KY, and lefl the Office to
become adjutant to Colonel (after-
ward general) VIM. Nelson, then
organizing the union troops of
Kentucky. He served through the
war with such distinction that he
was appointed major in the regular
army, and after doing excellent
service in many places was made
assistant inspector general in 1881,
from which place be is now pro-
NOTED to that Of inspector general.
The relative positions Of the
different members ofthe family are
indeed matter for wonder. In no
other country than the United
States and in no other era than that
Of the civil war could such trans
formations have occurred. The
family record is marvelously varie-
gated, but it proves that "blood
will tell"
-Se4--
Senor Morel, Minister Of the In
.