The Portland daily press., 1889-08-02

William Campbell Preston Breckenridge,
who delivered the eloquent Grafton at the
dedication OF thei Pilgrims monument yes
terday, deserves notice, both for his own
abilities and for the family from which he is
descended His grandfather, John Dreck"
enrldge, was the grandson of an old Scottish
coVenanter who escaped to America on the
restoration of the Stuarts. John Breckin-
ridge was born in Virginia, but removed to
Kentucky, where he died in 1906. He was
public man of eminence, leader in Ken
lucky politics, a United States Senator and
Attorney General in Thomas Jeffers0n's cab
met. He HAD two sons, John Breckinridge,
Jr., and Robert breckenridge. Both were
clergymen and both were very eminent men.
The former was father of that wonderfully
brilliant and charming Kentucky leader,
John C. Breckenridge the youngest
Vice President the Unild States
ever had, who threw away as bright
prospects as an American popular
leader ever had. to espouse the cause of
the Confederacy. The latter was the father
of two sons, w. C. p. Breckenridge, the
orator of yesterday, Confederate colonel of
cavalry in the war. and now Congressman
AiOiu anu JUStpl ". DItCkl0TluR6
loyal soldier in the Union army during the
war and now colonel in the service. The
vicissitudes of this family illustrated the
terrible separations caused by the war In the
border States. Rev. Robert J. Brecknridgc
ID. d., with one son and distinguished
nephew In the Confederate army and another
son in the Union army, was himself
n staunch Union man; and in 1864 was tenn
porary chairman of the Republican conven-
tion which renominated President Lincoln.
Mr.. Blaine has described IN his Twenty
Years of Congress" DR.. Breckinridge's
speech on that occasion:
The appearance on the platform of this venera-
BILE and venerated divine was in itself an event of
great interest BY birth and ass citation was
connected with the aristocratic class which fur
nished the pillars of the Confederacy; he be-
loDged to family conspicuously identified with
the rebellion; yet among his own order he was
the strongest and sturdiest CHI NIPPON Of the
Union cause south of Ohio. The aggressive quail
tiles of his staunch Scotch ancestry shone in his
own resolute and unyielding character and he was
distinguished both in church and in Stale as an
able and uncompromising contrOversast. His
years ard his history inspired general feeling OF
Of the convention, his tall figure, strong face a.
patiiarchal beard impaired 10 him something OF
personal a majesty; HIS speech wei illustrated rated
slnewy and defiant. AT the beginning he hurled
OUT lhe declarations that "the nation shall not be
destroyed" and referring to the plea which
treateu tne constitution as the sacred shield of
Ine system mat was waging war on the Union
gu mlc insisted that thrust remain untouched
ne proclaimed that 1--WE shall change the constitu-
ton II II suits us 10 do so. lie s,Ienuy affirmed
"that the only enduring, the only UNDERESTIMATE
cement OF all free institutions has been the Hood
of traitors" wv" VIC 'io"
AT that time the orator of yesterday was in
the ranks of those whom his venerable faith.
er SO impressiyely and forcibly denounced.