New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-12
length of this contest and for the enormous expense
entitled the peOple.N
THE NEW SENATOR'S CAREER.

John NcCauley Palmer was born on Eaeic 'reeh'
Scott County, KY. september l3' 1871 SUN a''l
his father n soldier of the war of 1912, removed 10
Christian County. Ky. There young John recel'eu
cOmmon-school education and lived uh'h Ao"i' WIN.
hi, father a decided antislavery man, nmoVeu ~
Iuinois settling about ten miles from Alton. In 1854
Iohn and his brother Ehu entered Alton College which
WAS organzed on the manual labor system but the ach
OF money compelled him TO withdraw lie "oIAcu i0
a time in a cOopc,s shop, then became Peu''' "i"
I, ,s3s became a teacher I'm distrct-school near can
ton I'm the same year he began TO real INV !"
1880 he removed to Carl!nvile ana IN Deceihoei' i
he was admitted to the bar. Less than TWO hiohti'
of,or sottny at Carljnvc he became the Democratic
candidate for couny clerk but was defeated. Ill i0fo
lie ,upportcd Van Bu.cn for President In lo1" tic was
elected probate justice. In 164' he was eeccu ~ 0
state Coo.tltutIona Convention and at the same time
was defeated for reelection as probate JUSTICE iho
successful candidate fU this latter once Hssheu !"
134s and Mr. Palmer was elected TO Ill tho Na'a,oS
From 1s40 TO 1851 lie County Judge ana from
1852 to 1854 he was state senator In the ater year
he orposcd the Nebraska BILL and as he c0uu hoC ioi
low his party on the slavery question, he reSsheu MS
seat I'm the senate. lie went before the peopic vi ~
new issue i'm 11J5 and was returned to the He"ac' "
1886 he was president of the first ILLINOIS, Hepuoi' M
statc Conycnton and in the same year he was dele
gate to the National Convention. Having chaaSeu HIS
pot!cal views he again resigned his seat in the senate
and took and active part in the Fremont canlpaSh'
Mr. Palmer was Republican candidate Tor congress
but was defeated. In 16C0 he was an elector Oh 'o
Lincoln ticket In 1851 he was delegate to the feaco
Convention and favored the compromise measures aoop'
ed by that body.
In ADril I-61, Mr.. Palmer was elected COlontI oi
the l4th Illinois Regiment. lie acc0mpNlei frc"o"e
on his Springfield campaign and In october lie was
made a brgadier general Of volunteers ana accom-
pancl Pope on his New Madrid campaign. being present
al the CAPTURE Of tina: place and Island No. 10. In
NAY l9G2 lie became III and ordered home, WHERE
hc remained until August when he organized the l2-d
Illinois Regiment.
In september he given command OF the flrSt
brigade Of the First Division Of the Army Of the MIS-
,i,,ppi and ordered join Buell. For galantry ana
skill at stone River, where he led "A division, ne was
made ma general Of volunteers. lie was at CHICK
amauga and led the Fourteenth Corps in the Ntanta
campagn fIom May to september, loUi. HcheIai
Palmer wa, assigned to the military administration OK
Kentucky in February, 1-d1, and u TINE Lad chdGso
of the Frecdmcns bureau in that state.
From to 1872 he wa, Governor Of lllinols' nav
ing been elected by the Republicans. since l7'2
ne ha, been "a Democrat. lie left the Republican
partv because Gen raj sheridan used Federal troop
10 .Iarl Chicago the time of the G1a lire wiihou
consulting the Governor. General Palmer declared
that unless Sheridan's were Withdrawn he would
drive them ont with the State militia. Pfcsid mt
Grant then ordered sheridan To Withdraw hiS troopS
lie i the leader Of his marty IN Illinois ana ha' lle
distinction OF being the first Democratic senator from
that state since the DAYS of stephen A. Douglas lie
j. "A man If warm impulses and wins friend; easily.
lie received the Endorsement of the Democratic StiF
Convention held in June last for The Office ot hlnd
states senator and the instructions which every Demo
cratic senator and Representative elected In N0veIn'
bcr received considered As obhGnG them to vote
for no one else for senator