The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-12-27

upon the study of law in the office of Mr..
Robert %. Williams, then rising attorney
and later to become eminent as a railroad
lawyer, the solicitor for the Illinois Central
and the Chicago and Alton and today one of
the foremost counselors of the west, besides
being power in democratic politics.
In 1859, Mr. Stevenson completed his law
studies and was admitted to the bar in this
city, bloomington had an abundance OF
legal talent, the Importance OF the neld con-
sidered, so young Stevenson determined to
locate elsewhere The Ewings had lived in
WetamOra, the county seat of Woodford
county, Illinois, for some years before com
ing to Bloomington Stevenson had visited
the quaint old town quite often and had an
extensive acquaintance in the county So
it was that the new-iiedged attorney one
day opened an office there and nailed up
single, wherein it was stated after the
fashion of the deputant in law, that A. IL.
Stevenson, attorney. would give special at
tention to collections and transact general
law business.
The young attorney was not worked to
death by The rush of business, but he wasted
no time. He was continuous student.
locomotives and rumbling of trains to dis
turb the quiet Of the student. lie made a
fair living from the first, and soon
becoming general favorite, his
practice rapidly grew and he became
prosperous. His fitness for public trust
pointed master-in-chancery when he had
been in the country but short time. lie
held that important office for four years
and at the expiration of his term of office
was elected state attorney for the district
composed of four counties, and held that
office for another four years. Mr.. Steven
sons election to the office of district at
torney was the first Of the great political
triumphs of his remarkable career, and
was proof of the magnetism which he pos
Gov 1ryhIIo {v,,I ctrtnt h
lican majority of 1000 he was elected upon
the straight democratic ticket by a fair
ma iOrity.
Mr. Stevenson proved to be a fearless,
incorruptible and successful prosecutor,
terror to evil-doers.
AS Public Speaker.
AS public speaker, Mr.. Stevenson be-
gan his career in 1860 when he made a
number of eloquent speeches favoring the
election Of Stephen A. Douglas, whose
cause he espoused while so many Of his
Kentucky friends and contemporaries adj
yocated the cause of the Kentucky states
man, breckenridge. Mr.. Stevenson was
the person selected by the people OF Weta-
mora to deliver the eulogy upon Douglas
on the 4th of July, 1864, and the effort of
the young lawyer on that occasion placed
him on record us an orator OK WOIucfIul
power and magnetism.
In 1854 Mr.. Stevenson was selected by
the democratic state convention as eiector
for his district, and i'll that capacity made
a brilliant canvass 49,,
During the civil war Mr. Stevenson did
not enlist in the union army, but he was
active in preserving the union, and assisted
in the raising Of troops in his state.
In 1869 Mr.. Stevenson left Metamora
and came to Bloomington and became the
partner of Mr.. James 5. Ewing in the prac7
tee of the law. The partnership has ex-
listed ever since, and the firm has become
one of the most successful
in the state. Mr.. Stevenson. has almost
continuously been engaged IN polItics
since his coming to this city and Mr. Ewing
has to a greater or less extent been interest
ed in his political plans yet the legal bust
ness of the firm has prospered steadily, and
has earned a comfortable fortune for both
its members. The political history of Mr..
Stevenson since 1874 is quite familiar to
the public In that year Mr.. Stevenson
was nominated for congress by the united
elements of opposition to the republican
party. There had been a large republican
plurality in the district and General john
McNulta, of this city, was re-nomlnated by
the republicans. The result was that the
republican plurality vanished and Mr.. Steve
son was triumphantly elected. There was
no sting left after the canvass was over, so
pleasant and so free from personality was
The contest. and last July when General
Stevenson returned to bloomington from
the Chicago convention where he Ilad Deen
honored by the vice presidential nomination,
the spokesman of the mass meeting OF cltl-
zens of Bloomington irrespective of politics,
who at Franklin park welcomed the victor
TO his home was General John NcNulta,
the vanqushed candidate Of nearly twenty
years before.
A Memorable Speech
One of the most memorable speeches of
the eventful time in congress when IN cleo
t0roI commission was deciding InOp the
contest between Hayes and Tilden was n
brief one made by Mr.. Stevenson. who was
a supporter of the commission. In lebru-