Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-12-09
And in Doing So Makes a Speech RepIete
with Sense and True
Eloquence.
The Soldier of Two Wars and Senator from
Three States Remembered
by Illinois,.

diflicult of solution and vitality affect
the happiness OF men, then the
world created another class of heroes.
1t began TO honor the men who de-
voted their lives TO the solution of
the problems. 1t began to build
statues TO statesmen. Not to the
men who were merely otllcholders,
for they do little good and win no
glory, but it built statues to the men
who, whether in Office or out of Office,
helped TO light the way to humanity.
To-day we honor the memory of a
man whose career meets all three of
the requirements we have mentioned.
He was brilliant soldier, he helped
TO lay the foundations of States and
he assisted in guiding the destiny
and shaping the institutions, not
only Of great commonwealth, but
Of the great American republic. A
lawyer and a soldier, a Judge and a
legislator, an executive officer and
popular leader, he was honest, brill
liant, and brave. He added glory to
the flag OF his country on both for
eign and domestic soil. ] shall not
attempt to tell the full story OF his
life there are others who can do it
better. ] will refer to only such
parts Of it as tell lesson to the age
and to posterity. James Shields was
born in village in Ireland in 1919.
When about l6 years old he came to
America and stopped for a time on
the seab0ard, working his way up
wardl by teaching school and doing
some newspaper work, and then
studied law and settled in Kaskaskia,
Ill The military bent of his mind
| led him TO participate in Indian war
fare for time, but he returned to
his law practice. In 1896 he was
elected a member of the Illinois
Legislature and later held the Office Of
Auditor, and in 1S43 was appointed
one If the judges Of the Superior
Court Of the State, and in 1s45 was
made Commissioner General of the
United States Land Ofice.
beginning of His Career
At the commencement of HOSTILE
ties with Mexico he was appointed
Brigadier General and served under
Gen. Zachary Taylor on the Rio
Grande, under Cen Wool in Chihua-
hua, and through the extended cam
paigns Of Gen. Scott everywhere dis
playing great skill as military lead
er. At CerrO Gordo he was shot
through the lungs and was breyetted
as Major General for gallant conduct.
After his recovery he participated in
all Of the campaigns in the Valley Of
Mexico and was again severely
wounded in the battle of Chapulte-
pee.
Returning from Mexico he was in
lS4s elected a United States Senator
by the Legislature of Illinois and
served in the Senate until the spring
OF 1855 subsequently he went TO the
then Territory of Minnesota, assisted
in organizing the State government
there. and was elected United States
Senator from that State, serving,
however, but a short time He then
went 10 California and at the be-
ginning Of the civil war was in, Mex
leo experimenting mine lie at
once hastened % Washington, ten
dered his service 10 the Government,
was appointed a Brigadier General In
August, 1861, and March %, s62, he
won a victory over the great Stonewall
Jackson at Winchester in one OF the
hardest fought battles Of the war
and was again severely wounded. So
brilliant was his conduct In the bat
Tie that ho was congratulated not
only by Gems Mcclellan aud sanks
but by the great War secretary Stan
ton for Energy activity, aud hray-
cry' displayed by him. aud was fur
thef honofod hY Governor Curtin NJ
pennsS lyauia, wh0 ordered that the
Hag 90 penusYlyauia he Inscribed
Winchester March 23, lsNa In
l,08 he resigned his commission la
Che aFmy aud went ta California, hut
iitefWah returned settled iu Mis-.
snuft ln1 rtsHmNI thr practice %
Ilaw fnr Gtu Shields was always
IohIged ia eofk ff a living lu Mis-
soHd hf seftei a. a'ifoai enmmlN
sluHeE Waa a mauNrf 0f tha trNlalAt