St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-03

show how easy and natural it was
for him to make friends; and the
boy with that superlative power of
drawing his fellows toward him by
courtesy, generosity and courage, is fire.
quently possessed of mine of unde-
veloped wealth larger and of more real
value than he of another disposition
who may inherit a million.
He must have acquired in youth at
least the groundwork of a good educa-
ton, because he was an excellent
of no small amount Of legal
training. When the Mexican war
broke out he was one of the first to
enter the service of his adopted country,
and before its close had achieved the
full rank of brigadier general. He was
wounded at Chapultepec-it was at first
supposed fatally-and, returning home,
was crowned as one Of the real heroes
of the struggle. Later he was elected
to the United States senate by the legis-
lature of the state whose military honor
and glory he had served in the war.
think ne came to Minnesota at the
invitation Of Alexander FaribauIt, and
took charge of the business of that
gentleman while engaged in the task of
building up the interests of the beauti-
full and thriving city which perpetuates
his name-Faribault. When Minnesota
was admitted to the Union-in 1853
the Democratic party, having a ma
jority of the state legislature, chose as
the first senators Henry NJ. Rice and
James Shields. In
THE SENATORIAL LOTTERY
which always follows the admission of
new state. Mr.. Rice drew the long
term and Gen. Shields the short, being
succeeded in the senate two years later
by Morton S. Wilkinson, who had then
cast his fort unes with the new Repub-
llcan party.
Gen. Shields was personally acquaint-
ed with Abraham Lincoln. Indeed, the
story of how, just after the Mexican
war, there would have been a duel be-
tween Mr.. Lincoln and the doughty
Irish soldier if it had not been for the
patience OF the former, is part of the
history Of the two men. When the War
of the Rebellion broke out Gen. Shields
at once rendered his services to the
cause of the Union. and was given a
brigadier's commission by the president.
He was successful in his command dur
ing the earlier months of the struggle,
showed the splendid spirit of daring
that had made him the idol of his troops
in Mexico, and gave promise of brill
liant career in this second war of his
adopted country. But other and younger
men soon took the lead, and Gen.
Shields, stricken by ill health. and prob
ably not entirely satisfied with the COM
mands awarded him (there were rumors
like this at the time, remember), grad
ually dropped out of sightin the shuttle.
After the war he made his home in
Missouri, and was again elected to the
United States senate from that state.
This record Is unparalleled in Ameri-
can history. he being the only man thus
far who has filled a seat from three diff
ferent states in the national senate.
The saddest fact remains to be told.
He died several years ago in the village
of Carrolton, Mo-,
IN COMPARATIVE POVERTY,
and unless the neglect has been re-
paired quite recently his honored re-
mains lie in the little cemetery a mile
north of that town, with no stone to
mark his last earthly resting place. A
local Missouri singer, Lyon Leroy, thus
alludeS in rhyme to the fact that should
make every patriotic American blush
with shame:
While wealth its stately tombs can build,
And costly sculptures spread,
In wanton luxury to gild
The memory of its dead,