The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-19
W. C. P. BRECKINRIDGE.
He Is An Unworthy Representative OF
q Famous Family

oAs~SON 49,
mouth Rock Anniversary-Charact
tics as Congressman.
William Campbell Preston Breckenridge,
defendant in the now notorious case OF
Pollard VS.. Breck inridge, ought to have
closed his career in a more fitting man.
ner than as the leading figure in mis-
cradle scandal. He bears family name
that is of itself passport to success in
a State where aristocracy of birth is es-
teemed so highly as in Kentucky; ana
he supplements his name with certain
mental ability, capacity for ora1orS'
and distinguished appearance that
have won for him easily position whlch
his character does not seem to nave
merited.
He belongs to that famous family OF
Kentnckv Breckinridges that has
contributed so much ability. patriotism
and perfidy to American history.
A Scottish Covenanter who escaped to
America when the House of Stuart was
restored, .esta bIished the family in Vir-
ginia.
Two able brothers, James and John,
figured in Virginia in Revolutionary
times; and soon after the close OF the
war the latter removed to Kentucky,
where he had long and distinguished
career, serving as United States Senator.
With Thomas Jefferson he drew the
famous Kentucky Resolution" that
small cloud which years after developed
intosthe storm of secession.
/. This John Breckenridge had two sons,
John and Robert Jefferson, each educat-
ed at Princeton and each an eminent
Presbyt erian clergyman. The one was
the father of John G.. Breckenridge and
the other of W.C.P. Breckenridge.
1t was during the rebellion that the
breckenridge family showed both its
loyalty and perfdy. The old clergyman,
John Breckenridge, was dead, when the
war broke out. but his brother, Rev.
Robert Jefferson Breckenridge, was
alive and a professor in the college at
Danville, KY. The family divided. The
sturdy old professor, who nearly forty
years before had abandoned politics for
theology when he found Kentucky
swinging away from his anti-slavery
views, held strongly to the Union, and
no doubt used all his influence to pre-
serve the loyalty of his sons, then just
coming to manhood.
But his famous nephew, John G. Brock
inridge, already Vice President of the
United States, was taking course
which was to end ultimately in open and
fragrant rebellion. One passage OF the
story of John G. Breckinridge's treason
as told by Mr.. Blaine is not without local
interest. Breckenridge had remained in
the Senate long after the other secess-
ionists had fed South. In fact his pres
ence and his hostile attitude towards
those measures intended to strengthen
the union, were bringing upon him the
imputation that he was spy OF the
Confederacy. 1t was under such circum-
stances that Senator Baker of Oregon,
even then wearing the uniform of colonel
of volunteers in which he was killed at
Balps Bluff few weeks later, turned to
Breckenridge with this fierce invective,
after the latter had excused some act of
tine Confederates: "What would have
been thought if, in another capital, in
a vet more martial age, Senator, with
the Roman purple flowing from his
shoulders, had arisen in his place sur
rounded by all the illustrations of
Roman glory, and declared that advanc-
ing Hannibal was just, and that Garth
age should be dealt with on terms of
peace? What would have been thought
if. after the battle of Cannae, a Senator
had denounced every levy of the Roman
people, every expenditure of its treasure,
everysappeal to the old recollecJions and
the old glories?"
"He would have been hurled from the
Tarpeian Rock" answered William Pitt
Fessenden, who sat near.
A short time after this the Senate
passed resolution that John G. Brock
inridge, the traitor, be expelled from
was not applied to any other of the Sc
cessionists who were expelled.
Tt was probably the influence of this
eminent, brilliant and wonderfully win
ming man that neutralized all the efforts
of the Rev. Robert J. Breckenridge to
preserve the loyalty of W.C.P. Breckin-
ridge. Many who have read the proceed
ings OF the tria! may conclude that &
| natural bent towards perfdy materially
assisted the cousenly influence OF John
C. Breckenridge The father had more
influence on the other son, joseph
Cabell Breckenridge, then just graduated
from the university of Virginia, who
at once enlisted in the Union army as
a volunteer, while his brother was en-
tering the Ninth Kentucky Confederate
Cavalry.
Although one son was in the Confed
crate army, the Rev. Robert J. Breckin'
RIDGE abated not one whit his loyalty tt
the Union. He was made temporary
chairman of the Republican nationa
convention of 1864 which renominate6
Abraham Lincoln, and his speech was
much quoted at the time.
Of tall figure, strong face and patri