The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-04
Senator Palmer, SeIf-Made Man
with 81 Clean, Brilliant Record in
Politics Well War.
GREY EAGLE OF GLEN LILY
BUCKNER, A MILLIONAIRE, LIVING
IN A KENTUCKY CABIN.
The Man to Whom Grart Sent the
Famous .sUnconditioua t %..- -~nder'
Letter-His PubItc: -'t~..e.

-
1917. Soon after his father, a soldier of the
war of 1872, removed to Christian county,
Kentucky. There young John received a
common school education and lived until
1881, when his father, a decided anti-slavery
man. removed to Illinois, settling about ten
miles from Alton. In 1884 John and his
brother EIihu entered Alton College. which
was organized on the manual labor system,
but the lack Of money compelled him to
withdraw. He worked for time in a COOP
ers shop, then became a peddler, and in
1898 became a teacher in a district school
near Canton. In tn So me year he began
to read law. In 1885 Ie removed to Car
linsyille and in December, 1889, he was adj
mitted to the bar. Less than two months
after settling at Carinville he became the
Democratic candidate for county clerk but
was defeated. In 1910 he supported Van
Buren, for President. In 1884 he was elected
probate judge. In 1917 he was elected to the
State constitutional convention, and at the
same time was defeated for reelection as
probate justice. The successful candidate
for this latter office resigned in 1s4S and
Mr.. Palmer was elected to fill the vacancy
From 1S49 to 1851 he was county judge and
from 1852 to 1854 he was State Senator. In
the latter year he opposed the Nebra ska
bill, and as he could not follow his party
on the slavery question, he resigned his
seat in the Senate He went before the
people on the new issue in 1856 and was re-
turned to the Senate. In 1856 he was pres
ident of the first Illinois Republican State
convention. Having changed his political
views he again resigned his seat in the Sem
ate and took no active part in the Fremont
campaign. Mr.. Palmer was a Republican
candidate for Congress, but was defeated
In 1850 he was an elector on the Lincoln
ticket. In 1861 he was a delegate to the
peace convention and favored the compro-
mise measures adopted by that body
In April, 1861, Mr.. Palmer was elected
colonel of the Fourteenth Illinois Regi-
ment. He accompanied Fremont on his
Springfield campaign and in October he was
made brigadier general of volunteers and
accompanied Pope on his New Madrid cam
palgn, being present at the capture of that
place and Island No. TO- In May, 1862 he
became i'll and was ordered home where he
remained until August when he organized
the Observation-Disclosures Illinois
Regiment In September he was given
command of the First Brigade of the First
Division of the Army of the Mississippi and
ordered to join Buel. For gallantry and
skill at Stone River, where he led division,
he was made major general OF volunteers.
He was at Chickamauga, and led the Four
teenth Corps in the Atlanta campaign from
May to September, 1864. General Palmer
was assigned to the military administration
of Kentucky in February, 1865, and for q
time had charge of the Freedmen's Bu-
reau in that State.
HIS TILT WITH SHERIDAN
From 1868 to 1872 he was Governor of ILL
nois having been elected by the Repub-
licans. Since 1872 he has been a Democrat
He left the Republican party because Gen.
Sheridan used federal troops to guard Chi
cago at the time of the great fire without
consulting the Governor General Palmer
declared that unless Sheridan's men We're
withdrawn he would drive them out with
the State militia. President Grant then Or
dered Sheridan to withdraw his troops. He
was the leader Of his party in Illinois before
it espoused siverism. and has the distinc-
ton OF being the nrSt Democratic Senator
from that state since the Gays of Stephen
A. Douglas. lie is a man of warm Impulse,
ana WINS friends easily.
General Palmer was nominated as a can
didate Tor United States Senator by the
Democratic members of the Legislature in
January, 1877, and was afterward twice
nominated for the same office and defeated.
lie was delegate at large to the national
Democratic convention IN 1884. In 1888 he
was nominated by the Democratic State
convention as candidate for Governor and
was defeated. In 1880 he was nominated by
the Democrats of the State as a candidate
for Senator and carried the State by 80 600
plurality. His election by the Legislature
will go down in history as a memora BILE
event. The Legislature was so made UP of
Republicans, Democrats and Popuiists that
no party had a majority on joint ballot.
There We're three PopuliSts, and it was
necessary for two of them to support either
the Democrat or the Republican to effect
an election. Each party had it's candidate.
David Streeter was the choice of the three
Populists, and they had great hopes of
forcing one or the other of the other par
to iAfva he, tn hi ola h.
only means of defeating the opponent. r.
j. OgleSby was the Republican candidate
candidate. The first ballot and many sub
sequent ballots resulted in a strictly parti-
san vote. The Republicans tried every
thing possible that could honorably be tried
to induce the Populists to vote with them,
but without success. They even withdrew
their candidate and substituted a man
whom they thought would be acceptable
to the Popuists, but still there was no
election Finally. after 152 ballots had been
taken, the three Populists held a confer
ence. They were Taubeneck. Moore and
Cockrell Taubeneck declared his intention
and Cockrel yielded and that night it was
heralded abroad that the l53d ballot, to be
taken the next day, would end the long
deadlock The next day the two Populists
voted fer Palmer. and thus made him the
United States Senator. His term will eX-
Many interesting incidents in the life of
General Palmer outside of those relating
been chronicled from time to time. Nearly
sixty years ago. as stated above, young
Palmer was peddler of clocks in Illinois.
One night in 1883 he reached Carthage and
found storage room for his timepieces at
the local hotel The placing of the timer
ant merchant was 50 easily accom-
piished. The tavern was crowded. there be-
ing a gathering OF the whole countryside in
the town at a political meeting. Stephen
\. Douglas, who was then candidate for
Congress, noting Palmer's manly appear
ance, shared his room with the young
stranger. The Little Giant" entered into
conversation with the youth, and, finding
him we'll educated and of q well-baianced
intellect, advised him TO quit the sordid
ranks of trade and study law. This adj
vice the young man followed, although the
difficulties with which he had to contend
were many and tough. 1t is not believed
that General Palmer ever regretted his
change of occupation. He is naturally and
essentially a politician, and the profession
of law has always offered the greatest OPP
portunities for advancement to one whose
tendencies are toward office and state
craft.
NEVER DYED IN THE WOOL"
His politics has never been of the dyed
in-thewool" variety and nearly every par
ty that has come prominently to the front
in half century has had the moral support
OF the Senator and also counted his vote.
1t was to his varied political experience
and intimate working knowledge of men
and parties that he owed his election TO