The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-04-29

ana All possible ana was gwen. nut inc
C~N-@ovcrmor's system was too weak to
rally, and death came without his hay
ing rcgaincd consciousness.
Biographical.
Richard !. OgIesby was born in Oldham
county. J. July -. lN24, and came to
Illinois in l&;G. lie was admitted to the
bar in 1915. and the following year rolun-
t"crcd for service in the Mexican war as
lieutenant of co. &, Fourth Illinois reGi-
mcut. and fought in the battles of Vera
Cruz and Cerro Gordo. lie became Il
gold argonaut" in 1919, made a limited
amount in California, and returned TO Hi
auis in l>52.
In 1851 he enlisted in the civil war. and
at Fort Dnnelson. as brigadier general. he
lost 800 men. his brigade being the first
he was shot in the left lung. and was
carried from the field to die. but he re-
covered, and carried the ball in his body
to the day of his death.
For his bravery he had been promoted
during his recovery to major general. but
in the spring h" was obliged to retire
from active service on account of the
wound sustained at Cnrinth. He returned
home in 1864, and in the fall of that year
WAS elected governor Of Illinois. lie WAS
elected again in l>12. and for q third term
in 1854. In the last campaign his oppo-
ntut was Carter IL. Harrison. the most
popular democrat personally i'll the his
tory Of the state.
Uncle Dick did not serve his second
torn in full. .NS soon as the legislature
convened il elected him 10 the United
States senate. where he served the state
until March t. l>.H.
COY. D"lrshy j. survived by his widow
ana five childrru-Johu. jasper and Rich
ard J. bEl"Sby. Jr., Mrs. olive Snyder. Of
Kansas city. ana Miss F"licitc OglcSby.
who is now visiting in Paris, France.
Without regard to party lines. Uncle
Dick" OrI"shv had for more than Il zen
sH-FIlI F.-n tho idol st tho rtasFr'.a of Hi
npiS. In fact. from tn" time uf the break
ing out of the Mexican war. when h." had
just passed his majority. no question Of
public policy in the stat" WAS settled
without his having been taken into con-
ference. With u nig heart. and - brain
as biz as his heart, he could not have
been other than a hig man. II" started
in lii" = C"rp"ntrr's apprentice, tried
farming later on, and decided he was not
Il success in either. but the contact which
he had with IN" common people during
this cpriod. coupled with IL native i!cm-
ocratic spirit. which all tn" hnuors
h"apch upon him could not suhm"rgc. h
kept close I" IA" popular affections with
out moving or caring how he did II.
EX-G"v. Oglesby had no liking for ma
chine unlitiCs. In fact. that part of mod
crn political science WAS an absolutely
quantity to him. and yet no
man ever lived in Illinois who could in
iiu"uc" as many votes as h.. He relied
always ON tn" pc"pl" - the source of
political power. and in this h" followed
inc stiNlt OF -Alfsitlstfn Lincoln. VINO once
said To him: Dick. keep close to the pco-
pie: they ar" always right. and will new
er misicad you"
He" had Il" thought of political fences.
In campaign times he would tell the party
managers in his crude. direct way to nut
him where he would do the most good.
He would then pull his coat and wade III
for the party. Ills speeches were n
strange mixture of the commonplace and
the eloquent. At rural picnics he was an
oracle of political wisdom He adapted
his language 1" the calibcr and character
of the audience before him. and enforced
his points in Il homely way that never
failed to win applause and bring convic-
ton. OftcntimeS he descended To- the in
elegant and hinged on tn" vulgar. but his
words We're the imp"tuOUS expressions of
"A satnEuine. honest and unaffected nature.
As an illustration of the simplicity and
democracy of Uncle Dick. il is told of
hin that once when in New York during
the C~leveland-Blain campaign. and asked
his companion what kind Of place ii was.
The latter replied: Come in and see"
The two dined royalty on Il luncheon or
dered by the governors friend. who
wound up by asking Uncle Dick to smoke
anded out some fine Havanas. Uncle
them. when Il thought arrested him.
What the price of these he asked. |
"Iwcnty-iiye cents. said the clerk.
hoy o circulated Uncle Dick;
darsen't do it. Why. man alive. if they |
ever found out in Illinois that | smoked
- cent cigars. whether | paid for EN-
or not, theyd turn me out of the church. |
and 1t would ruin me forever. No, sir:
five cent cigars at home and ten cent ..
ones in New York are good enough for
me-
Although born in Kentucky. and resid-
ing there y years. h. joined the abolition
party in The north as soon as he could,
ana he attributed his antipathy to slavery
To 'Incie Tim who was the only slave
in the family in Kentucky. Upon the
death of the elder OClesby il was neces- !
sary 10 sell Uncle Tim at auction to di-
vide the money among the heirs. Il shall
the box ready for sale said ..T-rcI. ,
Dick Il Went up to him and said: I'm
Gle Tim. I'm going To work and earn
to buy you and set you free II
was 4 long struggle for he. but in ISt9
had saved several thousand doIlars in
California. and, sending part of the money
TO my brother. | purchased the freedom
OF the old man.. who was then past hi.
hnSf working dr.