The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-07
ADALL E., STEVENSON.

eiHsoi III tHe early Hlstois Vi 'hS D'eS
Grass State and Virginia. The branch to
which Mr.. Stevenson belongs came orlgi-
nally from North Carolina.
The early education of the man who has
twice been selected as q Vice Presidential
candidate by the Democratic party began
when he was about five years Of age, I'M
der Dr. T. F. Worrell, in one of the schools
of his native county. Young Stevenson
was later on sent to college at DanVliie.
Among his classmates were Senator-eiect
Blackburn, Of Kentucky; ex-senator pa'-
idson, of Florida and Ex-Governor NC
Creery. 1t is said by his contemporaries
that Adlai Stevenson always exhibited
great interest in history, and was fond OF
studying the political affairs of the world,
and especially those OF his own country.
He was an apt and a popular student.
In 1852 the Stevenson family removed
from Kentucky to Illinois. and settled at
Bloomington, where the eldest son entered
the Illinois Wesleyan University. When
twenty-one years of age he went to Centre
College. in his native State, returning
home, however, in 1857, on the death Oh
the study of law. and soon thereafter be-
gan reading in the Office Of Williams
& Packard, afterward Williams Burr.
In 1858, when AdIai Stevenson was in his
twenty third year. he was admitted to the
bar beginning practice in Metamora, WOOD
ford County ILL.,, where he remained for
ten years, holding office as prosecuting at
torney twice during sae decade. FROM
1861 to 1865 he held the position oil mas
ter OF chancery under the appointment OF
the circuit judge. During his career at
Metamora, Mr.. Stevenson gained reputa-
ton as a keen and learned lawyer. In
1868 he again took up legal work IN bloom
ington, and with his partner in the hrm
of Stevenson C Ewing, carried on an ex-
tensive practice in the State and Federal
courts An interesting fact at this time is
that the citizens of the Twenty-third 1u-
dicial district became SO favorably I'M
pressed with Mr. Stevenson during his resi-
dence at Metamora that, in 1864, he was
named as the Presidential elector for the
district
In 1867, shortly before commencing his
law practice in Bloomington Mr.. Stevenson
married Miss Letitia Green, the daughter
of DR.. William Green, his former instruct
or at Centre College. Danville. son and
three daughters were born to them
Mr. Stevenson has always been sturdy
Democrat. His political career may be
said to have commenced when he was
chosen as Presidential elector in 1864
During the Presidential campaign he spoke
in behalf of General Mcclellan in every
county Of the State of Illinois.
In 1874 in a district considered to be
reliably Republican by about 5000 ma
jority Mr. Stevenson was nominated for
Congress and defeated Gen. John McNulty,
the Republican nominee. by 1,2s5 majority.
In 1876 his party renominated him for
Congress, but this campaign went against
him. Again in 1878 his name was placed
on the ticket and for the second time he
gained signal victory. the majority in
his favor reaching 1900. The district
represented by him gave Hayes plurality
of 1000 in 1876 and Garfield like plural
ity in 1880.
In the Congressional contest Of 1880, as
in that of 1s76-both being Presidential
years, when party lines were closely drawn
Mr.. Stevenson lost his seat in the House
OF Representatives by little more than
200 votes. In 1882 he came within $50
votes of a victory. This was his last can
didacy for Congress.
In 1854 Mr.. Stevenson was sent az q
delegate to the National Convention. On
Grover Cleveland's election to the Presi- |
dency Mr.. Stevenson was appointed First |
Assistant Postmaster General. He made
an enviable record in discharging the oner- !
Gus duties Of this responsible position. At |
the end of this service he returned with |
his family to Bloomington. He did not re-
sumo his active part in the affairs of the |
firm of Stevenson Ewing, of which he |
city a great deal, especially on business |
connected with the Worlds Fair at Chi |
cago. In the interest of the exposition |
he travelled through the whole South and |
also made number Of journeys on diplo-
matte missions to Mexico and other dis |
tant points.
On June %, 1892 Mr. Stevenson was |
ming mate for Grover Cleveland, and the |
ticket was successful. After his four years |
in Washington, he again returned to |
Bloomington, where he has since led a |
quiet life, deyoting himself to the many |
industrial interests with which he is lden-
tilted In the State of Illinois.
In nominating Mr.. Stevenson for the |
Vice Presidency in 1892, Representative
Worthington, of Illinois. said:
"Mr. Chairman, and Fellow Delegates. |
Illinois has presented no Presidential can
didate to this Convention 1t has within |
its borders more than one favori,e son |
whom it would have delighted to honor. |
and who is worthy of all the political hon
ors that could be conferred upon him. But |
here in this great city OF Chicago, IN this !
great Commonwealth OF Illinois, bordering
centre Of this great Republic of the De-
mocracy, catching the vibrations OF the
ground swell that come from the South and |
the East and the West, We put aside our
favorite sons, for the time buried our State
pride, and, with Texas. Connecticut, and
California. with forty eight votes, shouted
the name OF Grover Cleveland.
But for the Vice Presidency, for the
second highest place in the gift OF the peo-
pie, it has a candidate so fully equipped
by nature and education that it feels that
it would be a political fault to fail to urge
his name for the nomination before YOU.
stand here then, gentlemen, to name as a
candidate for that position a man who is
known by every woman and child and
voter that ever licked a postage stamp in
any village or hamlet of the land