Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-01-05
And Many of the Best Laws on the Stat.
ute Books Are His 0rigina.
ti0ns
He Will Rally to His Standard the Best
Men When He Runs
Again,
For the Prairie State Has Always Rewarded
and Remembered Her Own
Honored Sons.

iams. Browning. Linder. Arnold, But
terfeld, Walker, Gillespie and many
others were frequently there in attend
ance upon the court.
From trying petty municipal cases,
and after passing through that ordeal
of Justices courts which seems TO be
the inevitable experience of many great
lawyers, young Cullom entered upon
broader field Of practice. In the Circuit
Court he found n higher plane for the
exercise Of his talents. and here he was
pitted against some Of the foremost
practitioners of those days. In these
plcation afforded him pronounced ad-
vantages over those whom success Is
prone TO render careless. As an advo-
cate. his presentation Of case before
jury was always concise and logical.
His object was to explain rather than
to confuse: to convince rather than to
dazzle.
Following the example Of Judge Lo-
gan. Lincoln and Stuart, In 1886 Cul-
lom made his debut into political life
by entering the race for membership
in the lower house of the General AS
scmbly. His legislative canvass was
successful. and he took his seat at the
succeeding session. He was now fair
~ launched in his political career. a
mere alluslon to the salient points OF
which Is all that the limits of the pres
ent article will permit.
Cullom had always been in sympathy
with the principles Of the Republican
party, and being warm personal
friend Of Abraham Lincoln, was one
Of his strongest supporters for the
United States Senate In 1858.
Notwithstanding all this, however.
and despite the variance In political
creed between himself and his con-
stltuents, so well pleased We're the lat
ter with his services In 1857, that In
1860 he was again induced TO become
a candidate for the Legislature, and
although the county gave the Douglas
electors a small majority, such was
his personal popularity that he was re-
turned to the House by a majority of
sixty-two votes.
The Republicans, now for the first
time, secured ascendancy in the Legis-
lature, and Cullom, on account of his
generally admitted qualifications for
the position, received the caucus noini'
lnat!on for Speaker, and was Of course
elected. thus securing the distinction
of being the youngest member upon
whom this honor had ever been con
ferred in Illinois. The future was now
full of promise for him, and his sue
cessful career as public man seemed
already secured As presiding officer
he graced the position with rare dig
nifty, fairness and courtesy, evinclnl
a comprehensive grasp Of Its compli
Gated duties, such as had not been seeI
In any American parliamentary body
since the days of the peerless Henry
Clay.
In 1862 he was appointed by Prcsi
dent Lincoln, in connection with Gov
Boutwell, of Massachusetts and Charles
\. Dana Of New York (then editor OF
the sum, n commissioner to eXamin,
and pass upon the accounts of quar-
tcrmasters and United States dlsburs
Ing officers. This was an importan
service and one which required the eN
erclse Of discriminating care and sount
judgment, and the intelligence an'
fidelity with which it was performed
We're shown by the able report whicl
was presented,
In 1864 he received the Republican
nomination for Congress, His compet
tor was his old preceptor, Hon. John I
. Stuart, then the sitting member. Tn
, canvass was most exciting, and II
issue showed that Cullom had succeed
ed in overcoming a Democratic major
. lty of 1865, and transforming 1t int
one Of 1,7S5 in his favor. On bein
transferred from the Legislature to Con
! gress he realized the fact that he ha
} entered upon broader field of actor
{ involving larger duties and higher II
I sponsibilltles. IL was during that II
: terestlng period Of reconstruction whe
g the best thoughts Of the ablest men @
, the nation were brought into constar
: requisiton, in the effort to solve tn
I, multitude of perplexing problems PR
e sented. An examination Of the Coz
!. gressional Globe reveals the fact tha
, he was an active and aggressive men
!. Der, taking his full share in the debate