The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-10-31

increased its brilllancy and power.
And, of course, he was the orator.
holding as charmed victims of his
fiery phrase and his orphean voice no
less the sages of legislative and
senatorial halls than the ruder and
less-thinking multitudes of voters of
Kaskaskia, Vandalia and Springfield.
Rushed from one occupation to
another, from one political Office to
another, he was at home, whatever
the duties assigned to him. His
talents were most varied in kind. AS
lawyer and as justice of the Supreme
Court of Illinois, he had his reward in
the genial companionship and the
esteem of the great men, OF whom
illinois was at the time the plentiful
parent, and all America the proud
beneficiary - Abraham Lincoln; John
NJ Palmer, f. b. Washburn, Stephen
4. Logan, to name but the few. AS
Auditor of the State Of Illinois, he
wrested from confusion and uncer-
tainty it's financial budget, and placed
it On secure and enviable founda-
ton. In legislative halls he was the
skilled debater, the magnetic speaker,
the promoter of whatever was wise
and Just, himself the author of several
useful and far-reaching measures. In
Washington they were the days OF
Webster Clay, Calhoun, Sumner, JEFF
ferson Davis, breckenridge. In no
way was Shields below the exalted
standard then set to the lawmakers
of America. / note but few OF the
famed issues, amid which he was the
consistent champion of righteous
patriotism-that of allotment of free
homes on the lands Of the national
domain to soldiers Of the Mexican
War, and to actual settlers, that OF
the extension of slavery to newly or
ganized states, that of the preserVa-
ton of the nation as one and indi-
visible. His own party was opposed
to him in the question of the extern
sion of slavery. The admission or
California to statehood was the occa-
sion. Shields greatest speech entered
into the debate. ! quote a passage,
showing not only his firmness of re-
solve with regard to the extension OF
slavery, and also his prophetic view
of thing to come, of things that are
today. Sir, they are laying the foun'
dations of a great empire on the
shores of the Pacific-a mighty en-
pire. an empire that at some future
day will carry your flag, your com
merce, your arts and your arms into
Asia, and through China, Hindustan
and Persia into Western Europe
Talk about carrying slavery there, OF
imposing such a blight upon that peo'
pie, of whitening their strength and
paralyzing their energies by such an
institution! No, Sir: such a thing was
never Intended by God and will never
be permitted by man." AS to the
perpetuation of the Union, his voice
always rose loud amid the threats OF
secession, then laundering through
senate and chamber-alwayS proclaim
ing that secession would be the
blacklist of crimes, the most stupid OF
follies, that never should America
hermit or endure it.
Always James Shields was the
truest of patriots, the most earnest
and loyal of Americans. Country was
his idol To country he gallantly
sacrificed personal interest, dictate OF
party, hope and prospect of popular
applause and approval And his
patriotism was of purest alloy. 1t is
the mdoubted and indubitable fact:
From every Office, of the many held
by him, at one time or another, under
the gift of one state or of another
Shields always went back to private
life with clean hands-poor in the
possession of all emoluments, save
that of honor and faithful service.