stock- breeder of that place. The latter did not
speak enthusiastically. " What is it you want to do,
my boy?" he asked. "Well, sir, I want to study
lav," was the reply. "Good gracious!" remarked
ih« old gentleman ; " do you, indeed ? What ever put
that into your head? How much money have you
got?" "Well, sir, to tell the truth, I haven't got
any."

After a long consultation, his uncle offered him a
place temporarily as assistant herd-keeper, at $50 a
year, while lie could " look around." One day soon
afterward he boldly walked into the office of Rogers,
Bowen & Rogers, of Buffalo, and told Lhem what he
wanted. A number of young men were already en-
gaged in the office, but Grover's persistency won, and
ne was finally permitted to come as an office boy and
Have the use of the law library, for the nominal sum
of $3 or $4 a week. Out of this he had to pay for
his board and washing. The walk to and from his
uncle's was a long and rugged one; and, althougli
the first winter was a memorably severe one, his
shoes were out of repair and his overcoat — he h.id
none — yet he was nevertheless prompt and regular.
On the first day of his service here, his senior em-
ployer threw down a copy of Blackstone before him
with a bang that made the dust fly, saying "That's
where they all begin." A titter ran around the little
circle of clerks and students, as they thought that
was enough to scare young Grover out of his plans ;
Out in due time he mastered that cumbersome volume.
Then, as ever afterward, however, Mr. Cleveland
exhibited a talent for executiveness rather than for
chasing principles through all their metaphysical
possibilities. " Let us quit talking and go and do
H," was practically his motto.

The first public office to which Mr. Cleveland was
elected was tliat of -Sherifir of Erie Co., N. Y , in
which Buffalo is situated; and in such capacity it fell
to his duty to iiifiict capital pi''.ishment upon two
caiminals. In t88i he was elected Mayor of the
City of BufTalo. o'l the Democratic ticket, with es-
pecial reference to the bringing about certain reforms



in the administration of the municipal affairs of that
-'*•• ''r "^'r ?ff;.-e IF w=1} as that of Sheriff, his
periormaiice 01 uuty Jias generally been considered
fair, with possibly a few exceptions which were fer-
reted out and magnified during the last Presidential
campaign. As a specimen of his plain language in
a veto message, we quote from one vetoing an inioui
tous street-cleaning contract: "This is a time fo\
plain speech, and my objection to your action shall
be plainly stated. I regard it as the culmination of
a mos bare-faced, impudent and shameless scheme
to betray the interests of the peopls and to wors;
tlian squander the people's money." The New York
Sun afterward very highly commended Mr. Cleve-
land's administration as Mayor of Buffalo, and there-
upon recommended him for Governor of the Empire
State. To the latter office he was elected in 1882,
and his administration of the affairs of State was
generally satisfactory. The mistakes he made, if
any, were made very public throughout the nation
after he was nominated for President of the United
States. For this high offi'^e he was nominated July
II, 1884, by the National Democratic Convention a*
Chicago, when other competitors were Thomas F
Bayard, Roswell P. Flower, Thomas A. Hendricks,
Beniamin F. Butler, Allen G. Thurman, etc.: and he
was elected by the people, by a majority of al>out a
thousand, over the brilliant and long-tried Repub-
lican statesman, James G. Blaine. President Clcvo-
land resigned his office as Governor of New York in
January, 1885, in order to prepare for his duties as
the Chief Executive of ihe United States, in w hiih
capacity his term commenced at noon on the 4th ot
March, 1885. For his Cabinet officers he selected
the following gentlemen: For Sjcretary of State,
Thomas F. Bayard, of Delaware ; Secretary of the
Treasury, Daniel Manning, of New York ; Secretary
of War, William C. Endicott, of Massachuse't:; ;
Secretary of the Navy, William C. Wliitney, of N^w
York; Secretary of the Interior, L. Q. C. Lamar, cl"
Mississippi; Postmaster-General, William F. Vilas,
of Wisconsin ; Attorney-General, A. H. Garland, of
Arkansas.

The silver question precipitated a controverfjy be-
tweeii tliose who were in favor of the continuaiice of
silver coinage and those who were opposed, Mr.
Clevelar.d answering for the latter, even before his
inauguration.



LIBRARY

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^djz^uY tyy4




TWENTY-THIRD PRESIDENT,



;07











"O+o-tg^XlQ?-"^—-




[ENJAMIN HARRISON, the

Lwenty-thiid President, is
the descendant of one of the
historical families of this
country. The head of the
.jSij3 family was a Major General
Harrison, one of Oliver
Cromwell's trusted follow-
ers and fighters. In the zenith of Crom-
well's power it became the duty of this
Harrison to participate in the trial of
Charles I, and Afterward tc sign the
death warr.ant of the king. He subse-
quently paid for this witli his life, being
hung Qct. 13, 16G0. His descendants
came to America, and the next of the
family that appears in history is Benja-
vzm Harrison, of Virginia, great-grand-
father of the subject of this sketch, and
after whom he was named. Benjamin Harrison
w&s a member of the Continental Congress during
the years 1 774-5-6, and was one of tlie original
signers of the Declaration of Independence. He
wa three times elected Governor of Virginia.
Gen William Henry Harrison, the son of the



distinguished patriot of the Revolution, after a suo
cessful career as a soldier during the War of 1812,
and with a clean record as Governor of the Ncrtii-
western Territory, was elected President of the
United States in 1840. His caroer was cut short
by death within one month after ais inruguration.
President Harrison war born at 7Sol-''. B'^nd.
Hamilton Co., Ohio, Aug. flO, 18s3 His life up to
tlic time of his graduation by the Miami University,
at Oxford, Ohio, was the uneventful one of a coun-
try lad of a family of small means. His father was
able to give him a good education, and nothing
more. He became eng.aged while at college to tho
daughter of Dr. Scott, Principal of a female sehoo
at Oxford. After gr.aduating he determined to en^
ter upon the study of the law. He went to Cin
cinnati and then read law for two years. At tht
expiration of that time young Harrison receiv. vl tt .
only inheritance of his life; his aunt dying left iiin.
a lot valued at 1800. He regarded this legacy as \
fortune, and decided to get married at once, >ak3
this money and go to some Eastern town an ', be-
gin the practice of law. He sold his lot, and with
the money in his pocket, he started out witii his
young Wife to fight for a place in the world- lie



108



BENJAMIN HARRISON,



decided to go to Indianapolis, which was even at
llmt time a town of promise. He met with slight
encouragement at iirst, making scarcely anything
the first year. He worlied diligently, applying him-
self closely to his calling, built up an extensive
practice and took a leading rank in the legal pro-
lession. He is the father of two children.

In 1860 Mr. Harrison was nominated for the
position of Supreme Court Reporter, and then be-
gan his experience as a stump speake; He can-
vassed the State thoroughly, and was elected by a
handsome majority. In 1862 he raised the 17th
Indiana Infantry, and was chosen its Colonel. His
regiment was composed of ^he rawest of material,
out Col. Harrison employed all his time at first
mastering military tactics and drilling his men,
when he therefore came to move toward the East
witli Sherman his regiment was one of the best
drilled and organized in the army. At Resaca he
especially distinguished himself, and for his bravery
at Peachtree Creek he was made a Brigadier Gen-
eral, Gen. Hooker speaking of him in the most
ooraplimentary terms.

During the absence of Gen. Harrison in the field
lie Supreme Court declared the office of the Su-
preme Court Reporter vacant, and another person
was elected to the position. From the time of leav-
ing Indiana with his regiment until the f.all oi 1864
he had taken no leave of absence, but having been
nominated that year for the same office, he got a
thirty-day leave of absence, and during that time
made a brilliant canvass of the State, and was elected
for another term. He then started to rejoin Sher-
aaan, but on the way was stricken down with scarlet
iever, and after a most tr3'ing siege made his way
to the front in time to participate in the closing
incidents of the war.

In 1868 Gen. Harrison declined ' re-election as
reporter, and resumed the practice of law. In 1876
iie was a candidate for Governor. Althongh de-
ieated, the brilliant campaign he, made won Tor him
a National reputation, and he was much sought, es-
pecially in the East, to make speeches. In 1880,
as usual, he took an active part in the campaign,
and vfnt elected to the United States Senate. Here
uc set-ved six years, and was known as one of the
iblest men, best lawyers »nd strongest debaters in



that body. With the expiration of his Senatorial
term he returned to the practice of his profession,
becoming the head of one of the strongest firms in
the State.

The political campaign of 1888 was one of the
most memorable in the history of our country. The
convention which assembled in Chicago in June ana
named Mr. Harrison as the chief standard bearer
of the Republican party, was great in every partic-
ular, and on this account, and the attitude it as-
sumed upon the vital question^ of the day, chief
among which was the tariff, awoke a deep interest
in the campaign throughout the Nation. Shortly
after the nomination delegations began to visit Mr.
Harrison at Indianapolis, his home. This move-
ment became popular, and from all sections of the
country societies, clubs and delegations journeyed
thither to pa3' their respects to the distinguished
statesman. The popularity of these was greatly
increased on account of the remarkable speeches
made by Mr. Harrison. He spoke daily all through
the summer and autumn to these visiting delega-
tions, and so varied, masterly and eloquent were
his speeches that they at once placed him in the
foremost i-ank of American orators and statesmen.

On account of his eloquence as a speaker and hie
power as a debater, he was called upon at an im-
commonly early age to take part in the discussion
of the great questions that then began tj agitate
the country. He was an uncompromising anti
slavery man, and was matched against some of t!ie
most eminent Democratic speakers of his Stato
No man who felt the touch of his blade ds,:'red t^
be pitted with him again. AYith all his e'oq"ence
as an orator ho never spoke for oratorical effect,
but his words always went like bullets to the mark
He is purely American in his ideas and is a splec
did type of the American statesman. Gifted wit'u.
quick perception, a logical mind and a ready tongue,
he is one of the most distinguished impromptu
speakers in the Nation. Many of these speeches
sparkled with the rarest of eloquence and contained
arguments of greatest weight. Manj' of his terse
statements have alreadj' become aphorisms. Origi-
nal in thought, precise la logic, terse In statement,
3'et withal faultless in eloquence, he is recognized as
the sound statesman and bnlilan orator c tUv. day




LI'



11 qs<^JUj\^^





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yyCocC^x-coo^ ^^^^>^-^-



i



GO VERNORS OF ILUMOIS.








HADRACH BOND, the first
Ciovernor of Illinois after its
organization as a State, serving
from 1818 to 1822, was born in
Frederick County, Maryland,
in the year 1773, and was
raised a farmer on his father's
plantation, receiving only a plain
English education. He emigrated
to this State in 1794, when it was a
part of the "Northwest Territory,"
continuing in the vocation in which
he had been brought up in his native
State, in the " New Design," near
Eagle Creek, in what is now Monroe
County. He served several terms as
a member of the General Assembly
of Indiana Territory, after it was organized as such,
and in 1812-14 he was a Delegate to the Twelfth
and Thirteenth Congresses, taking his seat Dec. 3,
1812, and serving until Oct. 3, 1814. These were
the times, the reader will recollect, when this Gov-
ernment had its last struggle with Great Britain.
The year 1812 is also noted in the history of this
State as that in which the first Territorial Legislature
was held. It convened at Kaskaskia, Nov. 25, and
adjourned Dec. 26, following.

While serving as Delegate to Congress, Mr. Bond
was instrumental in procuring the right of pre-emp-
tion on the public domain. On the expiration of his
term at Washington he was appointed Receiver of
Public Moneys at Kaskaskia, then the capital of the
Territory. In company with John G. Comyges,



Thomas H. Harris, Charles Slade, Michael Jones,
Warren Brown. Edward Humphries and Charles W
Hunter, he became a proprietor of the site of the
initial city of Cairo, which they hoped, from its favor-
able location at the junction of the two greai
rivers near the center of the Great West, would
rapidly develop into a metropolis. To aid the enter-
prise, they obtained a special charter from the Legis-
lature, incorporating both the City and the Bank of
Cairo.

In 1818 Mr. Bond was elected the first Governor
of the State of Illinois, being inaugurated Oct. 6
that year, which was several weeks before Illinois
was actually admitted. The facts are these: In
January, 1818, the Territorial Legislature sent a peti-
tion to Congress for the admission of Illinois as a
State, Nathaniel Pope being then Delegate. The
petition was granted, fixing the northern line of the
State on the latitude of the southern extremity of
Lake Michigan; but the bill was afterward so amend-
ed as to extend this line to its present latitude. In
July a convention was called at Kaskaskia to draft a
constitution, which, however, was not submitted to
the people. By its provisions, supreme judges, pros
ecuting attorneys, county and circuit judges, record-
ers and justices of the peace were all to be appointed
by the Governor or elected by tl>e Legislature. This
constitution was accepted by Congress Dec. 30. At
that time Illinois comprised but eleven counties,
namely, Randolph, Madison, Gallatin, Johnson,
Pope, Jackson, Crawford, Bond, Union, Washington
and Franklin, the northern portion of the State be-
ing mainly in Madison County. Thus it appears
that Mr. Bond was honored by the naming of a



SHADRACH BOND.



county before he was elected Governor. The present
county of Bond is of small limitations, about 60 to 80
miles south of Springfield. For Lieutenant Governor
the people chose Pierre Menard, a prominent and
worthy Frenchman, after whom a county in this State
is named. In this election there were no opposition
candidates, as the popularity of these men had made
their promotion to the chief offices of the Slate, even
Defore the constitution was drafted, a foregone con-
clusion.

The principal points that excited the people in
reference to political issues at this period were local
or "internal improvements," as they were called.
State banks, location of the capital, slavery and the
personal characteristics of the proposed candidates.
Mr. Bond represented the "Coavention party," for
introducing slavery into the State, supported by Elias
Kelt Kane, his Secretary of State, and John Mc-
Lean, while Nathaniel Pope and Jolin P. Cook led
the anti-slavery element. The people, however, did
not become very much excited over this issue until
1820, when the fj.ni jus Missouri Compromise was
adopted by Congress, limiting slavery to the south
of the parallel of 3^° 30' except in Missouri. While
this measure settled the great slavery controversy,
so far as the average public sentiment was tempor-
arily concerned, until 1854, when it was repealed
under the leidershij) of Stephen A. Douglas, the issue
as considered locally in this State was not decided
until 1824, after a most furious campaign. (See
sketch of Gov. Coles.) The ticket of 18 18 was a
com promise one. Bond representing (moderately) the
pro-slavery sentiment and Menard the anti-slavery.

An awkward element in the State government
under Gov. Bond's administration, was the imperfec-
tion of the State constitution. The Convention
wished to have Elijah C. Berry for the fiist Auditor
of Public Accounts, but, as it was believed that the
new Governor would not appoint him to the office,
the Convention declared in a schedule that " an
auditor of public accounts, an attorney general and
such other officers of the State as may be necessary,
may be appointed by the General Assembly." The
Constitution, as it stood, vested a very large appoint-
ing power in the Governor ; but for the purpose of
getting one man into office, a total change was made,
and the power vested in the Legislature. Of this
provision the Legislature took advantage, and de-



clared that State's attorneys, canal commissioners,
bank directors, etc., were all '" officers of the State '
and must therefore be appointed by itself independ-
ently of the Governor.

During Gov. Bond's administration a general law
was passed for the incorporation of academies and
towns, and one authorizing lotteries. The session of
1822 authorized the Governor to appoint commis-
sioners, to act in conjunction with like commissioners
appointed by the State of Indiana, to report on the
practicability and expediency of improving the navi-
gation of the Wabash River; also inland navigation
generally. Many improvements were recommended,
some of which have been feebly worked at even till
the present day, those along the Wabash being of no
value. Also, during Gov. Bond's term of office, the
capital of the State was removed from Kaskaskia to
Vandalia. In 1820 a law was passed by Congress
authorizing this State to open a canal through the
public lands. The State appointed commissioners
lo explore the route and prepare the necessary sur-
veys and estimates, preparatory to its execution;
but, being unable out of its own resources to defray
the expenses of the undertaking, it was abandoned
until some time after Congress made the grant of
land for the purpose of its construction.

On the whole. Gov. Bond's administration was
fairly good, not being open to severe criticism from
any party. In 1824, two years after the expiration
of his term of office, he was brought out as a candi-
date for Congress against the formidable John P.
Cook, but received only 4,374 votes to 7,460 for the
latter. Gov. Bond was no orator, but had made
many fast friends by a Judicioas t - c:owraent of his
gubernatorial patronage, and these worked zealously
for hmi in the campaign.

In 1827 ex-Gov. Bond was appointed by the Leg-
islature, with Wm. P. McKee and Dr. Gershom
Jayne, as Commissioners to locate a site for a peni-
tentiary on the Mississippi at or near Alton.

Mr. Bond was of a benevolent and convivial dis-
position, a man of shrewd observation and clear ap-
preciation of events. His person was erect, stand-
ing six feet in height, and after middle life became
portly, weighing 200 pounds. His features were
strongly masculine, complexion dark, hair jet and
eyes hazel ; was a favorite with the ladies. He died
April 1 1, 1830, in peac? and contentment



LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY Or ILLINOIS

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Id^^^^u^ Co^u^<^



GO VERNORS OF ILLINOIS.




^ lEbwarft Coles.





DWARD COLES, second
Governor of Illinois, 1823-
, 6, was born Dec. 15, 1786,
in Albemarle Co., Va., on
the old family estate called
" Enniscorthy," on the
'â– i-y*' Green Mountain. His fath-
er, John Coles, was a Colonel in the
Revolutionary War. Having been fit-
ted for college by private tutors, he
was sent to Hampden Sidney, where
he remained until the autumn of 1805,
when he was removed to William and
(|Cr)a3i>2y Mary College, at Williamsburg, Va.
'T-ii^/tS, - ' This college he left in the summer of
1807, a short time before the final and graduating
examination. Among his classmates were Lieut.
Gen. Scott, President John Tyler, Wm. S. Archer,
United States Senator from Virginia, and Justice
Baldwin, of the United States Supreme Court. The
President of the latter college, Bishop Madison, was
a cousin of President James Madison, and that cir-
cumstance was the occasion of Mr. Coles becoming
personally acquainted with the President and re-
ceiving a position as his private secretary, 1809-15.
The family of Coles was a prominent one in Vir-
ginia, and their mansion was the seat of the old-
fashioned Virginian hospitality. It was visited by
such notables as Patrick Henry, Jefferson, Madison,
Monroe, the Randolphs, Tazewell, Wirt, etc. At the
age of 23, young ^les founa himself heir to a plant-
ation and a considerable number of slaves. Ever
since his earlier college dsys his attention had been
drawn to tlie questio 1 of slavery. He read every-



thing on the subject that came in his way, and
listened to lectures on the rights of man. The more
he reflected upon the subject, the more impossible
was it for him to reconcile the immortal declaration
"that all men are born free and equal " with the
practice of slave-holding. He resolved, therefore, to
free his slaves the first opportunity, and even remove
his residence to a free State. One reason which de-
termined him to accept the appointment as private
secretary to Mr. M idison was because he believed
that through the acquaintances he could make at
Washington he could better determine in what part
of the non-slaveholding portion of the Union he woulc
prefer to settle.

The relations between Mr. Coles and President
Madison, as well as Jefferson and other distinguished
men, were of a very friendly character, arising from
the similarity of their views on the question of slavery
and their sympathy for each other in holding doc-
trines so much at variance with the prevailing senti-
ment in their own State.

In 1857, he resigned his secretaryship and spent a
portion of the following autumn in exploring the
Northwest Territory, for the purpose of finding a lo-
cation and purchasing lands on which to settle his
negroes. He traveled with a horse and buggy, with
an extra man and horse for emergencies, through
many parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri,
determining finally to settle in Illinois. At this time,
however, a misunderstanding arose between our
Government and Russia, and Mr. Coles was selected
to repair to St. Petersburg on a special mission, bear-
ing important papers concerning the matter at issue
The result was a conviction of the Emperor (Alex-



1.6



EDWARD COLES.



ander) of the error committed by his minister at
Washington, and the consequent withdrawal of the
the latter from the post. On his return, Mr. Coles
visited other parts of Europe, especially Paris, where
he was introduced to Gen. Lafayette.

In the spring of 1819, he removed with all his
negroes from Virginia to Edwardsville, 111., with the
intention of giving them their liberty. He did not
inake known to them his intention until one beautiful
morning in April, as they were descending the Ohio
River. He lashed all the boats together and called
all the negroes on deck and made them a short ad-
dress, concluding his remarks by so expressing him-
self that by a turn of a sentence he proclaimed in
the shortest and fullest manner that they were no
longer slaves, but free as he was and were at liberty
to proceed with him or go ashore at their pleas-
ure. A description of the effect upon the negroes is
best desciibed in his own language :
• "The effect upon them was electrical. They stared
at nie and then at each other, as if doubting the ac-
curacy or reality of what they heard. In breathless
silence they stood before me, unable to utter a word,
but with countenances beaming with expression which
no words could convey, and which no language
can describe. As they began to see the truth of
what they had heard, and realize their situation, there
came on a kind of hysterical, giggling laugh. After
a pause of intense and unutterable emotion, bathed
in tears, and with tremulous voices, they gave vent to
their gratitude and implored the blessing of God
on me."

Before landing he gave them a general certificate
of freedom, and afterward conformed more particu-
larly with tne law of this State requiring that each
individual should have a certificate. This act of