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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to recognize the life and accomplishments
4of James J. Shields, who by the time of his passing in 1879, at
5the age of 73, had served his fellow citizens as a soldier,
6teacher, lawyer, judge, Illinois Supreme Court Justice, State
7Auditor, and State Representative; and
 
8    WHEREAS, James J. Shields arrived in America in the 1820's,
9a penniless Irish Catholic immigrant without a friend or
10patron; and
 
11    WHEREAS, James J. Shields served the public in numerous
12positions such as Illinois House Representative, Illinois
13Auditor of Public Accounts, Justice of the Illinois Supreme
14Court, U.S. Army General in the Mexican War, Governor of the
15Oregon Territory, U.S. Senator from Illinois, U.S. Senator from
16Minnesota, Union Army General in the Civil War, Missouri House
17Representative, and U.S. Senator from Missouri; and
 
18    WHEREAS, James J. Shields fought a duel with Abraham
19Lincoln over defaming newspaper articles supposedly written by
20Lincoln; bloodshed was avoided with Shields and Lincoln ending
21up as friends; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, James J. Shields, during the Civil War, handed
2"Stonewall" Jackson his only defeat at the hands of the Union
3Army at the Battle of Kernstown; and
 
4    WHEREAS, James J. Shields holds the distinction as the only
5person ever to be a U.S. Senator from three different states:
6Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we recognize James J. Shields, a little known, often
10overlooked, great American of Irish descent, whose
11achievements serve as an inspiration to all, immigrants and
12native born alike; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the Irish American Hall of Fame as a symbol of our
15recognition.