Mexican government, accept an office at the hands of the United States government; at the same time highly appreciating and thankfully acknowledging the honor.

Governor Alvarado's six years of administration as Governor of California gave unbounded satisfaction to the Californians. A man of generous and extremely liberal disposition, courteous and affable, always prompt and ready to render assistance to the needful, always acting with an honesty and purity of purpose, perhaps none of his predecessors ever possessed the hearts of his people in so great a measure as he. He was universally esteemed and respected by all, natives and foreigners. Upwards of four hundred Mexican grants of land were issued in California by him, all of which have been more or less confirmed by the Government of the United States. As the head of administration in California, Governor Alvarado scattered among the people the commodities of justice, liberty, and prosperity.

The most remarkable traits in the character of Gov. Alvarado during his administration as Governor of Alta California were his utter disregard and great disinterestedness towards advancing and benefiting his pecuniary condition, and his exceedingly unostentatious disposition.

Since 1845, though repeatedly asked to accept public offices and trusts, he has positively declined every thing of the kind, preferring solitary and quiet retirement amid the rural shades of private life.

Governor Alvarado was married, in the year 1839, to Señorita Martina Castro, the daughter of a distinguished Californian, Colonel Don Francisco M. Castro. Nine children have been born to them: of these, three have since died, and six are living.

The Governor, although in the sixtieth year of his age, is hearty and robust, and would be taken for a man of forty-five years of age by those unacquainted with him. He resides at present with his family in his rural mansion, situated in the village of San Pablo, in Contra Costra county, where he has dwelt for upwards of twenty years.

THOMPSON CAMPBELL.

BY FRANK F. TAYLOR

LLINOIS can claim the honor of having been more pro

any other State of the Union. Certainly, from no other State have as many men, conspicuous for signal ability and great talent, emigrated, and become the adopted sons of California.

THOMPSON CAMPBELL was one of those whose fame was established in Illinois before California attracted the attention of the American people. This gentleman was born in Pennsylvania, in the year 1812. In that State he grew up to manhood, received a good education and studied law. Shortly after his admission to the bar, he ́removed to Galena, in Jo. Daviess County, Illinois, where, in a few years, he became famous for his oratorical powers, and where he acquired great distinction as a criminal lawyer. From 1838 to 1853 he practiced at a bar which numbered among its members many able menHon. E. B. Washburne, present Minister to France, Hon. Thos. Drummond, present U. S. Circuit Judge of Illinois, and others (who have since become noted in California) prominent among whom are Hons. J. P. Hoge, O. C. Pratt, and S. M. Wilson.

In 1840, Mr. Campbell was appointed by Gov. Ford of Illinois, Secretary of State, and acted in that capacity for one term. In 1846, he was elected a delegate to the convention called to amend the Constitution of his State. He took a leading part in the deliberations of that body. In 1850, he was elected a member of the National House of

Representatives, to succeed Hon. E. D. Baker. At the expiration of his term, in the spring of 1853, he was appointed by President Pierce U. S. Land Commissioner for the State of California, and immediately thereafter removed with his family to San Francisco. He did not long discharge the duties of this position, but resigned in order to practice his profession in the new and inviting field which San Francisco then presented.

He achieved marked success in the practice of law, and maintained the high reputation he had won in Illinois. He returned to the latter State in 1859, and resided in Chicago for about two years. He was warmly welcomed on his return to Illinois by numerous personal friends; and the Democracy, then about to divide into two hostile factions, watched his course with anxious interest. He was not long in deciding under which standard he would march, but espousing the cause of the weaker branch, threw the great weight of his name and influence against the "Little Giant."

In the campaign of 1860 he was one of the Breckinridge Presidential electors. Soon after the result of that contest was known, Mr. Campbell made a tour through Europe, after which he returned to San Francisco, and resumed legal practice. A man of his temperament and patriotism could not be silent while the war of the rebellion was raging. At the outbreak of that struggle he promptly and enthusiastically gave his support to the Union cause, and throughout its continuance he advocated, on every proper occasion, the principles of the Union party, and labored for their vindication with unabated zeal. Mr. Campbell had been a life-long Democrat; and suddenly to sever his connection with his party must have cost him much painful effort: but, possessed of a bold, comprehensive mind; of patriotic impulses, which made him disregard the ungenerous and sometimes severe criticisms of his old partisan friends, he was undaunted, and strode like a giant into the conflict with those who advocated the cause of disunion.

In 1863, he delivered a speech on the condition of public affairs, which was a meritorious and masterly effort,

and caused many hearty congratulations throughout the State, that the Union cause had in California so fearless, earnest, and eloquent a champion. So widely did his fame as an orator and a thinker extend, and so eagerly were his counsels sought, that in July, 1863, the proprietors of the Sacramento Union proposed to him that, if he would visit Sacramento and there deliver a speech on the state of the country, they would, at their own expense have it reported stenographically, and printed in full in the columns of their popular journal. This offer was accepted, and in the month named, Mr. Campbell made one of his ablest and most convincing speeches, in the Assembly chamber of the Capitol. Although he possessed the rare and happy faculty of readily extemporizing as well, yet this particular effort was evidently the result of careful and thorough preparation. The gubernatorial canvass was then progressing with great animation: Hon. F. F. Low being the Union, and Hon. J. G. Downey the Democratic candidate. On the occasion just referred to, Mr. Campbell, owing to a misapprehension as to time, commenced his speech at 8.45 o'clock, P. M., and closed at 12.30, A. M., consuming three and three-quarters hours of time. Being then in bad health, it was a subject of common surprise that he could speak, with voice clear and unbroken, for so long a time. His speech was printed in full in the Union, occupying nearly nine columns of that paper. The State Central Committee ordered 10,000 copies to be printed in pamphlet form, but soon raised the number to 50,000, for general circulation. It was widely circulated and received as a text-book of the party, and as the most able, instructive and exhaustive argument that had been or could be made on the subject upon which it treated. It was generally agreed that the decisive victory soon afterwards achieved by the Union party in California, was owing as much to the efforts of Mr. Campbell as to those of any other leader of the party in the State.

A few weeks after the delivery of the speech of which mention has just been made, Mr. Campbell was nominated as a candidate for the Assembly by his party in San Francisco. He was elected; and when the Legislature convened