George Forquer
Encyclopedia
George Forquer was a politician who served variously as an Illinois State Senator, Illinois' 5th Secretary of State
(1825–1828) and Illinois 5th Attorney General
(1829–1832). He was influential in creating the Illinois State Library, in part from a donation of his own personal collection. He also laid out and founded the town of Waterloo, Illinois
.
Forquer was the older half-brother of Thomas Ford
, who was the state's governor
from 1842 to 1846. The two shared a law office in Edwardsville
, and Forquer aided Ford in his early years as a lawyer and judge.
While in the state senate, Forquer proposed a loan of half a million dollars for the Illinois and Michigan Canal
.
He is chiefly remembered for an 1836 speech in the Springfield
Court House that backfired on him. Seven Whig
candidates for election to the State Legislature were there, as well as seven Democrats
. Among the candidates was a young lawyer seeking re-election, Abraham Lincoln
. After Lincoln's speech, Forquer, although not a candidate, asked to speak for the Democrats. "This young man needs to be taken down" he said, pointing to Lincoln, "and I'm afraid the task devolves upon me." Forquer was not only a sarcastic, yet effective public speaker, but also one who possessed a "superiority complex", and used both effectively against Lincoln. In fact, his speech was so successful that Lincoln's allies had feared his career was over.
When Lincoln rose to make his rebuttal, he mentioned that Forquer had accepted the position of Government Land Register from President Andrew Jackson
, along with $3,000 a year salary. The position prompted him to switch parties from Whig to Democrat, and the construction of a fine house in Springfield, complete with a curiosity residents had heard about but never seen, a lightning rod
.
Lincoln's reply was blistering. "Among other things he said, the gentleman commenced his speech by saying that 'this young man,' alluding to me, 'must be taken down.' I am not so young in years as I am in the tricks and the trades of a politician, but, live long or die young, I would rather die now than, like the gentleman, change my politics, and with the change receive an office worth $3,000 a year, and then feel obliged to erect a lightning-rod over my house to protect a guilty conscience from an offended God!"
Forquer Street in Chicago
is named in his honor.
Secretary of State of Illinois
The Secretary of State of Illinois is one of the six elected executive state offices of the government of Illinois, and one of the 47 secretaries of states in the United States. The Illinois Secretary of State keeps the state records, laws, and archives, and is the state's vehicle registration and...
(1825–1828) and Illinois 5th Attorney General
Illinois Attorney General
The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage...
(1829–1832). He was influential in creating the Illinois State Library, in part from a donation of his own personal collection. He also laid out and founded the town of Waterloo, Illinois
Waterloo, Illinois
Waterloo is a city in Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,614 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
.
Forquer was the older half-brother of Thomas Ford
Thomas Ford (politician)
Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...
, who was the state's governor
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
from 1842 to 1846. The two shared a law office in Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois
Edwardsville is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 24,293. It is the county seat of Madison County and is the third oldest city in the State of Illinois. The city was named in honor of Ninian Edwards, then Governor of the Illinois...
, and Forquer aided Ford in his early years as a lawyer and judge.
While in the state senate, Forquer proposed a loan of half a million dollars for the Illinois and Michigan Canal
Illinois and Michigan Canal
The Illinois and Michigan Canal ran from the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago on the Chicago River to LaSalle-Peru, Illinois, on the Illinois River. It was finished in 1848 when Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth presided over its opening; and it allowed boat transportation from the Great...
.
He is chiefly remembered for an 1836 speech in the Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
Court House that backfired on him. Seven Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidates for election to the State Legislature were there, as well as seven Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Among the candidates was a young lawyer seeking re-election, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. After Lincoln's speech, Forquer, although not a candidate, asked to speak for the Democrats. "This young man needs to be taken down" he said, pointing to Lincoln, "and I'm afraid the task devolves upon me." Forquer was not only a sarcastic, yet effective public speaker, but also one who possessed a "superiority complex", and used both effectively against Lincoln. In fact, his speech was so successful that Lincoln's allies had feared his career was over.
When Lincoln rose to make his rebuttal, he mentioned that Forquer had accepted the position of Government Land Register from President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, along with $3,000 a year salary. The position prompted him to switch parties from Whig to Democrat, and the construction of a fine house in Springfield, complete with a curiosity residents had heard about but never seen, a lightning rod
Lightning rod
A lightning rod or lightning conductor is a metal rod or conductor mounted on top of a building and electrically connected to the ground through a wire, to protect the building in the event of lightning...
.
Lincoln's reply was blistering. "Among other things he said, the gentleman commenced his speech by saying that 'this young man,' alluding to me, 'must be taken down.' I am not so young in years as I am in the tricks and the trades of a politician, but, live long or die young, I would rather die now than, like the gentleman, change my politics, and with the change receive an office worth $3,000 a year, and then feel obliged to erect a lightning-rod over my house to protect a guilty conscience from an offended God!"
Forquer Street in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
is named in his honor.