Court by Governor Metcalfe, in 1831, and who was the
Whig candidate for Governor in 1832 against John
Breathitt, but was defeated by a very small vote, after
one of the most exciting contests in the history of the
State. He was six years a member of Congress, and as
a lawyer ranks among the ablest of the Kentucky bar.
  Richard A. Buckner, Jr., was born in Green County
December 3, 1810. He was educated at Centre College
and St. Joseph's Academy, of B3ardstown. For a while
he read law with his father! and graduated at Transyl-
vania Law School in the class of 1837. He at once lo-
cated in Lexington, and was soon the master of a large
and lucrative practice. At the early age of 25 he was ap-
pointed commonwealth's attorney for this district, and
rapidly won distinction as a most able and fearless pros-
ecuting attorney. Upon the resignation of Judge Wool-
ley, while yet commonwealth's attorney, and before he
had reached the age of 30 years, he was appointed circuit
judge by Governor Letcher, which position he held for
nine years, refusing to be a candidate before the people
after the adoption of the new constitution. He remained
in the practice until 1859, when the people of Fayette
County forced upon him a seat in the lower house of the
legislature. In 1861 he was elected speaker, and was one
of the ablest that has ever presided over that body. He
was an intense Union man, and to him, more than any
other one person, is due the course taken by Kentucky at
that critical period in our history. After the war he devoted
himself exclusively to the practice of his protession. His
oareer as judge was marked by one of the most celebrated
murder trials in the history of the State, at the outcome
of which the populace was wrought up to such a frenzy
that the judge was hung in effigy, as well as most of the
jury. The bar, however, unanimously came to his sup-
port, and indignantly denounced the unwarranted and
indiscreet action of the people.
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