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Stephen A. Douglas Is Dead

Stephen A. Douglas Is Dead image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
June
Year
1861
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A great calumity has beíallon the nntion. Stkpiikx A. Douolas ü dead. This sad e vent oceurred at the Tremont House, Chicago, at 9 o'elook and 10 minutes, A. M., on Monday Umt, June 3d, and thongh expeoted by his many friendo, its announcernent has made thoir hearts, aye, tho lio.rt of tho nation sad. Senator Douolas has filk-d a broader pago in the nation's history during the last eight years than any other cilizen ; has won more friends and made more bitter cnemies than any other man ; and hns gone to his grave at just tho hour when thoso enemies havo become his iriends and eulogists. The nation can III a fiord to spore its truc men at this time, and is not sycophancy to thu dead nor injusfiee to the living, to say that tho doath of no other stntesman at this particular juncture woulil havo iiiflicted so great a loss upoq tho country. At tho last eleetioD, the loading oj-.ppsing candidato to Abraham Lincoln-, he had throvvn aside all party ícelinga or personal joalousies. and had plantod himself by the side oí the President in dofenso of the Union again.--t traitorous attacks from whatever souroe they might come; and from his sick bod had proclaimcd it the duty of every good oitizeu to stand by the governmant to the last in this its day of trouble. Paitisana have eursod bira with the gall of bitterness, politioitl friends havo even diflered with him, bui his firm adhorence to principie, and steadfast devolion to the Union, have wipedoutall diiïerencey.smothcred all curses, and made a nation unite in lamenting hia untimely deceaso. A great man has died ; a great light has gone out ; a seat is vacant in tho Council Chamber of tho nation ; a strong will has bowed to the stern decreo of death ; Stephen A. Douolas it dead ! The prominent events in the life oí Stkpiikx A. DotooAs are wel] fcnown to our readers, and 3'et a brief glance at his career may net be inappropriate. He was born at Brandon, Rutland Go. Vt., April 23d, 1813, and was consequently 48 years old on the 23d day oí April last. His father, a nativo of New York, and a physician of some prominence, died when the subject of this notice was but little more than two months oíd, leaving a widow and two children, the eldest a danghterbut about eighteen months older than Stephen. The labors of his youth alternated between farm-work and going to school until he was fifteen, wheti he apprenticed liiinself to a cabinet maker. He continued at his trade but tbout a year, when the labor proving to severe lor him he abandoned it and went into tho Brandon neademy where hc also continued a yoar. At this time his sister bavibg rnarried a Br. Granger, and his mother herditughter's fathnr-in-law, young Douglas removed with his stepfathcr to Canandaigua, N. Y.( where ho puroued his academical studies, and studied law with the Messrs. Hubbell. In tho Spring of 1833 he launched out forthe great West, was detaincd in Cleveland the entiro summer bv BÏckness, and reachod Jacksonvillc, III., n the Fall with 37 cents as his wbole worldly store. Walking to Winchester, sixteen miles distant, he arrived in titne to get a situation as auctioneer's clerk, ond Bis dollars for his threo days vvork, with which capital he began business, reading borrovred law books nights, teaching school five-and-a-hali days in the week, and practising in justico's court Saturday afternoon. In 1834 he was licensed to practise in the higher Courts, and opened an office, and from thenceforth his career was onward and upward. Before he was 22 years old he was olected by tho Legislature Attorney General of the State, but resigned in Dec. 1835, he voters of Morgan county having oleeted him to tho Legislature. In 1837, President VanBureo appointod him regi.stor of the land office at típringfield, which office he resigned in 1839. In August 1838 ho ran for Congress as th9 democratie candidato, and in a poll ot over 36,000 votes was dofeatod by only 5, and that aftor the rojection of more than that numbor of deiective ballots. In December 1840 he was appointod Sec retar; oí Stato of Illinois, and in February 1841 tho Lcgislaturo elected him a Judge of tho Supreme Court, whieh office he resigned in 1843 to take a nomination for Congress, being assured that no other democrat could carry the district. Ho was elected by a majority of 400, was ro elected in 1844 by a majority of 1,900, and again in 184G by nearly 3,000 majority. Ho did not enter upon his third term of service, howevor, tho Legislature in the meantime eleeti.ig him to the Sonate for the full term commencing March 4, 1847 He was re-lected for the term commencing March 4th, 1853, and again, in the memorable campaigD against Mr. Lincoln, for a third term, commencing March 4th 1859. In tho last Senatorial contest he was as bitterly opposed by the Buosahan administraron as by the Eopublican party, but party and faction combined wcre powerloss to accompüsh his defent, The labor fíH'nied by tiim during tho campoign was unparalleled, and the rasalt a tributo to his talent, efiergy, nml will, His Senatorial cnreer is too recent to need comrr.ent. Siuce his introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska bilí at thu session of 1853-4, whicli repealed thu Missouri-Compromiso bilí, and renewed with ir.creased vigor the ngiíationof tho slavery question, ho has liad a fight on liis hands, and has maintained it unceasingly, swerving nover to the right or left. Tho principio of non intervontion in the aiïairs of the Territorios, once adopted by him was adhered to to the end, aod no execulivo írowns dictation or tb reates con Id mako him endorse the Lecomptoii constitutioD, which he justly ífgarded as a fraud upon tli5 people of Kansas especially, and upon the peoplo of the whnlo country, who, in tho election of Mr. Buciianan, had endorse d the doctrine of ' Popular S.n'ereignty." I3ut ve pass this by. Mr. Douolas vas a candida'.o for the notnination for tho Presidency n 1852, and again in 3 85G, receiving in tho convoTition of the formoryear 92 votes, and in that of the latter year ]21. In 1SC0 ho was again a candidate, and tho breaking up of the Charleston and Ba] ti more Conventions to prevent his nomination and election, and to enter tho wedge of diaunioa, r.rocvents iresh in the minds of all. But, nobly did he pass through the firo, never yielding to arrogrant dictation, standing by his principies and his country to the last, and dying with his country's flag floatng ovor hin. Mr. Douar.A.s was twico married ; April 7th, 1847, to Miss Martha D . Martin, o f Kcckirghrrn Co., N. C. who clied January 18th, 1853, leaving threo chikiien, two ol whoni- sons. we think - are living. His second wife to whom ho was married Nov. 20, .1856, was Miss Adele Cutts, the beauful and accomplished dnughtcr oí James Madison Cutts, of Washington D. C., íor many years Second Controller oí the Ireasury departinent. This wiíe and oue child survive, and with their grief is niingleJ the pympathy and grief of América' millions. jL3Ë= When thü intelligenco of Jutlge Dolólas' decease was reoeived in our city, the several flagl were lowered to half-mast as a slight token of tlie leeling of our eitizens of all classes. - Mrs. J. N. Graxger, only sister of Judge Douulas, whilo on her way to the depot at Clifton Springs, N. Y., to take the train for Chicago, on Sat urday last, was thrown from the carriage and b.idly injured, - The inothar of Judge Douglas resides at Clilton Springs, N. Y., and is overwhelined with grief at the intelligenco (.f her son's duatli. - Theru is no more maiked evi dence of the hold Jndge Douglas had upon (lio nition, [han the faet that politica) popels which fur yeara havo viod witli c:ic!i ottier in heapiug abuse upon hiii), dresh tlicir oolinnnij in the garb oí moarning at hw dttceaso. - In iriuiiy of the cïties'of the country, and in the severil military camps, the aDnotrocement of Judge Douglas, death causcd iriinute gt:ns to be fired, bells to be tollod, and flags to be draped in mourr.ir.g and hung Lt halfmast. - ïhc funeral of Senator üocglas is to take place at 10 o'clock, A, M., to-day" He is to be buried at Cottage Grove, his residence, on the Lake Shore, ncar Chicago. - The Chicago Tribuno, Eep., declares in iavor of the appointinent of a Douglas democrat to succeed Judgo Docglas in the Sonate.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus