DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS
tutional measures for redressing wrongs. As
early as 1853 his name had been prominent in the
Democratic national convention of Baltimore for
presidential candidate and in 1856 it was again
presented to the national convention assembled
at Cincinnati, but when the majority of the
delegates declared their preference for James
Buchanan, Senator Douglas telegraphed from
Washington for his friends to withdraw his
name and in no case to have it used in a contest
under the two-thirds rule. The convention had
adopted a platform that fully covered the prin-
ciples always advocated by him and he came
into the canvass of 1856 fully competent to give
hearty support to the Democratic party. His
triumphant re-election to the senate in 1860 had
paved the way for his presidential aspirations
and the national convention at Charleston stood
ready to place him at the head of the ticket.
The withdrawal of the delegates from the
southern states prevented his nomination and
resulted in the breaking up of the convention.
When the convention reassembled at Balti-
more he received tlie nomination of a factional
ticket, John C. Breckenridge receiving the nomi-
nation of the southern Democrats and John Bell
that of the so-called Union party, and the election
in 1860 resulted in Breckenridge receiving 73
electoral votes. Bell 39, and Douglas 13. In the
popular vote he stood next to Lincoln, receiving
more than both Breckenridge and Bell combined.
After the election Senator Douglas used his in-
fluence in maintaining the Union sentiment and
he counselled the upholding of all constitutional
measures used by the President in putting down
the rebellion. He was a zealous champion of
President Lincoln and in his declining daj's he
dictated messages to his constituents and to the
Democrats of the entire country, counselling
them to preserve the union of the states. He
was a regent of the Smithsonian institution and
received the honorary degree of LL.D. from
Middlebury college, Vt., in 1851. He was married
in 1847 to Martha, daughter of Col. Robert Martin
of Rockingham county, N.C. She died, Jan. 19,
1853, and in November, 1856, he was married to
Adele, daughter of James Madison Cutts of Wash-
ington, D.C., who survived him and who was
married in 1863 to Gen. Robert WiUiams, U.S.A.
His son, Stephen Arnold, the sixth in line, became
a prominent Chicago lawj-er and political orator,
and his elder son, Robert Martin, became a su-
preme court judge in North Carolina. His Life
was written by James W. Sheahan and by Henry
M. Flint as campaign documents in 1860. He
died in Chicago, 111., June 3, 1861.
DOUGLAS, Wniiam, soldier, was born at Plainfield, Conn., Jan. 27, 1742; son of John and Olive (Spaulding) Douglas. In 1758 he engaged
as a soldier in the French and Indian war, rising
to the rank of orderly sergeant and taking part
in the capture of Quebec. After the war he
went to sea and later became a shipmaster, con-
tinuing successfully in the business until the
Revolutionary war, when he raised and became
captain of a company. In the fall of 1775 he was
placed in command of the flotilla on Lake
Champlain with the rank of commodore, and in
1776 raised a regiment in Connecticut and was
appointed its colonel. He saw active service in
the engagement of Long Island, Philipse Manor,
Croton river, White Plains and Harlem Heights.
His health became completely undermined by
exposure and labor and he returned to his home.
He was married, July 5, 1767, to Hannah,
daughter of Stephen Mansfield of New Haven,
and sister of Col. Jared Mansfield, U.S.A. They
had two sons, William and John. He died at
Northfield, Conn., May 28, 1777.
DOUGLAS, William Bradley, banker, was born in Troy, N.Y., Dec. 36, 1818; son of Alanson and Anna (Sutherland) Douglas. He acquired a thorough preparatory education and became a, clerk in his father's bank. He was married, June 3, 1841, to Charlotte Cornelia Dickinson, daughter of Orange and Soijhia (Rathbone) Ferris of Duchess county, N. Y. In 1843 he became caslaer of the Bank of Ithaca, N.Y., and in Janua;}', 1850, was elected president of the Mercanii!© bank. New York city. He retired from active business in 1856 and removed to Geneva, N.Y., where he was made a trustee of Hobart college and of the General theological seminary of New York city. He was a large contributor to the endowment fund of Hobart college and ,built the chapel for that institution. He removed to Rochester, N.Y., in 1870, where he built St. Andrew's church, the rectory, chapel and Doug- las Hall. He was also elected a trustee of the Rochester Church home. He was a member of the standing committee of the diocese of we.stern New York, 1857-64 ; trustee of the church fund, 1858-66; of the parochial fund, 1864-68; of De Lancey divinity school, 1860-66; and of the Cathedral chapter, 1880-98. His benefactions were divided between church institutions and individuals whom he helped in making a start in life or in recovering from fallen fortune. He died at Avon, N.Y., Oct. 19, 1898; Mrs. Douglas died in Rochester, N.Y., July 15, 1899. Two children survive them : the Rev. George William Douglas, D.D., who married Cornelia de Koven, daughter of the Hon. Hugh Thompson Dickey of New York; and Mary Hawley, who married Frank Addison Ward of Rochester, N.Y.
DOUGLAS, William Kirtland, educator, wag born in New Haven, Conn., May 29, 1827; son of John and Annie (Carter), grandson of Capt.
