Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/235

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DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS
213

instruction, as the object of his life, a purpose in which he was eminently successful. As a result of liis efforts the laboratory through successive en- larjrements reached a capacity for 270 students in 1880. He has been connected with various scien- tific societies, both as active and corresponding member. His publications include, " Tables for (Qualitative Chemical Analysis " (Ann Arbor, 1864) ; and, jointly with Prof. Albert B. Prescott, " Quali- tative Chemical Analysis " (New York, 1878 ; 8d ed., 1880).


DOUGLAS, Stephen Arnold, statesman, b. in Brandon, Vt., 23 April, 1818 ; d. in Chicago, 111., 8 June, 1861. His father, a graduate of Middlebury college and a young physician of high standing, died suddenly when Stephen was two months old, and the widow with her two children retired to a farm near Brandon. Here her son lived with her until he was fifteen years of age, attending school during the three winter months and working on the farm the remainder of the year. Determined then to earn his own living, he went to Middlebury and became an apprentice at cabinet-making. This trade he followed for about eighteen months, when he was forced to abandon it on account of impaired health. He then attended the academy at Bran- don for about a year. In the autumn of 1880 he moved to New York state with his mother, who had married Gehazi Granger, of Ontario county, and attended the academy at Canandaigua until December, 1832, when he began the study of law ; but, finding that his mother would be unable to support him through the long course of legal stud- ies prescribed by the state, he determined upon go- ing to the west, and on 24 June. 1888, set out for Cleveland, Ohio, where he was dangerously ill with fever for four months. He then visited Cincin- nati, Louisville, St. Louis, and Jacksonville, 111., but failed to obtain employment. Finding his money exhausted, he walked to Winchester, where he arrived at night with only thirty-seven and a half cents. Here he secured three days' employ- ment as clerk to an auctioneer at an administrator's sale, and was paid six dollars. During the sale he made so favorable an impression that he at once obtained a school of about forty pupils, whom he taught for three months. During this time he studied law at night, and on Saturdays practised before justices of the peace.

In March, 1884, he removed to Jacksonville, ob- tained his licence, and began the regular practice of law. Two weeks thereafter he addressed a large Democratic meeting in defence of Gen. Jack- son's administration. In a short sketch of his early life, written in 1838, from which the foregoing facts have been taken, Mr. Douglas thus spoke of this event : " The excitement was intense, and I was rather severe in my remarks upon the opposi- tion. . . . The next week the ' Patriot,' the organ of the opposition, devoted two entire columns to me and my speech, and continued the same course for two or three successive weeks. The necessary consequence was that I immediately became known to every man in the county, and was placed in such a situation as to be supported by one party and op- posed by the other. . . . Within one week thei-e- after I received for collection demands to the amount of thousands of dollars from persons I had never seen or heard of. . . . How foolish, how im- politic, the indiscriminate abuse of political op- ponents whose humble condition or insignificance prevents the possibility of injury, and who may be greatly benefited by the notoriety thus acquired ! . . . Indeed, I sincerely doubt whether I owe most to the kind and efficient support of my friends (and no man similarly situated ever had better and truer friends), or to the violent, reckless, and im- prudent opposition of my enemies." During the remainder of the canvass Mr. Douglas bore a promi- nent part, and on the assembling of the legislature, although not yet twenty-two years of age, he was elected attorney- general, an officer who then, in addi- tion to his other duties, rode the metropolitan cir- cuit. His oppo- nent was Gen. John J. Hardin. This office he resigned in December, 1885, having been elect- ed to the lower house of the legis- lature, of which he was the youngest member. The men- tal vigor and ca- pacity he there displayed, in strik- ing contrast with his physical frame, which was then

very slight, won for him the title of the " Lit- tle Giant," which followed him through life. In 1837 he was appointed register of the land-office at Springfield. In 1888 he was the Democratic can- didate for congress ; but his opponent was declared elected by a majority of five votes. Over fifty votes cast for Mr. Douglas were rejected by the canvassers because his name was misspelled. In December, 1840, he was appointed secretary of state of Illinois, and in the following February elected a judge of the supreme court. Here his decision of character was shown in the trial of Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet. A mob had taken possession of the court-room, intending to lynch the prisoner, and the officers of the court appeared powerless. In this emergency Judge Douglas saw a bystander idly looking on whose great strength and desperate courage were well known. Above the shouts of the rioters rose the voice of the judge appointing this man a special officer, and directing him to select his deputies and clear the court-room. In ten min- utes order was restored.

In 1843 Judge Douglas was elected to congress by a majority of 400, and he was re-elected in 1844 by 1,900, and again in 1846 by over 8,000 ; but before the term began he was chosen U. S. senator, and took his seat in the senate, 4 March, 1847. He was re-elected in 1852 and 1858, and had served fourteen years in that body at the time of his death. His last senatorial canvass was remarkable from his joint discussions with Abraham Lincoln. Each was conceded to be the leader of his party and the fittest exponent of its principles, and the election of one or the other to the senate was the real issue of the contest, which was for members of the legislature. Mr. Buchanan's administration was understood to be hostile to Mr. Douglas. The result of the election showed a Republican popular majority of 4,000 ; but the Democrats returned a majority of eight members to the legislature, which secured Senator Douglas's re-election. In 1852, at the Democratic national convention in Baltimore, he was strongly supported for the presidential nomination, receiving a plurality on the thirtieth ballot. In 1856 he was again a candidate at the Democratic national convention in Cincinnati, his friends