The New Student's Reference Work/Douglas, Stephen Arnold

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, an American statesman, was born at Brandon, Vermont, in 1813. His early youth was one of poverty; but he managed to spend three years at Canandaigua Academy, having the study of law in view. In 1833 he went west and settled in Jacksonville, Ill., where he entered on the practice of law and was so successful that he was chosen attorney-general of the state. He soon after was elected to the legislature, and in 1840 became secretary of state for Illinois. He was judge of the Illinois supreme court from 1841 to 1843, when he resigned and was chosen to Congress as a Democrat; and there he at once became recognized as one of the ablest men of his party. He strongly urged the admission of Texas into the Union, and supported President Polk in the War with Mexico. He was opposed to slavery; but believed that Congress did not have the right to restrict it to any part of the country. Hence he was strongly opposed to the celebrated Wilmot Proviso, which was intended to prohibit slavery in any territory that might be gained from Mexico in a treaty of peace. On the question of permitting slavery in the territories Douglas argued that the people who had settled in any particular territory should decide for themselves. This was the origin of the expression: Squatter Sovereignty. Douglas was elected to the senate in 1847, and in 1854 he introduced the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which provided that their own citizens should determine whether these territories should become free or slave-states. In 1860 the Democratic party split into two divisions, one of which nominated Douglas for president, and the other John C. Breckenridge. The ensuing election resulted in favor of Lincoln. Douglas was strongly opposed to secession, and delivered several addresses on the subject after the outbreak of the Civil War. He died at Chicago, on June 3, 1861. See Life of Douglas by Sheehan and Life by Flint.