The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-12-16

s. A. DOUGLAS by an Opposition Pa

s. A. DOUGLAS by an Opposition Pa
pSr.
The following sketch of Hon. Stephen
A. Douglas, by the editor of a Republic.
can paper, the Newburyport Mass } Her.
aid, is graphic and amusing. 1t appears
that the writer was passenger with
Judge Douglas on a trip in the cars from
St. Louis to Chicago, at the close of the
celebration of the Ohio and Mississippi
Railroad in June last:
That little man, with large round
head, brow almost as broad as Webster's,
and quick. active eye, that rolls under
q heavy projecting brow, watching every
other man, and not allowing motion to
escape him-with arms too short for his
body, which is full and round, as though
it never lacked the juices that supply life;
and with small duck legs, which had they
grown as long as his backbone, (and they
would probably, if Providence had not
foreseen that he wanted back bone more
than legs in the battle of ilife,) would
have made him Of respectable stature;
that little man is no less than the great
politician of the West, who attracted more
attention in the last four years than any
other man in the nation, and done more
to give directions to public affairs than
even the President, with million and a
navy, and treasury of North America at
his command 1t is the Little Giant"
Stephen A Douglas, with whom we part
ed at Vincennes, and who has slowly come
along, feeling the public pulse of the Sue
kers, up to Springfield, the capital Of the
State. ,5r- fsEf 9af4stf 7q5 T.; s4frs5
The means of success in Senator Dou-
glas are very apparent. First, he is re-
ally and intellectually agreat man, Eas-
tern people who view him only as low
politician, should disabase their minds in
relation to one who is to exercise wide
influence in the affairs ofthe country, and
very probably-for he is young-to be
the head of the Republic. He is mass.
i've in his conception, broad and compre-
hensive in his views, and in a good meas
ares is indowed with all those powers Of
mind that make statesman.
But he is greater still in energy OF
character. There are those who think
that defeat Of b m next year would be
his death in pal tics; but she man who
sprung, from the cabinet makers shep-sip
Vermont, and without father CT friend
| .. IL ,,l,oo
on the bench of Ju1ges-who enterel II.
iinois with less than fifty cents in money
and no, one cent in credit, aud has acqui
red great wealth and the highest station
aad influence, is not easily to be whipped
out. But if be is great in mind, anc
greater in energy. he is greatest in those
winning manners from which the world
calls him demagogue. Scarcely mar
| wooaan or child in the cars escaped his at
tention, or was passed by unspoken to
At one moment he talks with the old
stern ,visaged politician, who had beer
soured by thousand defeats and dis
appointments, in the next to that well
Informed and genial Kentuckian, who ha
Just sought free State; now he sits dowl
with the little girl just approaching he
teens, aud asks of her school studies
land he pats the little boy on the head
and in the presence of his fond mothe
and proud father, (what father is no
proud to see his boy noliced) speaks o
his mild eyes or glossy locks.
Again the lady is approached with
bland smile, aud goes home pleased to tel
/, her husband or father how he looks an,
what he says, and then half-a-dozen abou
him, all standing together. He can tai
religion with the priest as well as polite
with the statesman; he can congratulate
the newly appointed Buchanan office-hold
er, who has supplanted his friend, tell tn
displaced friend of the good time com
ing.' when his wing shall be up; and a
every station, more regularly than the con
ductor, Mr.. Douglas is upon the platforr
with good-by to the leaving and wei
come to the departing trayeler-a shak
of the hand with one man that stands q
the depot, and touch Of the hat to an
other. He knows everybody; can tell III
question that affects each locality; call th
name of every farm owner on the way; te
all travellers SO ,ething' of the hemes the
left that they never knew themselves, AM
suggest what they are adapted for in thi
life, aad what place they deserve il
Heaven. .ss7a8aaH a8s9 bas Ho5s ssssr.
j How, such a man as that, in contae
with every body, and capable Of pleas
ing everybody, and at the bottom wrap
ped up with the one idea of preferment
power and dominion among men, is no
easily to be put down; and his opponent
might as well believe at once, that man
a little giant indeed. He would be pop
ular in Boston or anywhere else, and hal
the three thousand clergymen' he denoun
ced, would have their hearts stolen if h
could speak to, them half hour"
w"Papa, didn't you whip me fo
biting Tommy"
"Yes my child you hurt him yer
much"
"Well, then papa, you ought to viii
l. - IL f~,, Ill l.: L