Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-02-04
"A littl,," +" said the modest youth.

were handed him rs his share of the spoils
A the close of the sale. his wiring be
Ing something very superior TO the article
to which the people of Jacksonville had
been accustomed. he was asked whether he
would become II sclIonlmas.er. He greed.
provided the enormous salary of five hnn-
dred a year were secured 10 him. The
Jacksonville community agreed 10 the con
al ion, and I've eniered upon his du les us
scliuolmaster. The evening, he devo.eI Ia
The study of law; and such WAS his repu-
la.ion, or his good foriure. that. having
been admitted 10 practice on Attaining hi,
majority, IL 1884. he WAS ele cied by the
Legislature as States Attorney. over Col.
John j. Hardin, within year from that
time.
He had always taken lively interest in
politics, and has wrou.ht manfally in his
o"yhhood for Jackson. in his contest wi h
Adams. He Was now desiine, To become
ac i've sharer in poll zeal consests.--
When The election of ! 836 came round Jno.
}. Hardin WAS at the hsad of the Whis
.ick-t. His friends not uuna,urally annoy
ed a. Young Doug las triumph over Har-
lin before The legislature. challenged .iii
10 meet their C. amDion befar. the people,
aud one of the Demnrri ic ca.dilaies re
,isnin, in favor Of Donslas. he ran on ihr
regular ticket and was duly cleo ed. Ii il
pleasant TO remember that the contest,
.housh unusually acrimonious. was not a.
ended by any interruption p.t-r'
lercourse between the T; ais: to the day OF
poor Harlii's death he ccounied Stephen
il. Douglas one # his BEST friends.
In the f,llowing yea 1887 he ran for
Congress. His opponent, Mr.. Stuart. a
wellknown Whie. siumped the Safe with
him. they used the same conveyance, and
sometimes. il is said. slept in the same bed.
There were no better friends in Illinois
though they abused each other frish fully
al the meetings which took place every
evening. Al tie election Douglas was
l-f.ared BY 35 votes. The total amount cas-.
being over 36, ,OUO; and over loo votes for
d D,u,;., bcins rejected in consequence u
is name bei.'s 81 eIled Douglass ins cad of
Dougl,s
In l84J Illinois. as is known. went Dem
ocratic. and Douglas became Secretary OF
State. He relinqufshed his position for
hat of Judge of the State. IA life office, and
one watch was well sui.ed to the legal
mind Of Mr. Douglas. 1t was his service.
on the Supreme Court bench which earned
for him the sobriquet Of Judge" by
which he is slil best knowa in lhe West
ern country.
In l845 the Democratic party, being in
want of reli, e c:anliiate for Congress.
pitched upon Judge Doug las, bul, wiki al
honorable feeling. rare enough In political
conventions, Solicited him NOT to resi- "a his
oifice Of Supreme Court Jadse unlil the
..lec ion WIS decided. JuIgs Dsu slas re-
fused to consent To any such arrsn cement,
de had his doubts about re-eu,erlns the
political arena uad-r any circumstances
oul, in Difference To his political ,ssoeiates
he ut length agreed To put himself in nom
inaliou, aud again al before. slumpeI the
Safe in company wish his opponent. Mr.
Browning Both wrou sht So s,renuousy
that on the day ofelec lon b tn were In bel
side b.; side. quakiny with fever anI asue.
aud the returns were read to them in III.
intervals Of the chills.
Subsequent re-electipns followed, by
large majori.ies. and in 1917 he WAS cho
sen tn the hi sh aul responsible post If SEN
ator of the United States from Illinois In
the same year he married Il daus shter OF
Colonei Robert Marin. of North Carolina.
and with Ler Obtained large. amount of
lanld aud osher properly.
His services in Congress were useful.
He was strenuous opponent of the pre-
tensions of Great B.iaIn in relation "a Or
e son. and took "a Leading par- iii thu Il Ivo-
ctcy If manv other impprlant measures Of
the day. Among others he delivered the
lea ling speech on The resolution to refund
he fine phi by General Jackson under The
order OF Jul e HILL. for the declara, ion OF
mari i law al New Orleans during The war.
A touchins anecdo:e is conne;sei with ais
in 'erfsrence il athis matter.
During the Nashville Convention which
was held sometime af.erward. x-PresiIent
Jacksou invited The members 10 The Her.
mi age When Judge Douglas was presen-
led. the old hero exclaimed:
.'Are you the Mr.. Douglas of Illinois
who delivered speech in Congress show
Ing tina; / dil not violate the Constitution
at New OrIeans?'
II did deliver speech on that subject. >
said Douglas. modestly.
Then sit down here beside me. de-
sire to return you my thanks for that
speech. You are the first man | know
who has done me jusuce. You have re-
lieved NY mind from weight that has Ian,
upon it for thirty years. Let me thank you
Sir"
Senator Douglas heart was too full to
speak. He pressed the veterans hand
and withdrew from the room to conceal bis
emotion.
1t was in 1850 that Senator Douglas be-
came one Of the leading statesmen of The
country. His opposition to the insertion
of the WiImot Proviso ir the two and three
million bills-which was based on tht