M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-11-17
Nhc Rev. Mr MiIburD'S Portrait
of Senator EOUglaS.

W. Ii. Milburn. The author is wide.
ly known as the blind Methodist" ,"
who at the age of twenty-five was
elected one of the Chaplains of Con.
gress. treason at one extreme he.
ing almost shut out" as in the case
of Milton, a rare aood Of celestial
light" seems to have shown in upon
his soul. lie writes, as he breaches,
ina strain oftouching earnestness and
poetic beauty. His sketches ofsever.
al of the leading members of Congress
.Ofthe present and the past generation,
including Webster, Clay, Calhoun,
Randolph, Pinkney, Stephens, and
Others, are truly admirable. That of
Senator Douglas We cannot refrain
from copying. 1t is accurately and
well defined as q photograph, and
when once started, will go the rounds
Ofthe press:
STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS The
first time ! saw him was in June, 1888,
standing on the gallery of the market,
house, which some of my readers may
reco!lect as situated in the middle OF
the square of Jacksonville. lie and
Colonel John j. Hardin we're engag,
ed in canvassing Morgan County toI
Congress. lie was upon the thresh,
old ofthat great world in which he has
since played SO prominent a part, and
was engaged in making one Of his
earliest stump speeches. | stood and
listened to him, surrounded by a mot,
ley crowd of lockwood farmers and
hunters, dressed in homespun or deer
skin, my boyish breast glowing with
eXultant joy, as he, only ten yeMs my
senior, battled SO bravely for the doc
trines of his party with the veteran
and accomplished Hardin. True,
bad been educated in political senti
ments opposite to his, but there was
something captivating in his manly
straightfWwardness and uncompro
missing statement OF his political prin
ciples. IIb even then showed signs
OF that doxterty in debate, and We
hement, impressive defamation, oI
which he has since become such q
master. lie gave the crowd the col.
or Of his own mood as lie interpreted
their thoughts and directed their sen,
sibilitieS. His first-hand knowledge
Of the people, and his powe to speak
to them in their own language, simpli.
flying arguments suited to their COM
prehenSion, sometimes clinching a Sc
ries Of reasons by frontier metaphor
which refused to be forgotten, and his
determined courage, which never
shrank from any form of difficulty or
danger, made him one ofthe most eff.
fective stump orators | have ever
heard.
Less than four years before he had
walked into the town of Winchester,
sixteen miles south west Of Jackson
vile, an entire stranger, with thirty
seven and hall cents in his pocket
his all OF earthly fortune. His first
employment was clerk of a 'vandue,
as the natives call sheriff's sale. He.
then seized the birch ofthe pedagogue,
and sought by its aid, and by patient
drilling to initiate handful Of half
wild boys into the sublime mysteries
Of Lindley Murray. His evenings
were divided between reading news
papers, Studying Blackstone and talk
ing politics. 1t Is a droll sight to see
a crowd Of men and boys gathered in
one of the primary conventions of
squatter sOvereigns, at a village store
on the public square, after night. 1t
is a RiaIto for the merchants, news.
room Tor the quidnuncs, a mixture of
the town-hall and caucus.room for the
politicians, and a theatre and circus
united for the huge entertainment of
the boys. The establishment is closed
for business, but the door is open for
all corners, and in winter time chez
ry fire is kept burning for the common
veal. The ''counter-hopper," as the
clerk is familiarly called, is on duty
as sentry, the COUNTERS, boxes, bales
and barrels are used as seats by the
potent assembly, while every one is
5olacing himself with quid of tobac-
60 laid away in his cheek, or a rank
cigar, POLITICALLY styled a cabbage.leaf.
The principal speakers are expected
% surround the stove, each with his
back toward it, his hands occupied in
keeping the tails Of his coat as far
lsunder as possible. The members Of
he society address each other by the
of their Christian names,
rs Pete, jim, Bill or Steve, and the
grand doctrines of liberty, equality
md fraternity are realized on the com
non level Of storytelling, smoke, to.
'acco spit, and boisterous declama.
ion.
Such are the debating. clubs where.
n | imagine most ofour Western ora.
ols, legal and political, have first
spread their unfedged wings and