The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-01-04
The Rev. MIR. Milburn's Portrait of SEN
ator Douglas.

The Rev. Mr.. Milburn's Portrait of SEN
ator Douglas.
We make the following extract from q
work recently issued, entitled Ten Years
of Preacher Life, by the Rev. W. II
Milburn. The author is widely known as
the "Blind Methodist" who at the age of
twenty. two was elected one Of the Chap
Iains of Congress. e"Reason ct one ex
treme being almost shut out" as in the
case of Milton, a rare flood of celestial
light" seems to have shown in upon his
soul. He writes, as he breaches, in
strain of touching earnestness and poetic
beauty. His sketches of several of the
leading members of Congress of the pres
ent and the past generation, including
Webster. Clay, Calhoun, Randolph, Pink
ney, Stephens, and Others, are truly adni-
rabe. That of Senator Douglas we can
not refrain from copying. 1t is accurate
and we'll defined as a photograph, and
when once started, will 90 the rounds of
the press:
STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS. The first
time saw him was in June, 1888, stand
ing on the gallery of the market-house.
which some of my readtrs may recollect as
situated in the middle of the square of
Jacksonville. He and Colonel Har-
din were engaged in canvassing Morgan
County for Congress. He was upon the
threshold of that great world in which he
has since played so prominent part. and
was engaged in making one Of his earliest
stump speeches. / stood and listened to
|, him, surrounded by motley crowd Of
backwood farmers and hunters, dressed in
homespun or deer skin, my boyish breas'
glowing with exutant joy, as he, only ten
years my senior, battled so bravely for the
doctrines of his party with the veteran
and accomplished Hardin. True, ] had
been educated in political sentiments op
posite to his own, but there was some
thing captivating in his manly straight
forwardness and uncompromising state
ment of bis political principles. He ever
then showed signs of that dexterity ir de
bate, and vehement, impressive declama
tion, of which he has since become such {
master. He gave the crowd the color O
his own mood as he interpreted theI
thoughts and directed their sensibilities
His frst-hand knowledge of the people
and his power to speak to them In thei
e own language, simplifying arguments suit
ed to their comprehension, sometimes
: clinching a series of reasons by frontie
: metaphor which refused to be forgotten
and his determined courage, which neve
shrank from any form Of difficulty or dan
ger, mads him one of the most effectiv
stump orators have ever heard.
Less than four years before he hat
~ walked into the town of Winchester, six
teen miles southwest of Jacksonville, al
8 entire stranger, with thirty-seven and
= half cents in his pocket--his all of earth
fortune. His first employment was as
clerk ola 'vandue, as the natives call sher
! ifs sale He then seized the birch of tn
!, pedagogue, and sought by its aid. an6 b
= patient drilling, to initiate handful G
half-wild boys into the sublime mysterie
of Dindley Murray. His evenings wer
divided between reading newspapers
studying Blackstone and talking politics
It is droll sight to see crowd of me
and boys gathered in one of the primar
conventions of squatter sovereigns, at
! village store on the public square, afte
night. 1t is Rialto for the merchants
news room for the quidnuncs, a mixtur
. of the town hall and caucus-room for th
: politicians, and theater and circus un
ted for the huge entertainment of th
bows. The establishment is closed fe
business, but the door is open for a
corners, and in winter time CHEEKY fr
is kept blazing for the common wea
The "counter.hopper," as the clerk
lfamiliarly called, is on duty as sentry, th