M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-07-12

months at SO quarter, devoting his
Evenings to the study of some law
books which ho had borrowed in Jack
sonville, and on Saturday afternoon
practising before the Justice Of the
peace Of the town. In March, 1884,
he opened an Office and began prac-
tising in the higher courts, for which,
after examination, he had obtained IL
cense from the Judges ofthe Supreme
Court. lie was remarkably success
iul Gt the bar, as may be inferred from
the fact that within a year from his
admission, while no. yet twenty-five
years Of age, he was elected, by the
Legislature, Attorney General of the
State. This Office he resigned in con.
sequence of having been elected to the
Legislature BY the Democrats OF Nor
gan county. He took his seat in the
House of Representatives, the young
est member OF that body.
In 1887 he was appointed by Pres
ident Van Buren,, register of the land
office at Springfield, Illinois, q post
which he resigned in 1889. In No.
yember, 1887, Mr. Douglas received
the Democratic nomination for Con-
greea, although he was under twenty.
five years ofage, and consequently in.
elibiblo. lie however attained the
requisite age before the day of cleo
tion, which was the first Monday in
August, 1888. His Congressional
district was then the most populous
one In the United States, and the can
vass was conducted with extraordina-
ry zeal and energy. Upwards &c.
900 yotos were cast, the Wing candi.
date was declared to DO elected By a
majority Of five only. A number Of
ballots sufficient to have changed the
result, were rejected by the canvassers,
because the name of Mr.. Douglas was
incorrectly spelled. After this defeat,
which, Hnder tho circumstances, was
claimed by his friends as q victory,
Mr.. Douglas devoted himself exclu-
aiyely to his profession until 1910,
when he entered INFO the Presidential
campaign Of that year with SO mucba
ardor that he travevsed the State in
all directions for seven months, and
addlcssed more than 200 political
gatherings. 10 his eXertions was as
cribCd the adherence Of Illinois at that
election to tho Democratic party. In
December, 1910, Mr.. Douglas was
appointed Secretary Of State Of Hi
nois. In February, 1912, he was
elected by the Legislature a Judge Of
the Supreme Court, which Office he re,
signed in 1913, to accept the Demo.
cratic nomination for Congress, which
was urged upon him against his
known wishes, on the ground that he
was the only Democrat who could be
elected. After g spirited canvass Mr..
Douglas was chosen by upwards Of
100 majority, lie was reelected in
1914 by q majority Of / 900, and again
in 184G, by nearly 5000 majority
lie did not, however, take his seat
under the last election, having in the
meantime been chosen to the Senate
Of the United States for six years from
March 4th, 1857.
In tho House Of Representatives,
Mr.. Douglas was prominent among
those who, in the Oregon controversy
with Great Britain, maintained that
our title to the whole of Oregon, up to
81 deg. and 80 min was "clear and
unquestionaLle." He declared that
he "never would, now or hereafter,
yield up one inch o! Oregon, either to
Great Britain Or any other govern,
ment." He advocated the policy of
giving notice to terminate the joint oc-
cupation; of establishing a territorial
government over Oregop, protected by
a sufficient military force; and OF put,
ting the country at once into e
state Of preparation; so that if war
should result from an assertion Of our
just rights, we might drive "Great
Britain and the last vestige of royal
authority Of North America, and make
the United States an oceau-bound Re.
public" lie denied the right of the
federal government to prosecute q
system Of internal improvements in
the States, though he maintained the
constitutionality aud expediency of
improving harbors and navigable
waters, end advocated O system of
tonnage duties for that purpose to be
levied and expended by the local au-
thorities. He was mainly instrumen-
tel in securing the passage of the law
extending the maritime and admiralty
jurisdiction of the federal courts over
the great chain Of northern lakes, hay
ling reported the bill rs a member Of
the judiciary committee, and put it
upon its passage, when o member Of
the House OF Representatives. He
was among the earliest advocates of
the annexation Of Texas, and after the
treaty for that object had failed in the
Senate, he WAS one of those who in