Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-07-13
NO. 20.
stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois.

Z3d or April. 1919. lis Iatner, naulVe
of New York, and a physician of promi-
hence, died suddenly Of apoplexy, when his
son Stephen was little more than two months
old The widow, Mrs. Douglas, took her
infant and daughter some eighteen months
older, to farm which she had inherited
conformity with her unmarried brother =
Stephen received such an education as
common school could bestow, and, arriving
at the age of fifteen, looked anxiously to-
wards college course His family were
unable to afford the requisite expense; in
which event he, thinking it time to earn his
own living, left the farm and apprentioed
himself to cabinet maker, at which trade
he worked, partly at Middlebury, and part
ly at Brandon, for eighteen months. The
severity Of eighteen months application at
the carpenters bench SO impaired his health
that he abandoned his occupation. though
not without some regret, for be has often
since said that the happiest days of his life
were spent in the workshop Entering the
academy at Brandon, he studied for year.
when he removed to Canadaigua with his
mother, and entered the academy at that
place. Here he remained until 1883, STUD
ying law with the Messrs. Hubben.
Young, and with the instincts which lat
ent power creates, he desired fresh field !;
and SO, in the spring Of 1888 he started
West in search Of an eligible place in which
to WOO and win fortune as lawyer. Young
Douglas was Frustrated by severe illness,
and had to remain the whole summer at
Cleveland. After his recovery, he contin-
ued ais search for an ''eligible place." Wis
ting Cleveland, Louisville, and ST Louis,
in vain. At jacksonville, Illinois, he was
no Better pleased, though the state of his
funds-now reduced to thirty seven and a
half oents-offered some reason why he
might not proceed. If his pockets were
empty, however, his heart was full and
gave him strength; and applying this
strength to the best use, he walked to Win
chester, little town sixteen miles distant,
where he hoped to obtain employment as
In Winchester, a large crowd had col
]ected around the stock of deceasee trader,
which was about to be sold at auction. In
stinctively, young Douglas was soon in the
front rank of the crowd, to see what was
going on. The auctioneer was at stand
still. He wanted clerk TO keep the sale
accounts Douglas, looking like a man
who could read and write, was invited to
the clerkship, and promptly accepted it.
For his three days service in this position
he received six dollars, with which capital
he Immediately opened school and obtain
ed forty scholars, whom he taught for three
months at three dollars each. Spending
his days il teaching the youth of Winches-
ter, his nights were devoted to his own In
struotion. Borrowing some law books at
Jacksonville, he mastered their contents,
and on Saturday afternoons displayed his
book learning with great effect while prac-
tIcing before the justice of the peace Of the
town. After an examination, be obtained
a license from the Judges of the Supreme
Court, and in March, 1884, opened an Of
fee, and commenced practice in the higher
courts.
One year after his admission. while MOI
yet twenty-five years old, and not over eigh-
teen months a resident of Illinois, the Leg
lslature elected him Attorney General of
the State In December, 1885, be re-
signed this Office, having been elected to
the Legislature by the Democrats Of Nor
gan county. In 1887 he was appointed
Register Of the Land Office at Springfield, |
Illinois. by President Van Buren,, and held
he office until 1889, when he resigned. -
IN the meantime, although ineligible On
le score of age, Mr.. Douglas received the
Democratic nomination for Congress in No
7ember, 1887. Over $4,000 votes we're
cast, and the Wing candidate was declared
elected by majority Of fes-there being
more ballots rejected by the cauvassers in
Of the mis-spelling of Mr..
Douglas name than would have changed
he result.
Mr.. Douglas now devoted himself ex-
,lusively to his profession, and distinguished
himself especially in case touching the
rights of foreign-born voters. In 1870 he
entered upon the Presidential contest in fa-
vor of Van Buren, and Democracy with
great ardor. In December Of this year, Mr..
Douglas was appointed Secretary Of State
for Illinois; and ii February following he
was elected by the Legislature Judge Of
the Supreme Court. In 1843 he resigned
his seat on the bench to accept The Demo-
cratic nomination for Congress.
He was chosen by majority of four hun-
dred in 1914 he was reelected by ma
jority of nineteen hundred, an9 again, in
1916, by nearly three thousand majority
He did not take his seat under the last cleo
ton, having been in the meantime elevated
to the United States Senate for six years,
from March 4, 1847 in which high posi-
ton he has continued ever since. .,:
I'm the House Of Representatives Mr..
Douglas took prominent position on the
Oregon Controversy with England, main
tanning our title to the whole of Oregon up
to 81 deg 80 min, aud declaring that he
would never yield one inch of Oregon either
to Great Britain or any other Government
He was in favor Of the resolution giving
notice to terminate the JOINT occupation. end
advocated with great fervor the establish
nlent of a Territorial Government over Or
egon, under the protection of e sufficient
military force, and the immediate prepara-
ton of the country, so thai, in the event of
a war growing out of what he deemed the
assertion of our rights, we might ''drive
Great Britain, and the last vestige of royal
from the continent of North A
merica, and make the United States an ocean
bound republic"
He was an early advocate of the annexa-
ton of Texas. AS Chairman of the Com