Red Wing sentinel., 1860-07-11

Legislature by the Democracy 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 President Van
Buren Register of the land office at
Springfield, Illinois, a post which he
resigned in 1889. In Nov. 1887, Mr..
Douglas received the Democratic NOM
ination for Congress, although he was
under twenty-five years of age and
consequently ineligible. He however
attained the requisite age before the
day Of election, which was on the
first Monday in August, 1888. His
Congressional district was then the
most populous one in the United
States, and the canvass was conduct
ed with extraordinary zeal and ener-
Icy. Upwards of thirty-six thousand
votes were cast and the Wing candi-
date was declared to be elected by a
majority Of five only. A number of
ballots sufficient to have changed the
result, were rejected by the canvas
sers because the name of Douglas was
incorrectly spelled.
After this defeat, which under the
circumstances, was claimed by his
friends victory, Mr.. Douglas devo.
ted himself exclusively to his protes.
sion until ls40, when he entered into
the famous presidential campaign OF
that year with so much ardor that lie
traverscd the State in all directions
for seven months, and addressed more
than $50 political gatherings.
10 his exertions was ascribed the
adhrrtnccs of Illinois at that election
to the Democratic party. In Decem'
Der. 1888, Mr.. Douglas was appoint.
I'd Secretary Of State for Illinois,
In February, ls4l he was elected by
legislature a Judge Of the Supreme
Court of the State which Office he re-
signed in le43 to except the nomina-
ton tor Congress, which was urged
upon him against his known wishes,
on the ground that he was the only
Democrat that could be elected
After a spirited canvass, Mr.. Douglas
was chosen by upward of 100 ma ajority.
He was reelected, in l844, by a ma
jority of l, 900, and again in 1916 by
nearly 5000 majority. He did no,
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 the 4th ot
Ma, ch, 1857.
In the 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
latitude "a degrees, 40 minutes, was
"clear and unquestionable." He de.
clared that che never would, now o,
hereafter yield up one inch of Oregon
either to Great Britain or any other
government" He advocated the pol.
icy Of giving notice to determine the
joint occupation of establishing a ter
ritorial government over Oregon, pro
tected by sufficient military force
of putting the country at once in 3
state of preparation, so far that if wal
should result from the assertion of ou,
just rights, war might drive .'Grca
Britain and the last vcstiges Of royal
authority from the continent of Nortf
America, and make the United States
an ocean bound Redublic."
He denied the right of the Fedora
Government to prosecute system O
internal improvements in the States
though he maintained the constitution
ality and expediency of improving riv
ers, harbors and navigable waters
and advocated scheme of tonnag,
duties for that purpose, to be leviet
and expended by the local authorities
He was mainly instrumental in secu
ring the passage of the law extending
the maritime and admiralty iurisdic
ton Of the Federal Courts over til,
great chain of the northern lakes, hav
ing reported the bill as member o
the judiciary Committee, and put it o,
its passage, when a member of tn,
House of Representatives.
! He was among the earliest advocate
Of the annexation Of Texas, and atte
the treaty for that object had failed i,
the Senate, he was one of those VIII,
introduced propositions, in the form o
'|joint resolution, as . substitute fo
THAT treaty. As chairman, of the com
mittee on territories in le46, he report
ed the joint resolutions declaring Tex
as to be one of the United States o
America. and he vigorously sustained
the administration Of President Poll
Il lin the measures which he adopted 70
the prosecution of the war with Mexi
,Ico, which was the ultimate conse
] t|quence of that act.
Il As chairman of the Territorial Com