The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-08-14

comparatively empty, but concluded in th'
J, presence ofan overwhelming audience. Afte
the adjournment of Congress, delegations
J, from many Of the States were Sent to a aimon
ster jackson Convention held at Nashville
} and Mr.. Dor glas was member Of the Illinois
! Committee. By invitation, he stopped a
J the Hermitage. Hundreds Of others wer,
calling to pay their respects to the old hero
i and to congratulate him upon his triumph
when Douglas entered. He was short anc
t plain, and attracted little attention. till pre-
: sented BY Governor Clay Of Alabama Or
the announcement of his name, the Genera
; raised his still brilliant eyes, and gazed for
moment on the countenan ancc Of the Judge
still retaining his hand.
scare you the Mr.. Douglas Of Illinois whc
delivered Speech last session on the subject
Of the fine imposed on me for declaring mar
tial law at New Orleans ?' he asked
81 have delivered speech in the House
on that subject" replied Douglas.
"Then STOP" said the General "sit dowl
here beside me II desire to return you my
thanks for that speech" y " Fil' #s1 I
And then, in the presence Of that distin.
guished company, the aged soldier express.
ed his gratitude for the words so kindly and
Justly spoken and assured him Of his great
obligations. At the conclusion Of the inter.
view, Douglas, who was unable to utter a
word, grasped convulsively the aged veterans
hand and left the hall. g g .a.
At his death, General jackson left all his
papers to Mr. Blair, the editor Of the Wash.
ington "Globe," and among them was a
printed copy fthe speech, wifi, this endorse.
ment, written and signed by himself "Ths
speech constitutes my defence !: I lay it aside
as an inheritance to my grandchildren"
In the famous Compromise struggle Of
1850, Judge Douglas developed great siren
9Th ofwill and wonderful executive ability.
With Henry Clay he was on the most friend
ly terms, and that statesman once said of
him, that he knew Of "no man so entirely
an embodiment of American ideas and Amer
ican institutions as Mr.. Douglas" It Is
well known that to Senator Douglas belongs
the credit ofinitiating the great "Compro-
mise Bill" and that, though reported by Mr..
Clay as from the Select Committee of the
Senate, it was in reality the California and
Territorial Bills drawn up by Mr.. Douglas,
Il 49,
united. 1t was at his own suggestion that
this was done and when Mr.. Clay objected,
on the ground that it would be unfair for
the Committee to claim the credit which be
longed exclusively to another, he rehnked
him, and asked by what right he (Mr. Clay)
ieoparded the peace and harmony of the ma
! ton, in order that this or that man might
receive the credit due for the origin of bill.
Mr.. Clay was so struck by the manner and
observation of MIR. Douglas, that he grasped
his hand and id,-"You are the most gen.
erous man living! aoW unite the bills,
and report them but justice shall neverthe-
less be done to you as the real author of the
measures" 1t has been.
| Some time after this, he had occasion to
visit Chicago, and his friends were desrous
that he should address the people in defence
of the principle involved in the Kansas-Ne-
braska Bill. On Saturday night he appear.
ed before his audience in the open square in
front of North Market Hall. His opponents
had been more active than his friends. Ten
thousand roughs, determined to make troub-
lie, had assembled there and when the speak
er appeared, they saluted him with groans,
cat calls, ironical cheers, and noises Of all
kinds. That sort Of thing in no way annoy
ed him. He was used to it. On similar
occasions he had by wit and godd-hum
succeeded in gaining respectful and gene
rally an enthusiastic hearing, and he expect
ed to do so now. He was mistaken. Fol-
four hours the contest ragged between them
He entreated, he threatened, he laughed al
them, told stories, beloved with the entire
volume Of his sonorous voice, but withou,
success. They defied and insulted him, un
til the clock in neighboring church-towe'
tolled forth the midnight hour. "Gentle
men," said Douglas, taking out his watch
and advancing to the front Of the stand, "i
is Sunday morning. | have to bid you fare
well. lam going to church, and you--car
90 to Whereupon he retired, and
the crowd followed, hooting, jeering, ant
screaming, until they left him at the door o
his hotel.
i No man living possessed warmer friends
, than Mr.. Douglas. saw tears of sorrow
fall from the eyes ofhard-featured Western
, men, when at the Charleston Convention
became evident that he could not'receive tn
Presidentiol nomination. Hard words wer
spoken and hard blows were given in hi
) cause there, and subsequently at Baltimore
; and it is doubtful if ever caucusing or strug
giles for success insured more bitter or last
: ing hatreds than were engendered durin
the prolonged contests at those places. TIL
E results of that strife, the subsequent can
5 vassing of the country in search of friend
t and votes, and the ultimate defeat, worke
( wonderful changes in him, morally and phys
. ically. All that in years past he had locke
s for, all he had struggled for. seemed put fol
E ever beyo his reach and he was from ths
hour he was different man. Fortunatel
S for him, gloriously for his reputation, tn
a people Of the South saw fit to rebel; an