The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-06-19

rational last week, he seemed aware of thu
grave fears entertained in his behalf, and OF
one occasion said to those about him, that he
knew his constitution so much better thar
they did, he felt confident he should recove,
from the attack. Doubtless his will and
courage, joined to his great physical powers
had much to do with ais so long continuing
to resist malady before which feebler mer
would have rapidly succumbed.
Throughout Saturday it was feared he
could not survive many hours. As nigh,
fall drew near, without any positive change
having taken place in his desease, he We,
seemed easier, and so passed the night. Hs
bad Only briefintervals of CONSCIOUSNESS afte,
| this, but lay in quiet state, gradually bu,
surely sinking. At times he briefly rallied
but it was not to clear conception Of wha,
| was transpiring about him. On one occa
sion indeed it was evident that memory and
habit Of mind was strong in the dying states
man, and that his thoughts were once more
in the Senate Chamber : One Of his physi
clans Or. Hay, was administering blister
"What are you doing p. asked the patient,
"stop, there are twenty against me, the meas.
ure IS defeated"
Atan early hour yesterday morning he had
an interval Of rallying, was rational. convers.
ed briefly with those about him and then
sank gently and quietly until ten minutes
past A. NJ. when he breathed his last quiet.
ly. and without struggle.
His devoted and loving wife remained with
him to the last moment Madison Cults
his brother in law. Miss Young Of the Ire
mont House. B G.. Caulfield, and DR.. Hsv
were also present
In his last days. he gave those who stood
near to minister to his wants. the most con.
vincing assurances Of the depth and earnest.
ness OF the lively love OF country that filed
his heart. In his waking hours. as we'll .s
in those moments when the violence OF his
disease unseated his great intellect, he was
busy with national events, and the conflict
that is now upon US.
At Washington, in his maeininr-, and IN
the command for which nature had fitted
him, and which would have been bestowed
had he lived, he seemed to direct events and
dictate victory. And when the lucid inter-
vals came, he was, If. not so emphatic, not
less sincere. The salvation ofthe Republic,
was uppermost in his thoughts by day and
by night. His own condition the imminent
peril Of death, his complicated affairs gave
him no concern. Almost his last coherent
words. were an ardent wish for the honor
and prosperity of the Republic, by the defeat
and dispersion of her enemies. .rs 'rr.
For along time previous to his death Senator
Do, glas had been il . semi CONSCIOUS CON.
dition. During the morning of his death
h's mind and energies rallied somewhat As
his devoted and loving wife sat at his bed.
side, soothing and easing him with those
tender words and actions which only a wo.
man can employ, she asked the dying states
man If he had any message to send to his
boys, Stsphen and Robert. He seemed ii
first not to hear the question, and she re.
peated It. Rallying his strength. his eve
kindled up, and his whole frame seemed to
dilate, as he answered.
"Ygs! Tell THEM TO OBEY THE Laws AND
SUPPORT THE CoNsrrrTIos OF rHE Usrrrp
SrAFEs.n -. III, ~ ID
A short time after, he desired o be rsised
and his wish was complied with, SO that he
might look out from his window once more,
upon that city which had loved and honorcd
him so long. One of his friends expressed
doubt as to ease of his position, when ne
simply replied, "he, is--comfortable. In
his dying moments he family articulated
Death, desth, DEATH" and his great soul
had passed away. " ','ts, ? r. 3. j
Thus has lived and died, the great National
Patriot, Orator and Statesman. a
INA general way have traced his lofty
career, from its earliest commencement to its
glorious yet melancholy close and nov,
from the portals of his hallowed grave, let
US cast the retrospective eye, and for mo.
ment contemplate the vastness and sublimi.
~ Of his character-Stcphen A. Dougl was
no mere abstractionist he didnot belong to
that School Of modern metaphy sicians whose
unpracticablc minds are continually striving
for something too high for earth and hardly
fit for heaven. His was the comprehensive
and practical mind, far seeing. national and
expansive. No local prejudice circumscrib.d
it; its boundary. was the world its highest
maxim, the greatest good to the greatest
number Of her people, -
That be was truly great, none but the
ignorant and vicious will deny. With a
massive brain, impelled by lofty ASPIRATIONS,
An untiring energy and an indomitable will,
that the world has viewed with an admira.
ton aki1 to awe. and which has had no par
alell since the elder Napoleon, he was able
to grasp the greatest system and beat down
all opposition in the execution of its details.
With bravery that was heroic, his attack
was open, fearless and dreadful. With one
arm he smote the monster Lecompton, and
with the other, the enemies Of has country.
His political element, was nationality and
generous conservatism. In ore breath he
rebuked the fanatic Of the North, and in the
next the fire-eater Of the South. In Oratory,
he excelled as ready debater, and was con.
sidered on all hands TO be in the American
Congress-, what Charles Fox was admitted
to be IN the British Parliament, the greatest
and most accomplished debater that his
Country had ever seen. He was the ready
champion, always ripe for the combat. AL.
ways energetic, intimately versed in the pol.
itical history of the codntry, with memory
that retained, with iron impressiop, whatev.
or it received, he was formidable on all occa-
sions. In his disposition he was NOBLE
True and faithful 70 his friends, to his oppo-
nelts, Just. even generous. Ip his majestic
nature no petty hatred dwelt. Itsvitsl prin-
ciple vas exalted magnanimity-See it dis.