Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-07-17
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scarcely with any Of our public men can
Douglas be compared. The people Ike ID
compare him with Jackson, for lis cherry Ind
honesty. lie was likethe great triauivrate-L
Clay, Webster and CalhoupT-but "like in, diff.
ference" Like them In his gift of political
foresight, still ne had a power over the masses
possessed By neither. Like ClIy,in his charm
to make and bold friends and lead, his parts;
like Webster, in the massive substance, of his
thought, clothed In apt political words; like
Calhoun In the tenacity Of his purpose and the
subtllty Of his dialectics; he yet surpassed
them all in the homely sense, the sturdy
strength and indomable persistence with
which be welded the masses and electrified the
Senate. F is f1I c'3D ni ~
In the onslaught of debate he was ever fore.
most; his crest high aud his falohion keen
whether his antagonists numbered two or ten,
whether the whole of the Senate were against
him, he could stake raking FIRE at the whole
| group" Like the shrouded Junius. he dared
commons, lords and king, to the encounter;
but unlike that terrible Shadow, he sought no
craven covert bat fought in the open lists, with
q muscular and mental might which defied the
unreasoning cries of the mob and rolled back
the thunders of the Executive anathema. ID,
Douglas was no scholar, in the pedantc sense
OF the term. His reading was neither classical
or varied Neither was he eciolist. His re.
searches were ever In the line OF his duty, but
therein they we're thorough. His library was
never clear from dust. His favorite volume
was the book Of human nature, which he con-
snlted without much regard to the binding
He was skilled in the contests of the bar; but
be was more than lawyer. He easily separa-
ted the rubbish of the law from its essence
As jurist, his decisions were not essays; they
had In them something decisive, after the man
ner OF the best English judges. AS legisla-
tor, his practicalness cut away the entangle-
ments OF theoretic learning and ancient prece-
dent, and brought his mind into the presence Of
the thing to be done or undone. Hence, he
never criticised wrong for which he did not
Errovide remedy. He never discussed a ques.
ton that be did not propose measure.
His style was of that plain and tough fiber
which needed no ornament. He had felicity
in the use Of political language never equaled
BY any public man. lie had the right word for
the right place. His interrogative method, and
his ready and ft replies, gave dramatic vlvacity
10 his debates. Hence the newspapers readily
copied them and the people retentively remem.
bered them. CLEANS OF humor were not infre-
9uent In his speeches, as Ia his conversation. n
His logic had the reach of the ri1ed cannon,
which annihilated while they eilenced the bat
teries OF his opponents. ,...-....,
Douglas was partisan; but he never wore his
party uniform when his country was in danger
His zeal, like all excess, may have had its de
fects; but TO him who observes the symmetry anC
maguanimity of his life, 1t will appear that h'
always strove to make his party conservative o.
| his country. W af. -'a.ltf.s srt.. .-.I
! The tenacity with which he chung to hi
theory of territorial government, and the ex-
tention of suffrage, on local questions, from
4 State to Territory, and the absolute non.inter
vention by Congress for sake OF peace and union
while u made him enemies, increased the admi
ration of his friends. His nature shines ou
with it's loftiest grace and courage in his de
bates on these themes, 80 nearly connected
as he thought them with the stability Of the Re
public.
If 1t be that every true man is himself q
cause,a country, or an age; If the height of q
nation ia the altitude of its best men, then, in
deed, are these enlarged liberalities, which are
now fixed as American institutions, but the
heightened shadow Of Stephen A. Douglass
This is the cause-self- government in State ant
Territory-with which he would love most t
be identified in his countfy's history. He wa
ready to follow it to any logical conclusion, hav
ing faith in it as principle of repose, justice
and union.
Placed at the head of the Territorial Com
mittee, il was his hand which, on this basis
fashioned Territory after Territory, and lie,
State after State into the Union. The lates
constellation formed by California, Iowa, Ore
gon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and | may ad
Kansas, received their charter to shine and re
volve under his hand. These States, faithful :
his fostering, will ever remain as monuments o
his greatness! t.,W - sig e5
His comprehensive forecast was exhibited il
his speech on the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, OF
the 4th Of March, 1853; wherein he enforced
continental policy suitable and honorable to tn
New World and its destiny, now so unhappi
obscured. That speech was regarded by Judg
i Douglas as among the most valuable, as thin
it the most finished and cogent speech Of hi
life. His philippe against England, which tc
day has Its vindication in her selfish conduct tC
wards us, will remind the scholar of Demosther
es, while his enlarged philosophy has the swee
and dignity of Edmund Burke. 1t was thi
speech which gave to Douglas the heart
Young America. He refused to prescribe lin
ice TO the area over which Democratic principle
might safely spread. v'sI know not what ou
destiny may be.O "But," he continued, 81 tr
to keep up with the spirit of the age; to kee
in view the history of the country; see what "
have done, whittier We are going, and with viii
velocity we are moving, Ia order to be prepare
for those events which it Is not in the power
man to thwert.n He would not then see Il
limits of this giant Republic fettered By treat,
neither would be in 1861 see them curtailed
/ treaehery.y II he were alive to-day, he woul
repeat with new emphasis his'warning again
. England and her unforgiving spite, woundt
pride, and seliish policy When, in l647, he o,
vocated the policy Of terminating her joint o,
. eupation with us Of Oregon, he was ready
A back il by military force; and if war should 4
suit, "we might drive Great Britain and Il
1 last yestiges Of royal authority from the cont
/ nent of North America, and make the Unite
!, States an ocean bound Repnbnci' 'i!' 500
Al With ready tact and good sense, he brougl
= to the, fiscal and commercial problems of q
country views suitable to this ago of free inte
]. change and scientific advancement. a'-t
4 His position on the Foreign Affairs Commi
! tee of the Senate gave him scope Of view a
. road, which was enriched by European tray
4 and historic research, and which he ever us,
! for the advancement Of our flag and hon
among the nations. His knowledge of our d
= nestle troubles, with their hidden rocks al
Z horrid breakers, and the measures he propos,
: to remove them, show that be was q statesmi
q Of the highest rank, ft iorcalm or storm. .9if'l
> Some have lamented his death now asuntim
!. " and unfortunate for his own fame, since
o has happened just at the moment when the pc
N itician was lost in the patriot, and when he hi
!. a chance to atone for past error BY new dev
a tion. 7et rH mobseaf lt gGiGi0G l71n
q Me. Speaker, men do not change their natur
4 80 easily. The Douglas of 1861 was the Dou
d llas Of 1850, 1854, and 1858. The patriot WI
! Idenounced this great rebellion was the patri
y in every fold and lineament Of his character.-
h There is not page of his history that we g