Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-06-06
Death of Stephen A. Douglas.

Death OF stephen a. Douglas.
This distinguished gentleman died at
Chicago on Monday morning last, after an
illness of few weeks. His loss at this
time will be deeply regretted by all good
men, as he was among the first to tender
his services and support to the President
when the rebels unmasked their infamous
designs. The Secretary of War has, in a
feeling notice directed the colors of the diff
ferent regiments to be draped in mourning.
We annex a brief sketch Of the life of
Mr.. Douglas:
He commenced his career in cabinet ma
ker's shop, from which he entered several
academies of learning, and having removed
to the state OF Illinois when very young, where,
( year after he was admitted 10 the bar. when
not yet twenty two years Of age he was elect.
ed by the legislature attorney general of that
state. In December, 1885, he was elected a
member of the legislature of Illinois, where
he commenced that career as a parliamenta
rian and debater for which he since became
so eminently distinguished. In 1887 he re-
! ceived the nomination for Congress, at a time
when he was not yet twenty five years old,
| but attained the requisite age before the dav
! of election-and was defeated by the whig
candidate by majority of only fire votes.
In 1910, Mr.. Doug las was appointed Secreta-
ry Of State of Illinois, as 4 recUgni ton of the
services he rendered his party during the po-
| Htical struggles Of that year. In lS4I, the
Legislature elected him a. Supreme Judge of
that state, which position he resigned in 1913
to accept a second nomination for Congress,
and was elected after spirited contest by
small majority. In 1874 he was re elected
but did not take his seat, having been in the
meantime chosen United States Senator by
the legislature of his state. In the House of
Representatives, Mr.. Douglas gained great
promlnency for his support of the $40 pol
icy Of the Polk administration-his vote and
speeches fn favor of the annexation of Texas,
and other decided measures of the Democrat.
ic administration, then in power He was
chairman Of the committee on Territories
which reported the joint resolution for the ad.
mission of Texas, and after this admission,
supported James X. Polk during the war with
Mexico, with all his peculiar zeal and mental
might and power As chairman on the Com
mlttee Of Territories in the House of Repre-
sentatves, and afterwards in the Senate, he
reported bills for the admission of the terri
Utah. Washington, Kansas and Nebraska.
and also the bills for the admission into the
Union of the states of Iowa, Wisconsin, Cal
ifornia, Minnesota and Oregon On the
question OF slavery, he opposed the interfer-
ence Of Congress in the organization Of ter
rltorIes or admission of states, in taking one
side or the Other-a doctrine out of which
grew the agitation in which Mr. Douglas bore
such conspicuous part, and which has since
divided the Democratic party, and which led
to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
Whatever may be said now of the policy of
this repeal, it is fact that Mr. Douglas re-
mained faithful to it throughout his life, de
Tending it whenever it was assailed or viola
ted
1t is not our purpose to allude to the pOlit
ical trouble and contentious into which Mr.
Douglas was forced since 1856, any further
than to declare that he bore himself bravely
and n"bly in all his encounters. He may
have committed wrongs but they sprang
more from his zeal than from airy purpose
to injure his country, or impair the principles
of good government lie was a partizan of
uncomprOmising temper in the commence
ment of his career, but lived 10 modify his
feelings in this respect, and within the last year
went SO far rs to disregard party lines in his
fence of what he considered the safety and
the permanency of hisgovernment. During the
last Presidential contest, he was the candidate
Of wing Of the Democratic party and since
then has been the object of the bitter hatred
and opposition of the other wing, or that por-
ton which have been engaged in the unholy
war of dissolving the American Union.
e
Eas" The ReU. DR.. Fuller, of Baltimore,
chairman Of the Young Mems Christian AS
sociaton, who visited President Lincoln du-
ring the Baltimore troubles, and advised him
to yield to the Baltimore mobs, has it seems
been at a Baptist Convention at Savannah,
Georgia, where he reported resolution al
leging there is lawless reign ofterror at the
north, stigmatizing our soldiers as 81 hosts of
rufians and felons, burning with lust and ra-
pine" and other choice sentiments. This is
treason, and this reverend scoundrel will