The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-06-07
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY. JUNE IL
Stephen Arnold Douglas.

stephen Arnold Douglas.
[The sketch of the life of the lamented
DOUGLAS, which we publish below, is from the
"New American Cyclop@dia," now in course
of publication. 1t was written in 1859, and of
course does not refer to the eventful career of
the Senator since that time.]
DOUGLAS, STEPHEN ARNOLD, an Ameri-
can statesman, born at Brandon, Rutland
county, Vermont, April %, 1913. His
father was native of the State of New
York, and physician of considerable rep
utation. He died suddenly OF appoplexy
when his son Stephen Arnold was but lit
tie more than two months old. The widow.
with her infant and daughter only eigh-
teen months older, retired to farm which
she had Inherited conformity with an un-
married brother. At the age of fifteen, her
son, who had received good common school
education, desired to prepare for college;
but his family proving unable to bear the
requisite expense, he left the farm, deter
mined to earn his own living, and engaged
himself as an apprentice to the trade of
cabinet making, at which he worked year
and half, partly at Middlebury and part
" at Brandon, when his health became so
impaired by the severity of the labor that
he abandoned the occupation altogether.
He has often since said that the happiest
days of his life were passed in the work
shop. He now entered the academy at
Brandon as student, and remained there
year. His mother about this time was
married to Mr.. Granger, of Ontario coun.
ty, New York, to whose son her daughter
had previously married. Young Douglas
removed with his mother to Canandaigua,
and entered, as student, the academy of
that place, in which he continued until
1888. He studied law in the Office of the
Messrs. Hubbell at the same time he pur-
sued his academical course, having finally
adopted that as bis profession. In the
spring of 1888 be went to the West in search
of an eligible place in which to establish
himself as lawyer. At Cleveland he was
detained the whole summer by severe illness,
after his recovery from which be went to Gin
cinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Jackson
vile, Ill. At Jacksonville be found his funds
reduced to 37% cents, and accordingly
walked to Winchester, little town sixteen
miles distant, where he hoped to get en-
| ployment as school teacher. He found
there large crowd assembled to attend the
auction sale of the stock of deceased ira
der. The auctioneer was without clerk
to keep the account of the sale, and per-
ceiving that Mr.. Douglas, who stood among
the spectators, looked like man who could
write and keep accounts, requested him to
serve in that capacity. Mr.. Douglas con-
sented, and acted as clerk during the three
days of the sale, receiving for his services
Sc. With this capital in hand he prompt
ly opened a school, and obtained forty pu-
pills, whom be taught for three months at
$3 quarter, devoting bis evenings to the
study of some law books which he had bor-
rowed in Jacksonville, and on Saturday
afternoons practising in petty cases before
the Justice of the Peace of the town. In
March, 1884, be opened an Office and began
practice in the higher courts, for which,
after examination, he had obtained license
from the judges of the Supreme Court. He
was remarkably successful at the bar, as
may be inferred from the fact that within a
year from his admission, while not yet
twenty-five years of age, he was elected by
the Legislature Attorney General of the
State. This Office he resigned in December,
1885, in consequence of having been elected
to the Legislature by the Democrats of
Morgan county. He took his seat in the
House of Representatives, the youngest
member of that body. In 1887 he was ap-
pointed by President Van Buren, Register
| of the Land Office at Springfield, Illinois, a
post which he resigned in 1889. In No
vember, 1887, Mr.. Douglas received the
Democratic nomination for Congress, al
though he was under twenty-five years of
age, and consequently ineligible. He hows
ever attained the requisite age before the day
| of election which was the first Monday in
August, 1888. His Congressional District
was then the most populous one in the
United States, and the canvass was con-
Quoted with extraordinary zeal and energy.
| Upwards of $4,000 votes were cast, and
the Wing candidate was declared to be
elected by majority of five only. A num-
| Der of ballots, sufficient to have changed
the result, were rejected by the canvassers
because the name of MIR. Douglas was
incorrectly spelled. After this defeat,
| which, under the circumstances was
claimed by his friends as a victory.
Mr.. Douglas devoted himself exclusively
to his profession until 184O, when he enter
ed into the famous presidential campaign of
that year with so much ardor that he ira.
versed the State in all directions for seven
months, and addressed more 6han 200 po.
litical gatherings. To his exertions was
ascribed the adherence of Illinois at that
election to the democratic party. In De.
cember, l840. Mr.. Douglas was appointed
Secretary of State of Illinois. In February
l04l, be was elected by the legislature a
judge of the supreme court, which Office he
resigned in l843 to accept the democratic
nomination for Congress, which was urged
upon him against his own wishes, on the
| ground that he was the only democrat who