Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-07-04
THE LAST HOURS OF MR.. DOUGLAS.


THE LAST HOURS OF MR.. DOUGLAS.
A Chicago correspondent of the Herald gives
the following account =
At about eleven o'clock on Sunday morning,
Bishop Dugan called at the request of the
friends to converse with Mr. Douglas, who was
then for the first time perfectly rational Mr.
Douglas Immediately recognised the Bishop,
and expressed his qualification at the visit
Bishop Dugan soon asked
Mr. Douglas, have you ever been baptized.
according to the rites of any church?' Mr. Doug
las replied
Never
The Bishop continued: DO you desire to
have mass said after the ordinances of the holy
Catholic church, The answer was:
NO sir, when dol will converse with you
freely
The Bishop then turned to Mr. Rhodes and
said: DO you think he is fully possessed of his
mental facultiesP'
Mr. Rhodes replied, 4 do not know; perhaps
you had better ask him again
The Bishop repeated his question, to which
Mr. Douglas replied, in full, strong voice:
you perhaps did not understand me. When
desire it, will communicate with you freely
The Bishop then remarked to Mr. Rhodes,
He is undoubtedly in his right mind, and does
not desire my Offices He then withdrew.
During the day (Sunday,) Mr. Douglas SEEM
ed to be much better, and strong hopes were
entertained of his recovery; he slept most of
the day, and in the evening seemed much re-
freshed. Mrs Douglas and Mr. Rhodes remain
ed with him during the night. At about four
o'clock on Monday morning he seemed to be
much worse and sank rapidly; his friends were
sent for, and at the request of Mrs Douglas,
Bishop Dugan again visited him. Soon after
the Bishop entered, he approached the bedside,
and addressing the patient, said
'Mr Douglas, you know your own condition
fully, and in view of your approaching dissolu-
ton, do you desire the ceremony of extreme
unction to be pertormed'
Mr. Douglas replied;
NO, | have no time to discuss these things
now'
The Bishop then withdrew. After he had
gone, Mrs Douglas requested Mr. Rhodes to ask
her husband if he desired the ministrations of
any other clergyman. Mr. Rhodes then said to
Mr. Douglas:
DO you know the clergymen of this city ?'-
To which Mr. Douglas replied:
Nearly every one of them
Mr. Rhodes-'Do YOU wish to have either or
any of them call to see you to converse upon
religious subjects
Mr. Douglas-'No, thank YOU
Soon after this, about five o'clock, he desired
10 nave ulS position III Ueu CndilSeu tue uiiiiuS
opened and the windows raised. Mr. Rhodes
lifted him to an easier posture, where he could
look out upon the street, and drink in the fresh
morning air. For a few moments he seemed to
gain new life. Then he began to sink away;
his eyes partially closed, and in slow and meas
ured cadence with considerable pause between
each accent, he uttered:
death Death l!-Death!!n
After this he seemed to revive slightly, and
Mr. Rhodes asked him whether he had any mes
sage to send to his mother or sister Sarah or
his boys 'Robby' and 'Stevie, to which he made
no reply, evidently not understanding the ques-
ton. Mrs Douglas then placed her arms around
his neck, and said:
MY dear, do you know Cousin Damp
Yes he replied.
Mrs Douglas continued:
Your boys, Robbie and Stevie, and your
mother and sister Sarah-have you any message
for them?'
The dying man replied:
Tell them to obey the laws and support the
Constitution of the United States
At about five o'clock Dr. Miller came into
the room, and noticing the open shutters and
windows inquired:
why have you all these windows raised, and
so much light"
Mr. Douglas replied:
$50 that we can have fresh air.
At Mr. Douglass request Mr. Rhodes changed
the dying mans position again in the bed for
the last time. He now lay rather down in the
middle of the bed, upon his left side, his head
slightly bent forward and off the pillow. His
wife sat beside him, holding his right hand in
both of hers and leaning tenderly over him
sobbng. Mr. Rhodes remarked to Mrs Doug
las:
Il am afraid he does not lie comfortable;' in
reply to which Mrs Douglas said:'
He is-very comfortable
These were his last Ineligible words. From
five o'clock he was speechless. When Few
moments before his death, his wife leaned low
ingly over him, and sobbngy asked, Husband
do YOU know me p he raised his eyes and smiled,
and though too weak to speak, the movement
of the muscles of his mouth evineea 'hat ne was
making an almost dying struggle to comply
with the request.
breoths after O'Clock slight rafting of his
,bront. A short, quick, convulsive shudder, and
stephen A. Douglas had passed from time into
eternity.