The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-06-15
An Appeal to the People.

An Appeal to the People.
The. following appeal, from high aud
influential quarters, will commend itself
to the sympathy of every citizen. It
should not he said that the mourning of a
nation has spent itself in words. Let their
be response which will stand on record
as monument of the deep earnestness of
the American people:
To the People Of tile United States, and more
particularly to the People of MinOis
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS is dead He has
fallen at the meridian of life. For twenty
five years he has served the public honor
ably and without personal profit. For
nearly twenty years he devoted his time,
his abilities and his labors to his State and
to his country. lie served both State
and country from love Of both, and not
from hope of pecuniary po6t. For the
last four years he gave up his time and all
other interests to his country, and, to the
utter exclusion of all business pursuits,
devoted everything, and, at last, his life, to
the salvation of the Republic. the integrity
of the Union, aud the maintenance of the
constitution. In the contest for these sa-
cred and patriotic objects he has fallen in
the very prime of life: but not until he had
rendered incalculable benefits to the Amer
lean people
Fellow -countrymen: While thus laboring
for your interests and the interests of your
posterity, his own means were::lost He
died not only poor, but has left to his wife
and children legacy of debt. The only
unencumbered piece of land-a small tract,
less than three acres-oi which he was
ever possessed, was, when he died, the
property of his widow At the request of
the people of Illinois, coming up to her
even in the hour of her sorrw. she sur
rendered his remains to the State, and
with them gave that piece Of land for his
interment, asking of the people only that
she might be allowed to reside near the
grave in which he reposeS she has thus
given to the people of Illinois all that was
left of Douglas This lot in which now
rest his ashes is in the centre of that
beautiful grove known as his long CHOSEN
and favorite home The surrounding por-
ton of the tract is covered with Mortaa-
ees His children, his widow and his
countrymen, to approach his grave, must
do SO by permission Of the sheriff. his
creditors. and strangers. Will the repub
lie prove ungrateful? Will the American
people, whom he has served co long and
SO faithfully, suffer his widow and hsssOr-
phans to be turned from the home he low
ed, the soil he defended to seek elsewhere
and from strangers, shelter and sup
port? Shall they be shut out from the
sight OF dis tomb. and denied the nelan-
choly satisfaction of being near his grave !?
Shall the wife and children of Douglas 60
forth homeless. houseless wanderers from
the State of Il!ineis
We propose TO the American people,
and particularly to the people of Illinois,
to raise by voluntary contributions, q
fund, to he administered by William \.
Richardson, William B. Ogden. john T.
Stuart, Zadee Casey, David Davis, Tomas
Drummond and John D. Cation, for the
redemption of so much of the property as
will furnish his widow with suitable
home at Cottage Grove or, if such selection
should, by such trustees, hereafter be
deemep inadvisable. 10 the purchase of
suitable home for them in the State OF
Illinois; and also TO be invested for the
support of the widow and the education
If the children ST Stephen A. Douglas
The Hon. John .. Cation. Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court Of Illinois, will act
as receiver of this fund, to whom all sub
scriptions, from States, counties, corpor-
atoms. societies, committees and indiyid-
uals will be remmitted. His address is at
Ottawa. Illinois
The Hon. Thomas Drummond Judge of
the Illinois States Court for the Northern
District OF Illinois will act as Treasurer.
We commend the proposition, fellow
countrvn!en, to your earnest and immediate
consideration.
RICHARD YATES, ]. i. ScANMox,
w. 4. RICHARDSON, d. A. GAGE,
WIN. B. OGnES, S,sL s MARSHAL,
ROBERT SMITH, Q. b. FrcKrIS,
JAS H. WooDwoRTH, JESSE X DrHo!s.
THos II. CAMPBELL, LEWIS p. EFwIo,
j. D. C.Toy, r. E. GooDELL,
SAM'L K CASEY.