The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-06-12
Death of Senator Douglas


nouncement has been received with
much sorrow III every pant OF the
country, for at this time when nearly
all partisanship is lost sig hit OF in the
generous patriotism Of the mass of the
people, the loss Of one of our eminent
public men, pledged to the mainten-
ance of the Union, is to be regarded
as a national misfortune. In all his
political career Mr.. Douglas has been
a warm and devoted friend of the
Union, and his recently published let
ter, the last of his public acts, de-
nounces the rebellion and declares
clearly and Enthusiastically his love FOR
the Union as it was founded by the
fathers of the republic. No man ia
the country possessed so large degree
of influence with the Democratic Or
ganization, and that was exerted in
the most loyal spirit His life was
notable example of the manner in
which ability, without the advantages
of birth or fortune, can attain public
prominence and position in a country
like our own, and his success was so
uniform aud constant up to the last
wear of his life that he seemed above
the common accidents of life A slight
sketch Of his career may not be unac-
ceptable to our readers, which we
copy from The New american En-
encyclopaedia
Stephen A. Douglas was born at
Brandon, Rutland county, Vt, April
90, 1913. His father was native Of
the State of New York, and ply
stefan of considerable reputation. He
died suddenly of apoplexy when Ste
phen was but little more Than two
months old. The widoS, with her
infant and daughter only eighteen
months older, retired to farm which
she had inherited conformity with an
unmarried brother. AT the age of
fifteen her son, who had received a
good common school education, desir-
ed to prepare for college but his fam
lily proving unable to bear the requisite
expense, he left the farm, determined
to earn his own living, and engaged
himself as an apprentice to the trade
of cabinet making. at which he work
ed year and halt, partly at Mid
dlebnry and partly at Brandon, when
his health became so near impaired
with 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 workshop. He now entered
the Academy at Brandon, as student,
and remained there a year His moth
err, about this time, was married to
Mr.. Granger, of Ontario county n.
Y, to whose son her daughter had
been married. Young Douglas re-
moved with his mother to Canandaigua
and entered as student the academy
of that place in which he continued
till 1888 He studied law in the
Office Of the Messrs. Hubbell, at the
same time that he pursued his academi-
cal course, having finally adopted that
as his profession.
In the Spring of 1888 he went to
the West in search of an eligible loca-
ton in which to establish himself as
lawyer. In Cleveland he was detained
the whole summer by severe illness, af-
ter his recovery from which, he went
to Cincinnati, St. Louis and Jackson
vile, he found his funds reduced to 81
cents. and accordingly he walked to
Winchester, little town l6 miles
distant, where he expected to get en-
ployment as school teacher. He
found there large crowd assembled
to attend the auction sale of a de-
ceased trader The auctioneer was
without clerk to keep the accounts
of the sale, and perceiving that Mr..
Douglas, who stood among the spec
tators, looked like q man who could
write and keep accounts, requested
him to serve in that capacity. Mr.
Douglas consented, and acted as clerk
during the three days of the sale, re-
ceiving for his services Sc.
With this property in hand he
promptly opened a school, and OBJ
tanned forty pupils, whom he Taught
for three months at So quarter, de-
voting his earnings to the study of
some law books which he had borrow
ed in Jacksonville, and on Saturday
afternoon practising in petty cases be-
fore the Justice of Peace of the
town.
In March 1885, he opened an Of
flee and began practice in higher
Courts, for which, after examination,
he had obtained license from the Jud-
ges of the Supreme Court. He was
remarkably successful at the bar, as
may be inferred from the fact that
within q year from his admission,
while not yet % years of age. he was
elected by the Legislature Attorney
General of the State This Office he
resigned in December, 1885, in conse
quence of being elected to the Legis-
lature by the Democrats of Morgan
County He took his seat in the
House of Representatives the young
est member of that body. In 1881
he was appointed by President Van
Buren, Register of the Land Office at
Springfield, ILL.,, post which he re-
signed in 1889.
In November, 1887, Mr.. Douglas
received the Democratic nomination
for Congress although -he was under