Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-06-19

was the result of that secret magnetic charm III
we may so Style it) which has in all ages enabled
exalted intellects to control inferior minds; the
gift of heaven to genius. Men endowed Win IT,
have appeared in all ages of the world, and have
never failed in being potent either Tor Sood OF
evil, In the sphere in which they moved such
men are made for leaders, and cannot become
ollowers-iti is contrary to their natures to stoOp
to play a secondary part When their career is
ended they do not gradually disappear from our
gaze, but fall at once =. like bright exhalation
in the evening" and mankind behold them with
fear or homage no more. Bulwer in discussing
this subject has truly said that "there is certain
charm about great superiority of intellect, that
winds into deep affections, which much more
constant, and even amiability of manners In
lesser men, often fails to reach. Genius makes
many enemies, but it makes sure fricnds-friends
who forgive much. who endure long, who exact
little; they partake of the character of disciples
as well as friends. There fingers about the hu-
man heart a strong propensity to look upward
to revere. In this inclination lies the source OF
religion, of loyalty and also of the worship and
immortality which are rendered so cheerfully to
the great of old. And in truth, it is a divine
pleasure to admi-el Admiration seems to ap-
proprate to ourselves, the qualities it honorS in
Others We wed-we root ourselves to the ma
lures we so love TO contemplate, and their life
grows part of our OWE. Yes! it is this love, so
rare, so exalted and so denied to ordinary men,
which is the especial privilege of greatness, whe
ther that greatness be shown in wisdom or en-
terprise. or even till the wor I'd learns better, in
the more daring and lofty order of crime" 1t
was this love of genius, this inclination OF the
human heart to '' look upward TO revere" which
enabled Senator Douglas to rule the hearts and
minds of his followers with almost despotic sway.
Derived Of them, notwithstanding his extraOr.
dinary intellectual endowments, he would have
beep almost utterly powerless either for good or
evil.
The beginning of Senator Douglas career as
public man. was decidedly suspicious, and plain
" foreshadowed the brilliant career the future
had in store for him. Circumstances which to
many would have been misfOrtunes aud dlsad-
vantages were to him real blessings. Although
the poverty Of his relations deprived hin OF she
means of obtaining classical education, it prob
ably saved him from the blighting effects of that
system of hot-house culture, which is too COM
mon in our colleges and 90 seats of learning. p
The education which he received was practical,
and thorough. as far as it extended, and amply
sufficient to enable him TO act we'll his part as
an American citizen. He commenced his career
in the great West, without money. patrons or
friends, and consequently was compelled to rely
on his own resources. With no patron to thrust
him forward and induce others to believe that
he was eloquent when only bombastic, and logi-
cal when prating nonsense, when praise was be-
slowed he felt that t was merited and soon learnt
to be self-relIant and to properly estimate his
! intellectual powers. The growth of his intellect
was consequently gradual, vigorous and healthy,
and when rnatu1ed, strong, massive and splendid
Thus prepared for the great battle Of life he at
once like second Napoleon. &" rushed into the
arena where wealth, power and genius had ar
rayed themselves, and competition fed before
| him from the glance of destiny" His success
/ from the very first astonishing. At the
| early age of - years he elevated to the i'm
portant office of Attorney-General of the State of
Illinois, and so well did he sustain himself in this
position, that he was soon selected to fill other
responsible State offices, the most important of
which was that Of Supreme Judge. In l843 he
took his seat in Congress. as q member of that
body. He soon attracted attention in this, to
| him, new field of action, and proved himself able
to cope in debate with the ablest and most expe-
rienced members of the House. In lS47 he ,ok
his seat as a member of the United States Senate,
of which body he continued to be a member up
to the time of his death. He had now reached a
position calculated to crafty his ambition, and to
| afford him an opportunity to display his great
abilities a statesman and debater, to the best
/ advantage. His success thus far rs a public man
had been both brilliant and rapid. His career
in the House of Representatives had been such
I to place him in the front rank of American
statesmen in the Senate he was destined to
soon soar to a height of intellectual superiority,
which will not likely soon be surpassed, or even
eqlalled During the session of 1S4S, he offered
an amendment to the bill for organizing the ter
ritory of Oregon, extending the Missouri Com
promise line to the Pacific Ocean, and supported
it in the debate which followed, with his usual
eloquence and ability. 1t passed the Senate, but
was defeated in the House. Nearly all the DEM
ocratic members of both branches of Congress
voted for it, while the free soers and abolition
lists to man voted against it. Thus it was alb.
clifton and free-soil votes which rejected the Mis-
souri, Compromise, as final settlement of the
vexed question of slavery in the territories. and
opened afresh the controversy of 1920, of which
| Thomas Jefferson said, that it awoke him like a
fire bell in the night, and filled him with terror.
1t is thus OF record that the Missouri Compro
| mise was ignored and rejected as Compro.
mise by the abOlitiOniSts and their allies a fact
oi which Senator Douglas made use with telling
effect against his opponents in the debate on the
! hapsas-Nebraska Act. The Missouri Compro