The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-10-07
why Douslu. was called the oI.tue GIan, ,

When Stephen A. Douglas first lar led At
Naples, Scott Co. Illinois. he was not quite II
years old, and had head that ro,med TO,
large for his body, and only couple Ol shirts tied
up in rcd cotton handkerchief, and less than
fifty cents in his pocket After recruiting his
finances by cerlling it nj the auction sale,
he taught school IN VIII chester for few
months; but not pa, ing expenses he dcplrt
cd, leaving 'duc blll' with the landlord
for his board, and pledging bis honor to return
aud redeem IL. DURING In, resi- lenCe in Win.
chester he heard LamJurn, the great Wing ora
tor, dcrOuEcc Jackson, who was then Prusidon'
u q speech in the courthouse and was so stirred
up by it, Illogical conclusions nat he resOl, ed
We or die. to confront l.ambOn whcne, er he
-aiu II o,o ia public. LambOn haYin given out
nu appOlntn cut TO speak iu Jacksonyilla during
10 tull.wiI & week, Douglas 81 out 20 meet
l,m the day before the appoint Il time, travel.
ling IL mil Of the distance on foot. II Was in
VAN that few OF Douglass friend. attempted
20 tis>uCc him, saying ho was tCO Young aud
neNIfLcrC,d To confront the creates. orator in
u lhOis, a. Llmb,m Was then considered bOth
'v Wing and ID tmoCIIts. But Douglas, moth.
ing dluulod slid thai Llmhon hal been 'iy-
ing IN General Jackson, and he was resolved 10
defend the old hero, as he had tho documents
aud could do It.
At tho appointed hour the court house wa,
crowded 20 n utmost Ceplcty. Tho Governor,
t'h INhllN al Nllo N'altliN dlIl lullN'lllh ulN
Oithe county were present, and Mr.. LlmbOrn de-.
llyercd his charge, against Jackson IN the most
approve al stylc, and Viii, document, anl news
papers were irumphlntly produced 10 prove
that the old patriot was the enemy ol hls COun-
'Ty. Everybody seemed convinced and lhe
meeting was about to dispgr-e.
Just then Douglas who sut m the left hand
si the speaker, among the crowd. stood upon
the bench On which he had been sitting, aud
-ald he was there for tho purpOso oi answering
laWh1r and defending General JNksDu.
restless deposition to ba Vuno, ami not very
spCctful glancos from the people iolluWcd, this
statement, but the young Douglas prOc3cdod
and having made an assertion, backed it up
with "the document in yle Ie,uli,uly
his own. From point to point he went over
the great speech oil his predecessor disproying,
arguing and eNterminating as he went along, 10
the wrath of the Wing leaders and the grow
ing admiration Of the people, who were Ignorant
u his name, ard who, as te went on, would say
one to the other, "HaIk,' "lInk yol' Hslrken
to tho little fellow ~ aud as the bursts Of olo'
quence and logic followed faster and faster, the
exclAmations were, "The Little Giant ~ "Hear-
ken to the Little Giant !" and at the close
great shout of "HurFah for the Little Giant
went up and the people carried hun In triumph
around the room and courthouse yard.
Al this meeting Douglas first asserted his
powers and acquired a mastery over the popu-
lar heart and soubriquet that never LETT him.
The chiefs OF Whiggery were dumb-!oundered,
and the Demo eracy were crazy with Joy for
the unlooked-for victory.