The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-06-13
The Public and Private Character oi
Judge Douglas.

The editor of the Chicago Post, JAMES w.
SHEAHAN, ESQ.,, the devoted friend and biogra
pher of the late Judge DouGLAs, thus eulogizes his
public and private character and social qualities
When nearly twenty years ago John q. Adams
declared that If Douglas lived and continued ten
years in public life, he unquestionably would
be the most popular orator the country ever knew,
he but anticipated history which has been writ
ten by universal consent Snail we speak of his
courage That too, is part of his history which
is so familiar. There never was crisis in which
Douglas finched. There never was an hour
when he hcsitated or doubted. There never was a
moment when Douglas "did not know what to do, -
and never, never, did he fail to 10 what his mind
directed should be done. Once assured of W hat
ought to be done, he never asked who opposed or
who followed him, he met the issue boldly, and TO
his honor and his renown let it be sad he neUsr
failed if failure did come, it not through
| him. We might mention incidents wherein his
pecr liar courage shone forth most lustrousIy, but
over his coffin is not the place to speak of the con-
ficts in which others sustained an ignomin Gus de-
feat
Bat there is one point in his history and charac-
ter of which the occasion will permit us to speak
without reserve, and that is his private history.
Mr.. Douglas was eminently social. He had rare
social qualities. His conversational powers were
truely extraordinary. lie was generous In the ex-
treme. He was free from saltishness. He was
benevolent in the true sense of the term. He
sought to make money for moneys sake. With
what he had he ss bountifu to all. He was am
bitious, but who is not ? He was ambitious but
honoraby so. When a boy, working in the cabi
net workshop, in the little Vermont village his
ambition was to become the best workman in the
State. When at school, he was ambitious to be at
the head OF his ass, and TO pass all rivals. When
reading law, he was ambitious to be in the first
rank of his profession. When a teacher he was
ambitious of leaving memory of usefulness to
the pupils under his charge. When he entered the
legal profession his ambition was to overtake those
who had the start of HIM as prosecutor he was
ambitious to be known as u man fit for the office
As a legislator he ambitious of the credit of
opposing evils that he foresaw. and of adopting
policy that would result in good to his State As Il
Judge he was ambitious of a name unstaned with
the suspicion of turpituje and honorable from the
distinction he gave 20 the Office. AS IA representa-
tive he was ambitious of being identified with his
couAtry's glory. As Senator he was ambitious of
that excellence which would justify him in excaim-
ing with f-rvor equal to that of the Syracusan-
=" ! ANA Senator in the Senate House,
His ambition never led him to depart from fixed
principles. We know personally that the Presi-
IL l,.,I L
official ambition satisfied with seat in the
Senate senate in which he was without peer
The Presid ency he knew and has often assured
us in the privacy of confidential intercourse would
not add line to his as Il statesmen. If he
allowed his name to be used for that Office, it was
for the qualification of friends to whom he was
so devotedly attached and not from any personal I
desire. His was an ambition to be useful to lis
country, to become part of its hstor, to live here
after in the records Of her glory, her distinction
and her renown.
But TO appreciate the excellence of Mr.. Doug
las it was necessary to see him when the Senator,
the Statesmen, the public servant, were forgotten,
and he stood befor, YOU his own fireside in the
character OF husband, father, neighbor and friend
h@h lne true eXcelience OF the man shone forth !
III all its purity then lie was neither orator or
statesmen, but the whole-soled genial friend, the I
Incompatible companion, the con6dng host, the
{ enerous man, the aifectonate parent No one
whoAas ever been admitted to that inner circle of
life. ever departed without ontcssng that Stephen
A. Douglas, the Statesmen. Orator, and Senator,
was but poor rival compared with Stel hen A. /
Douglas, the friend, companion. father and hus
band.
And now, on this third day of June, we are call
ed upon to make the sad ann ouncement that the /
man whose deeds have filled the pages of his coun
try's history, is no more.
lndeath he has Conquered his enemies. In the
general woe, in the universal lanentation there is
no word ofunkinlncss. The bitter conflicts of the
past the horrid imprecatons, the fierce invectves,
the sclndalous libels which have attended his pro
gress through life, are heard no more. They are
forgotten, and trust will never be recalled. In
the grave let all enmities be buried, and over his I
tomb let there be nothing but evergreens, and /
flowers Of the most fragrant odors. Let it be re.
membered that at the tomb of Douglas .here will
be no more sincere mourner, one more stricken
with grief, than his oil rival and competitor
Abraham Lincoln,
How To FIRE GUN,-A very good story is told