Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-09
atnion aud Smtrifan.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. 1859.
The Douglas Monument at
Chicago.
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE.
Address of General John A. Dix.

circumstances and accompanying recollec
tions, has no parallel in this or any other age
We are assembled, within the confines of ,
CITY numbering over 200, 900 inhabitants, dis
tant 600 miles from the ocean, where thir
ty-four years ago nothing was seen but an
unbrOken expanse Of prairie on the one side
and the outspread waters Of Lake Michigan
on the other-bOth extending far beyond the
compass Of the sight; nothing heard but the
voice OF the great inland sea from the sands
on which its waves were breaking, or the
more unwelcome voices Of the savage tribes
who r0amcd over these majestic plains.
Where, within half the span Of an ordinary
life there was one vast solitude, all is full OF
activity and progress, and the treasures Of a
polished cultivation. Industry and the arts
display their stores with bounteousness
which might well be mistaken for the accn-
INFLATED surplus Of centuries; science is
teaching the truths which have been deyel-
opcd by the researches Of the past, and en-
i.ffg1.g the boundaries of human knowledge
by new discoveries; education is universally
diilused; and, above all, the temples which
religion has reared to the worship Of COP.
from every precinct and almost every street
Of the city, point their spires 10 Heaven, as
Il were in acknowledgment Of the merciful
protection under which il has triumphed
over all the obstacles 10 its growth and be-
come strong and self-reliant and prosperous
Fellow citizens in no other country
Of the present, in no age Of the past, could
such a miracle OF civilization have been
wrought And now this great city and the
great west, Of which it is by comparison
but an inconsiderable part, have poured out
the tens Of thousands, who stand around me
in a mass 80 extended that 80 human voice
could reach your outer rank. You have
come here TO render the homage OF your
respect to the memory fone who rose among
you 10 the highest eminence for talent and
for successful labor in your service. And
the chief magistrate of the Union, who in
the council chambers Of the nation. stood
side by side with him in the darkest hour of
its peril, and espoused with equal zeal and
eloquence the cause Of their common coun-
try, when other men, with hearts less stout
and faith less constant, quailed before the
impending storm, has come 10 join with You
in this act Of posthumous honor to an hon
est, courageous and patriotic statesman cut
off in the fullness Of his strength, his useful
ness and his fame.
Where or when has such a concurrence Of
circumstances existed TO inspire one with
great thoughts and vet TO make him. by
them appropriate utterance?
No one need look out of his own breast for
the impulse which has gathered 50 vast a
multitude together multitude which no
other sun shall ever see reassembled. II is
one Of the strongest feelings Of our nature 10
desire 30 perpctuate the memory of those
who, from ties of blood, familiar associa-
tions or valuable services, have become dear
20 Us, and, by the will of God, have been
separated from US forever There are thou
sands within the reach of my voice WHO
have been made painfully conscious of this
instinct by the beseavements which the I'M
happy domestic conflict just ended has visit
ed upon them. When the burden Of grief
lies heavy on the heart, it is the first inn
pulse Of our nature TO prolong the remem-
brance to grave into the solid stone, which
shall endure when we have persisted. some
appropriate thought, or il may be the sim
pie names, of those wehave loved and lost.
Kindred TO these tributes Of affection Is
the debt OF gratitude which 4 whole commu-
nifty, represented here in countless numbers,
has assembled 10 discharge, by the erection
OF a monument, suited in its proportions to
the great qualities Of him whom it is TO
commemorate lay the foundation Of the
structure which is 10 be piled up, stone up
on hlolitt from TIE NdTln otHetlln our leoL III
20 the sky above us, and thus 10 symbolic
the ominence 10 which he rose by his genius
and his transcendant public services, above
the plane Of elevation where the great mass
Of his Contemporaries stood and toiled and
struggled in the hard battle of life.
Thiny-three years ago, the year after Chi
cage was founded, a crowd Of people were
assembled at Winchester, in Scott county, in
this State TO attend sale Of valuable prop
erty. When il was about 10 commence, a
clerk was wanted 10 keep the accounts, and
no one could be found who was willing TO
undertake the service. AT this moment a
youth, slender in person and feeble in
health, who had come ON foot from n neigh
boring town, Joined the assembled crowd
lie was at once singled out by the salesman
as one competent TO the service and at his
urgent solicitation, and tempted no doubt,
by the offer Of two dollars day, the youth
fiil stranger accepted it, The sale occupied
three days, and, before it was ended, he had
won all hearts by his intelligence, his
prompttudc, his frankness and his urbani-
~. Il was the general Judgment that a
young man Of so much promise should not
be permitted 10 leave the neighborhood. A
school was provided for him, and thus as
clerk and a teacher, n stranger, without
NflHIAA anu Without lllNhiiHt nOl AMNnAN
years Of age, relying ON the talents God had
given him, on an industry which never
wearied and a courage which never waver-
ed STEPHEN ARNOLD DOUGLAS entered up
on the great field of his labor in the West.
Il cannot be doubted that among people
battling with the hardships Of a new coun-
try, the favorable impression which his first
appearance had made was confirmed by a
knowledge Of the difficulties he had over
come in preparing himself for active life.
There was no romance in his early years.
His youth was the history Of hard work, and
Of perpetual struggle to cultivate the tall
cnts OF which he must have become con-
scious in his boyhood. He was born in
Brandon. Vermont on the 23d of April,
1913 On the ist Of July ensuing, his father
died while holding his infant son in his arms.
The first fifteen years Of his life were passed
on a farm, with such advantages Of instrue-
ton as the district school afforded Having
no other means Of education, he apprcnticcd
himself 60 a carpenter, and worked two
years at his trade, but was compelled to
abandon il for want Of physical strength.
lie returned 20 his native town, entered
an academy aud devoted himself to classical
studies for a year. lie then removed 10
CaRandaigua, in New York, and remained
there three years, continuing MS CLASSICAL
studies and Ger a portion Of the time study
ing the law. In all these phases Of his
youth he eyinced the same intelligence and
the same energy which distinguished his
later years. As an apprentice 90 carpen-
ter he displayed a remarkable genius for
mechanics, and had not nature marked him
for another sphere Of action, he might have
become one Of the distinguished architects
Of the country. In his classical and legal
studies he exhibited the same capacity for
distinction, and while engaged in the study
Of the law he completed, TO use the language
OF his biographer, nearly the entire oollegi-
ate course in most Of the various branches
required Of a graduate in our best universe
tiesn
he is next seen as clerk in a lawyers
Office ia Cleveland, Ohio; then travelling in
the West in pursuit Of employment, stopping
at CINCINNATI Louisville, 81. Louis and Jack
sonville, and al last making his appearance
al Winchester, and commencing, in the
manner already described, his great career
Of usefulness and distinction.
There Is nothing more touching than his
brief address 10 the people Of Winchester,
when hc visited that place in 1858, amer hav-
ing become distinguished in the councils OF
the nation. Twenty-Five years ago" he
c.id 81 entered fhia tesgn an foot with nv