Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-09
VOLUME XXXIII.


dowed him. We do not consider, when W,
oommiserate the trials Of the young and un
friended, toiling on their weary way 10 repu
tation and fortune, that it is this very pro
cess by which men are made successful anC
! great. Spare, then, your sympathy for thos'
| who, in their youth, are contending witt
dificulties, and bestow it on those who, with
all their needs supplied and without the
stimulant Of want, are in danger Of sinking
into inaction and mediocrity. Ii is ProYi-
dence which in its mercy throws obstacles
in the path oishim who it marks out for emf
hence, that he may gain strength, and cour-
age and resolution in overcoming them. Ii
is thus that the path to greatness is made
smooth in after life by the hard trials Of our
early years.
At the end Of three months Mr. DOUGLAS
gave up his school at Winchester, and COM
menced the practice Of law at Jacksonville.
A mere youth himself, he had already given
evidence of his fitness to be a teacher Of
men. From this moment he became con-
spicuous throughout the State, and he
achieved a series of triumphs unexampled
in the career of any one Of his age. At the
bar and in the political field he took from
the outset a leading part, meeting the ablest
and most experienced advocates and orators
in debate, and always coming out of the
intellectual combats, in which he was en-
gagged, with increasing reputation. Offices
poured in upon him in rapid succession.
Early in 1886, fourteen months after his APP
pearance at Winchester he was chosen by
the Legislature Of that State attorney for the
first judicial district in 1886 he was elected
a member Of the Legislature; in 1889 was
appointed register of the land Office under
the Federal Governments and in 1S41 he
was chosen judge Of the Supreme Court Of
the State
1t is not possible within the limits of
an address to say more than this that in
every position TO which he was called he
maintained the same high standing for in
tegrity, talent and courage, and that with
every advance in the importance Of the offices
he filed he developed a corresponding pow
er and capacity for the discharge Of their
duties.
In 1913 he was elected a representative in
Congress, and from this period his reputation
ceased to be local, and became identified
with the history Of the country.
His first effort as a speaker in the Federal
Legislature, was as effective as his first APP
pearance at Winchester. A bill was before
the House Of Representatives renting the
fine imposed on General JACKSON by
the Judge Of the New Orleans District
after the receipt Of the intelligence Of peace
between the United States and Great Britain,
in February, 1915. During the seige the
General had declared martial law, and re-
sisted the execution of a writ Of habeds cor
pus issued by the Judge. As soon as peace
was proclaimed he rescinded the order de-
claring martial law, surrendered himself to
the Court, and was fined $1,000. The bill
before Congress provided for refunding the
fine. 1t had been advocated chiefly on the
score Of General JACKsoN's great services
TO the country; and it was conceded that he
had exercised an arbitrary power, unwar-
ranted by the Constitution. Mr.. DOUGLAS
took a different and higher ground. He
contended that the Judge was wrong in inn
posing the fine, and that the General did
not assume to himself any authority which
was not warranted by his position, his duty,
and the unavoidable necessity of the case"
These positions were maintained with an
ability so marked as to attract and command
general attention, and from that time forth
he was ranked with the ablest debaters in
body numbering among its members some Of
the most distinguished men in the country.
1t was natural that Mr.. DOUGLAS, trained
as his mind had been from his earliest years
to habits Of self reliance, should, in dealing
with constitutional questions, strike Quit from
the beaten track Of Interpretation into new
paths. The instance / have cited is not the
only one. In a speech in the House of Rep
on the annexation of Texas, he
took the ground that the right to acquire
e
of constitutional authority-was included
within the power to admit new States into
the Union. So, at subsequent period, as
Chairman of the Committee on Territories
in the Senate, he commended that the right to
establish territorial governments was also
included in the power to admit new States.
In nearly all preceding discussions it had
been assumed that the right TO institute gov
for the territories was included in
the power ito dispose of and make all need
lul rules and regulations respecting the ter
ritory or other property belonging to the
United States" The propositions thus adj
vanced by Mr.. DOUGLAS were stated and de-
Tended with his usual clearness and force;
and they may be considered as constituting
an essential part of the great body of COM
by which the exercise Of the powers
referred TO is surrounded, and in regard to
which divisions of opinion will continue to
exist, Notwithstanding the practical inter
probation they have received in the leglsla-
ton Of the country.
In 1916, three years after his election to
the House Of Representatives, he was chosen
a member Of the Senate of the United States,
and he was continued in that body by sue
oessiye reflections until his death in June,
1861.
As a member Of both bodies, he took part
in the discussion Of nearly every great ques-
ton which arose duringthose eighteen years
of unexampled agitEtion and excitement.
His speeches on the annexation Of Texas,
the war with Mexico our foreign policy, the
aggressions of European States in America,
the extension Of our own territorial limits;
the compromise acts Of 1850, the Oregon,
California, Kansas, Nebraska and Lecomp-
ton controversies internal improvements,
and incidentally the question Of slavery, the
prolific source of nearly all the agitatiOns
Of the last quarter Of century, and of the
civil war, which has drenched the country
in fraternal blood, are all marked by the
clearness, vigor and boldness which were
the chief characteristics Of his oratory.
It was perhaps in the patriotic but vain
attempt TO calm the prevailing excitement
and close up forever the source Of the dis
sensions, which had so long distracted the
country, by the preparation and defense of
the compromise measures of 1850, that the
great ability Of Mr. DOUGLAS was more sig
nally displayed than in any ether political
labor Of his life
In January, 1850, Mr.. CLAY introduced
into the Senate series of resolutions, hoping
that they might be made basis Of legisla-
ton, which would be satisfactory to the con-
tending parties While these resolutions
were under consideration, Mr. DOUGLAS, as
chairman Of the Committee on Territories,
introduced two bills, one for the admission
Of California into the Union as a State, and
the other for the organization Of the Terrific
ries Of Utah and Now Mexico, and the adj
iustment Of the boundary question with
Texas
In April a committee Of thirteen, with Mr..
CLAY at its head, was appointed, ard all
propositions concerning the slavery question
were referred TO it. On the Sth Of May, Mr..
CLAY reported from the committee Mr..
DOUGLAS two bills combined in one, with
single amendment. When introduced by
the latter they provided that the power Of
the Territorial Legislature should embrace
all subjects Of legislation consistent with the
Constitution. As reported by Mr. CLAY,
the slavery question was expressly excepted
from the power Of legislation. This excep-
ton was subsequently rescinded, and the bill
was subsequently passed as originally re-
ported by Mr.. DOUGLAS. The compromise
4. \ -. III.