Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-02-17
ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEN.
BY col. J. W. roaSrY.


In Theodore Parker frank and sym;
pathetic analysis of the character Of
George Washington he speaks Of his
skill and good fortune in the selection
and purchase of real estate, and his line
forecast of the destiny of Virginia and
the West. In this respect Stephen A.
Douglas resembled the Father of his
Country. He had an inspiration for
land. and he delighted to tellhis friends
what his country must be in the course
of years If our wilderness were opened
M by wise and generous legislation
He had none of the small arts that
would dwarf great enterprises by count
ing the profits Of those who led in them,
He Justly believed that where there are
large risks there should be large recon-
pense. Iremember-who Of middle age
does not?-when the proposition made
TO tax the people Of Philadelphia and
the State for the construction of the
PENNSYLVANIA Central reused q hurri-
cane of opposition. We were over
whelmed by sinister prophesies; and yet
the seed sown by the success OF that
has already produced a.
work which in another generation will
carry the trade of the Orient through
Philadelphia, and open to it o COM
merce with, Europe infinitely greater
than any ever dreamed of in our Widest
aspirations. The Pennsylvania Central
is like the Mississippi river, fed by many
which it feeds in turn, and,
with its manifold tributaries, capable of
extending itself to all the nations Of the
South, giving wealth to them in bounte-
GUS supply, and receiving in exchange
other riches and bounties. HHVfd
Had the bold, brave men who first
pushed it failed, their regulations would
have rotted in the category of the pro-
iectors who began other magnificent
schemes in other centuries, and broke
only because they we're ahead of their
time.
Stephen A. Douglas died too soon, for
many reasons, and chiefly because had
he lived he would have enjoyed the ripe
fulfillment of many of his predictions
and labors. But l began this sketch
rather to relate an incident illustrative
of his kindness to his friends than of his
extraordinary prescience in the matter
of the development of the public domain.
He had, as / have said, theinspiration of
the soil. Tohim lam indebted for my first
and only speculation--the better to be
recollected because it was successful.
And the incident is the more interesting
because, Just now, the region where l
made my money is tie point whence one
of those empire lines is going forth to
penetrate the wilderness and to convert
It into GARDEN mean the North Pa
cific railroad. Stephen A. Douglas came
to me one day in 1853, and said, looking
up at the map. How would You like to
buy share in Superior City, at Fond dc
Lac, the head of Lake SUPERIOR and,
before could answer, he got on chair
and told me that from that point, or near
il, would start the greatest railroad in
the world, except the one on the thirty
second parallel, just surveyed by Cap
tains George B. Mcclellan, John Pope,
and others, which was to open up the
South. But, l said, old fellow, |
have no money, and to buy share in
the proposed location will require much.
No. he replied, / can secure you one
for $2500, and yon can divide it with
-, naming one of the best of the fu-
ture Confederates, and he will be greatly
obliged knew nothing of the location,
had never been there, had no money Of
my own, but / saw Judge Douglas was
in earnest and wanted to serve me, and
when he left ! borrowed the $4,000,
bought a share, divided it with the
Southern gentleman referred to, who
honorably paid his $3.50, and, after cut
ting my share into FIVE parts, sold and
gave three-ffths to other friends, and
with my two-ffths bought the Waverly
House, in Washington. The proceeds
of my moiety Of the shares of Superior
City realized $2l 600. For that l was
to Stephen A. Douglas-God
bless him ! believe my Confederate
friend has held on to his interest, and |
shall be glad if he is as fortunate as |
was. Duluth is Tow the fashion, and |
wish it sll success, because it caaaot
grow rich without rejecting some Of its
wealth upon Superior City, its near
neighbor.
In 1868 the Republicans of Pennsyl-
vania, by an unanimous vote, put me at
the head of their delegation to the Re
publican National Convention, to vote
for General Grant as their candidate for
President. The first thing / did after
getting to Chicago, was TO go out TO look
on the monument to Stepen A. Douglas,
on the shore Of Lake Michigan; the next
to visit the massive buildings of the Hi
nois Central Railroad Company, the en-
terprise which he alone carried through
Congress. The monument was not COM
plete, but the palatial edifces of the rail-
road were. could not help it, but when
| remembered how in Paris and London,
Just the year before, had seen the Hi
nois Central securities quoted among the
consols OF the Oldest governments, and
that that road was snriching all connec-
ted with it'll say / could not help, as !
thought of these things, drawing the con-
trast between the vital and vigorous
championship Of Douglas Of this stu
pendous work, and the studied neglect
Of his memory by those who have pro6ted
by it. After passing through the mag
nifcent depot and the adjacent build
ings, said to an employe: who owns
the most stock in the Illinois Central2"
" Indeed, | do not know, sir, was his
reply. "Well, my friend, think the
man who ought to own the most Of it,
and whose children should be most bene-
fited by it, was Stephen A. Douglas.
think the man may have heard Of
Douglas, but it was clear to me, from his
look, that be thought me lunatic.