Richmond daily palladium., 1884-08-23
THE DEATH OF DOUGLAS.
The Scene at the bedside of the Dying
Statesman.

Statesman.
lBen: Perley Poore
When Stephen A Douglas lay stricken
| with death at Chicago, his wife, who
| was a devout Roman Catholic, sent fol
Bishop Duggan, who asked him whether
| he had ever been baptized according to
| the rites of the church.
Never" replied Mr.. Douglas.
do you desire to have mass said after
the ordinances of the holy Roman Cath
olic church!" inquired the bishop.
No, sirl'' answered Mr.. Douglas
when do l will communicate with you
| freely"
The bishop withdrew, but the next
day Mrs. Douglas sent for him again,
and going to the bedside he said, ''Mr.
Douglas, you know your own condition
fully, and in view of your own dissolu-
ton do you desire the ceremony of ex-
treme unction to be performed2"
MOI replied the dying man. 81
have no time to discuss these things
now
The bishop left the room. and Mr.
Rhodes, who was in attendance, said:
.'Do you know the clergymen of this
eityf"
Nearly every one of them"
''Do you wish to have either or any of
them call to see you to converse on re-
igious topicsl'
mo, | thank you," was the decided
answer.
Soon after this, about o'clock, he
desired to have his position in bed
changed, the blinds opened and the win
dows raised Mr. Rhodes lifted him to
an easier posture, where he could look
out upon the street and drink in the
fresh morning air. For a few moments
he seemed to gain new life. Then he
began to sink away; his eyes partially
closed, and in slow, measured cadences,
with considerable pause between each
accent, he uttered:
DEATH Deathll Deathl p
After this he seemed to revive slightly
Mrs. Douglas asked if he had any mes
sage for his sons, Robbie and Stevie He
replied:
Tell them to obey the laws and sup
port the Constitution of the United
States
AT about o'clock Dr. Miller came
into the room and noticing the open
shutters and windows, inquired:
why have you these windows raised
and so much light2''
Mr.. Douglas answered:
80 that We can have fresh air."
At Mr.. Douglas request Mr.. Rhodes
changed the dying mans position again
in the bed, for the last time. He now
lay rather down in the middle of the
bed upon his left side, his head slightly
bent forward and off the pillow. His
wife sat beside him holding his right
hand in both of hers, and leaning ten
derly over him, sobbing. Mr.. Rhodes
remarked to Mrs. Douglas:
Il am afraid he does not lie comfort
able"
In reply to which Mr.. Douglas said:
He is-very comfortable"
These were his last Ineligible words.
From 5 o'clock he was speeehless, but
evidently retained his Consciousness.
When, few moments before his death,
his wife leaned lovingly over him and
sobbingly asked: Husband, do yos,
know mes VIII you kiss mef' he raised
his eyes and smiled. and, though too
weak to speak, the movements of the
muscles of his mouth eyinced that he
was making an almost dying struggle to
comply with her request. His death
was calm and peaceful; few faint
breaths, a slight rafting of his throat,
short, quick, convulsive shudder, and
Stephen A Douglas had passed from
time into eternity He was buried near
the lake shore, in the suburbs of Chi
cago. where monument marks the spot.