The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-08
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.
His Union Record Saved from Stain by the
Good Sense of Friend.

A remarkable statement in reference to the
Douglas was made to-day by ex-senator Edward
Larned, of Greenfield, Mass. Mr. Larned is
we'll known in New York. He was at one time
president of the Ohio &c Mississippi railroad and
very wealthy. lie has dropped great deal in
the Tehauntepec railroad in Mexico but is still
well off, and lives much of the time at the Fifth
avenue Hotel. In conversation he is a genial
companion. He said:
Il was in Canada when the war broke out, and
had been away from home for three weeks
Coming across Suspension Bridge l heard the
news that the flag had been fred on at Sumter
had always been Democrat, but l said: ON
goes this Democratic coat till this thing is set
tied got to New York and found message
from Stephen A Douglas asking me to come to
Washington, I sent up to my house on Fifth
| avenue for change of linen and went on to the
capital. Douglas was sick with diphtheria, His
physician, his wife, and a Catholic priest were
there. AS the doctor went away he said to
Douglas: Now no talking or excitement, Sena-
tor But he was no sooner gone than Douglas
asked me to step into the library while he
UIcSSeu, Sd! ing ne WOuIu JOIN me presently
He explained that he had been preparing the
draft Of commercial bill for union on bust
ness basis of all the American countries sort
of zolyerein for the United States, Canada, Cuba,
Mexico and Central America He proposed to
have an offensive and defensive commercial ALI
ance, all disputes to be left TO a commercial tri
bunal. Mr. Douglas said to - have de-
sired to read this paper to some friend who will
crticise it candidly and mercessly, Il need be.
The paper he held was vouminous one. lie
nIYNfc NN1l
telegraph message was brought in. He read it
and Immediately began to use emphatic language
in denunciation of the Geographic system and
the liberties it permitted to be taken with public
men, He got angrier as he proceeded, and 1t
was with difficulty that managed to get in an
inquiry as to what was the matter He read the
dispatch. as follows:
do you approve and sustain Lincons war pocyl
Missouri will not
Il SAID would not answer such a dispatch
and he rejoined This is the penalty for being
public man 1t is from the editor of the lead
ing paper in st. Louis. / cannot refuse an
answer.
"He wrote reply, which he read to me. 1
will not attempt to repeat it. 1t was politi-
clans dispatch.
81 wouldn't send it, said l.
"Mr. Douglass face clouded, and he said inn
periously: Il was not aware that had sent for
you to criticise my telegraphic dispatches l
made the best excuse possible, when he suddenly
luFNtu on NE ana uelnanueO 10 KNOW why L
would not send the message. protested that
having Numbered once in saying | would not
send 1t, did not propose to blunder again lie
said angrlly that he would not send reply until
| had explained to him my opinion. l then said
in substance Senator the entire Democratic
party of the country is waiting to hear from
Stephen A. Douglas. Your constituents in Hi
nois resting secure III your ability to meet
the emergency of the hour. But if you send
that dispatch the heart Of every friend you have
in the North will sink. 1t seems to me impossi
that man born in Vermont should vacillate or
be unsound on this question
Said he: I am as sound as any man in this
country
And replied: Yes. SENATOR but, unfortu-
nately, Your dispatch is not He protested
again. and, taking up the paper. read his dis
patch with punctuation and emphasis that
were sufficient to give it the true ring But |
told him plainly that the telegraph wires would
not punctuate, or emphasize, or transmit the
tones of his voice. but the words he had written
might be twisted in good many ways-that it
was of 'do-you- ride to town-to-dayF character
took his dispatch and read it with my own
emphasis putting contrary construction on it.
lie said: That does sound id equivocal as
you read it.
He tore it up and wrote another, which he
read aloud | burst out laughing, and, when he
turned on me inQuiringly, explained that was
laughing at his ability to write a second dispatch
that was worse than the first. Then he said,
somewhat petulantly: Well | am i'll; my head
is perhaps not clear. Sit down here and write
out what you would send l sat down and
wrote these words
II deprecate But if ii must come, am with my
country and for my country under all circumstances
and in ever contingency Individual policy must be
subordinate to the public safety.
He read it carefully, and signed his name to
it and sent it away.
I" Senator. suggested. they may garble that
dispatch in ST. Louis May not send it also to
New York;
'It has gone from me now. You can do as
you please, he said.
Il went to the telegraph Office and sent copy
Of it to Simeon Draper. the old auctioneer, who
was chairman of the Union defense committee.
1t was so late at night that he only got it into
one paper. the New York Tribune. This was
the 18th of April, 1861.
There is one thing more ought to be said
right here. 1t was Douglass dispatch to the St
Louis paper that cleared all doubt in Illinois and
caused "a monster Union meeting to be planned
at Chicago They sent for Douglas. He got
up from his sick bed, went there and spoke
while yet suffering from diphtheria and never
recovered from the effort"