The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-02
Stephen A. Douglas.

Brandon. With such an inspiring
subject as his life and achievements
presents, anything approximating
their adequate appreciation must
necessarily demand greater space
than can be given here The main
point to be emphasized and to which
Judge Fish recurs repeatedly in his
unabridged address is that the sturdy
fearless, high minded independence
of Douglas was what might have
been expected from his origin. Who
shall say that the same spirit of re-
volt and the same love OF liberty that
characterized the early Vermonters
may not have animated the youthfui
iourneyman of Brandon?
If the doctrines espoused by Doug
las in the storm and stress period pre-
ceding the Civil war were unpopular
in Vermont, at least it was possible
even then for cool minded citizens OF
the Green Mountain state to appreci-
ate the spirit that extolled the bless
ings of popular sovereignty-some-
thing very like which Vermont had in
sisted upon in her early beginnings.
If slavery was prohibited in Vermont,
the right of her own citizens to de-
termine her destiny was never ques-
toned Douglas hit upon the device
of popular sovereignty in much the
same fashion that Vermonters took
ND the idea of local option. In effect
there is little difference between the
two.
Time works wonders and affords a
perspective from which ancient pre-
| iuan 70
be calmly and judicially penetrated.
| IL was the custom OF New
Enlanders in 1S52-1S61 to include in
single category all democrats, with
out regard to their individual views
on the preservation of the Union.
Their common portion was distrust
and contumely. 1t is conceivable
that Brandon was not doing much
boasting during that period on being
the birthplace of the Little Giant
but after the lapse of years, new
light has been thrown upon the quail
ty of Douglas patriotism.
Passionately devoted to the integri-
ty of the Union as a whole and utter
| ly at variance with those of his own
party whose sectional predictions
| had abscured their love of country.
| Douglas stood out as a heroic figure
doing battle for what he conceived
to be the right. He could not be
made to see that the rights or wrongs
of the negro should take precedence
over the imperishable principle OF
self-government His invarable insis
tence upon keeping the issues sharp
| ly defined in all his debates in Con
gress or upon the stump made 1t diff
! cult for his opponents to answer him
| without recourse to the more palpable
tricks of the forum.
| What must have been the triumph
of Douglas on the repeated occasions
when he beat down opposition almost
single-handed by sheer force of logic
and forensic ability He, in common
with other forensic giants of his day,
| soon discovered the fickleness of the
| public. Chicago, usually ready TO do
homage to her brilliant statesman.
with that volatility of mind that
prompts mob violence. more than
| once turned upon him to rend him.
J Nor was this animosity confined TO
any one section for. as Douglas once
| whimsically remarked, at a certain
| time he could have ridden from Bos-
ton to Chicago by the light of his
! burning efligies"
Forty-eight years. almost to a day,
after his birth at Brandon we find
Douglas addressing the Illinois Legis-
lature april 25. 1861. BY this time
| President Lincoln had come TO real
| ize the value of Douglas counsel in
| the multifarious perplexities of the
,4a.ss 1.
| himself heartily into the task of rem
dering what assistance he might in di-
recting the policies of an adverse ad-
ministration and pursuant to this
plan, cheerfuily gave his services for
a series of speeches in the Middle
| West.
1t would be vastly interesting today
to get from those Vermonters then
living their then impressions of the
speech in question. Among other
things. Douglas said
When calling upon democrats to
rally to the tented field, leaving wife,
child, father and mother behind them,
to rush TO the rescue of the President
that you elected do not make war up
on them and try to manufacture par
tisan capital out of a struggle in which
they are engaged from the holiest and
purest of motives. Then ! appeal to
you my democratic friends do
not allow the modification growing
out of defeat in a partisan struggle
and the elevation to power of party
that we firmly believe TO be dangerous
to the countryside not let that con.
vert you from patriots to traitors to
your native land. Whenever our gov
eminent is assailed, when hostile ar
mics are marching under rude and obi
Gus banners against the government
of our country. the shortest way to
peace is the most stupendous and un.
animous preparation for war. The
greater the unanimity the less blood
will be shed.
Is this the language a renegade!
Are these the sentiments of an en-
envy to the Union? Could the most
rabid abolitionist in New England
have read into this language anything
but the loftiest and most disinterested
patriotism? Again, does any Vermont
er now live who can remember the
local sentiment called forth by the Ian
guage Of Mr.. Douglas letter of accept !
ance of the presidential nomination al !