the life of stephen a. douglas-第2部分

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A　few　days　after　his　arrival　the　opportunity　came　to　distinguish　himself　in　the　field　of　his　future　achievements。　　A　mass　meeting　was　called　at　the　court　house　for　the　purpose　of　endorsing　the　policy　of　the　President　in　removing　the　deposits　of　public　money　from　the　United　States　bank　and　vetoing　the　bill　for　its　recharter。　　The　opposition　was　bitter。　　In　the　state　of　public　temper　it　was　a　delicate　task　to　present　the　resolutions。　　The　man　who　had　undertaken　it　lost　courage　at　the　sight　of　the　multitude　and　handed　them　to　Douglas；　and　the　crowd　looked　with　amused　surprise　when　the　young　stranger；　who　was　only　five　feet　tall；　appeared　on　the　platform。　　He　read　the　resolutions　of　endorsement　and　supported　them　in　a　brief　speech。

When　he　sat　down；　Josiah　Lamborn；　an　old　and　distinguished　lawyer　and　politician；　attacked　him　and　the　resolutions　in　a　speech　of　caustic　severity。　　Douglas　rose　to　reply。　　The　people　cheered　the　plucky　youngster。　　The　attack　had　sharpened　the　faculties　and　awakened　his　fighting　courage。　　He　had　unexpectedly　found　the　field　of　action　in　which　he　was　destined　to　become　an　incomparable　master。　　For　an　hour　he　poured　out　an　impassioned　harangue；　without　embarrassment　or　hesitation。　　Astonishment　at　what　seemed　a　quaint　freak　soon　gave　way　to　respect　and　admiration；　and　at　the　close　of　this　remarkable　address　the　hall　and　courtyard　rang　with　loud　applause。　　The　excited　crowed　seized　the　little　orator；　lifted　him　on　their　shoulders　and　bore　him　in　triumph　around　the　square。

The　young　adventurer　in　the　fields　of　law　and　politics　was　thenceforth　a　man　of　marka　man　to　be　reckoned　with　in　Illinois。　　There　were　scores　of　better　lawyers　and　more　eminent　politicians　in　the　State；　but　a　real　leader；　a　genuine　master　of　men　had　appeared。

In　January；　1835；　the　legislature　met　at　Vandalia。　　Early　in　the　session　it　elected　Douglas　State's　Attorney　of　the　First　Judicial　Districtan　extraordinary　tribute　to　the　professional　or　political　ability　of　the　young　lawyer　of　less　than　a　year's　standing。　　He　held　the　office　a　little　more　than　a　year　and　resigned　to　enter　the　legislature。

This　was　a　really　memorable　body。　　Among　its　members　were　James　Shields；　afterwards　United　States　Senator；　John　Calhoun　of　Lecompton　fame；　W。　A。　Richardson；　afterwards　Democratic　leader　in　the　House　of　Representatives；　John　A。　McClernand；　destined　also　to　distinguish　service　in　Congress　and　still　more　distinguished　service　as　a　major　general　and　rival　in　arms　of　Grant　and　Sherman；　Abraham　Lincoln；　an　awkward　young　lawyer；　from　Springfield；　and　Douglas；　whose　fate　it　was　to　give　Lincoln　his　first　national　prominence　and　then　sink　eclipsed　by　the　rising　glory　of　his　great　rival。　　The　only　memorable　work　of　the　session　was　the　removal　of　the　Capital　from　Vandalia　to　Springfield；　and　the　authorization　of　twelve　millions　of　debt；　to　be　contracted　for　government　improvements。

Douglas；　who　had　opposed　these　extravagant　appropriations；　having　distinguished　himself　as　a　debater；　an　organizer　and　a　leader；　was；　a　few　days　after　the　adjournment；　appointed　Register　of　the　United　States　Land　Office　at　Springfield；　to　which　place　he　at　once　removed。

In　the　following　November　he　was　nominated　for　Congress。　　The　district；　which　included　the　entire　northern　part　of　the　State；　was　large　enough　for　an　empire；　with　sparse　population　and　wretched　means　of　communication。　　The　campaign　lasted　nine　months；　during　which；　having　resigned　the　office　of　the　Register；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　task　of　riding　over　the　prairies；　interviewing　the　voters　and　speaking　in　school　houses　and　village　halls。　　The　monotony　was　relieved　by　the　society　of　the　rival　candidate；　John　T。　Stuart；　who　as　Lincoln's　law　partner。　　Stuart　was　declared　elected　by　a　doubtful　majority　of　five；　and　Douglas；　after　soothing　his　wounded　feelings　by　apparently　well　founded　charges　of　an　unfair　count　and　threats　of　a　contest；　abandoned　it　in　disgust　and　returned　to　his　law　office。　　He　announced　his　determination　to　quit　politics　forever。

But　in　December；　1838；　the　legislature　began　a　session　at　the　old　Capital。　　The　Governor　declared　the　office　of　Secretary　of　State　vacant　and　appointed　John　A。　McClernand　to　fill　it。　　Field；　the　incumbent；　questioned　the　power　of　the　Governor　to　remove　him　and　declined　to　surrender　the　office。　　Quo　warranto　proceedings　were　instituted　by　McClernand；　with　Douglas　and　others　as　counsel。　　The　Supreme　Court　denied　the　Governor's　power　of　removal。　　The　Court　became　involved　in　the　partisan　battle　which　raged　with　genuine　Western　fervor　for　two　years。

In　the　early　weeks　of　1841；　a　bill　was　passed；　reorganizing　the　Judiciary；　providing　for　the　election　by　the　legislature　of　five　additional　Supreme　Judges；　and　imposing　the　duties　of　trial　Judges　upon　the　members　of　the　Court。　　Meanwhile；　Field　had　grown　weary　of　the　struggle　with　a　hostile　Governor　and　legislature；　and；　being　threatened　with　a　sweeping　change　of　the　Court；　resigned　in　January；　1841。　　The　Governor　appointed　Douglas　his　successor。　　Five　weeks　later　the　legislature　chose　him　Justice　of　the　Supreme　Court　and　presiding　Judge　of　the　Fifth　District。　　He　resigned　the　office　of　Secretary　and　began　his　judicial　career；　establishing　his　residence　at　Quincy。

This　appointment　to　the　bench　was　one　of　the　most　fortunate　incidents　in　his　busy　and　feverish　life。　　He　was　not　twenty…eight　years　old。　Adroit；　nimble…witted　and　irrepressibly　energetic　as　he　was；　he　had　not　yet　developed　much　solid　strength。　　His　stock　of　knowledge　was　scanty　and　superficial。　　From　force　of　circumstances　he　had　devoted　little　time　to　calm　thought　or　serious　study。　　Early　convinced　that　all　truth　lay　on　the　surface；　patent　to　him　who　had　eyes　to　see；　he　had　plunged　into　the　storm　of　life　and；　by　his　aggressive　and　overmastering　energy；　had　conquered　a　place　for　himself　in　the　world。　　He　was　an　experienced　politician；　a　famous　campaign　orator；　and　a　Justice　of　the　Supreme　Court　at　a　period　when　most　boys　are　awkwardly　finding　their　way　into　the　activities　of　the　world。　　The　younger　Pitt　was　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer　at　twenty…three；　but　he　was　the　son　of　Chatham；　nurtured　in　statesmanship　from　the　cradle。　　the　younger　Adams　was　Minister　to　the　Hague　at　twenty…five；　but　he　was　already　a　ripe　scholar　and　heir　to　his　father's　great　fame。　　Douglas　was　a　penniless　adventurer；　a　novus　homo；　with　none　of　those　accidents　of　fortune　which　sometimes　give　early　success　to　gifted　men。

The　opportunity　afforded　the　young　Judge　to　extend　his　knowledge　and　mingle　on　terms　of　equality　with　the　masters　of　his　profession　was　such　as　rarely　falls　to　the　lot　of　a　half…educated　man　of　twenty…eight。　　He　did　not　become　an　eminent　Judge；　yet　he　left　the　bench；　after　three　years'　service；　with　marked　improvement　in　the　solidity　and　dignity　of　his　character。





Chapter　III。　　Member　of　Congress。




The　legislature　met　in　December；　1842；　to　chose　a　Senator。　　Douglas　still　lacked　six　months　of　the　thirty　years　required；　but　came　within　five　votes　of　the　election。

In　the　following　spring　he　received　the　Democratic　nomination　for　Congress　and　resigned　his　judgeship　to　enter　the　campaign。　　The　District　included　eleven　large　counties　in　the　western　part　of　the　State。　　O。　H。　Browning　of　Quincy；　a　lawyer　of　ability；　destined　to　a　distinguished　political　career　and　to　succeed　to　Douglas'　vacant　seat　in　the　Senate　twenty　years　later；　was　the　Whig　candidate。　They　held　a　long　series　of　joint　discussions；　addressed　scores　of　audiences　and　so　exhausted　themselves　that　both　were　prostrated　with　serious　sickness　after　the　campaign。　　The　questions　discussed　are　as　completely　obsolete　as　the　political　issues　of　the　ante…diluvians。　　Douglas　was　elected　by　a　small　majority。

He　was　in　Washington　at　the　opening　of　Congress　and　entered　upon　his　eventful　and　brilliant　career　on　that　elevated　theatre；　though　he　was　as　yet　only　the　crude　material　out　of　which　a　statesman　might　be　evolved。　　He　was　a　vigorous；　pushing　Western　politician；　with　half　developed　faculties　and　vague；　unlimited　ambition；　whose　early　congressional　service　gave　small　promise　of　the　great　leader　of　after　years。

The　famous　description　of　him　contained　in　the　Adams　diary　relates　to　this　period　of　his　life。　　The　venerable　ex…President；　then　a　Member　of　the　House；　mentions　him　as　the　homunculus　Douglas　and　with　acrid　malevolence　describes　him　as　raving　out　his　hour　in　abusive　invectives；　his　face　convulsed；　his　gesticulation　frantic；　and　lashing　himself　into　such　heat　that　if　his　body　had　been　made　of　combustible　matter　it　would　have　burned　out。

〃In　the　midst　of　his　roaring；〃　he　declares；　〃to　save　himself　from　choking；　he　stripped　off　and　cast　away　his　cravat；　unbuttoned　his　waistcoat　and　had　the　air　and　aspect　of　a　half…naked　pugilist。〃　With　all　its　extravagance　and　exaggeration；　it　is　impossible　to　doubt　the　substantial　truth　of　this　charicature。　　Adams　did　not　live　to　see　the　young　Member　become　the　most　powerful　debater；　the　most　accomplished　political　leader　and　most　influential　statesman　of　the　great　and　stirring　period　that　ensued。

The　time　was　strange；　as　difficult　of　comprehension　to　the　generation　that　has　grown　up　since　the　War　as　the　England　of　Hengist　and　Horsa　is　to　the　modern　C