Stephen A. Douglas

Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813–June 3, 1861), American politician from Illinois, was one of the Democratic Party nominees for President in 1860 (the other being John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky). Each lost to Republican Party candidate Abraham Lincoln, also from Illinois.

Later career and legacy

Douglas urged the South to acquiesce in Lincoln's election. On the outbreak of the American Civil War he denounced secession as criminal, and was one of the strongest advocates of maintaining the integrity of the Union at all hazards. At Lincoln's request he undertook a mission to the border states and to the North-west to rouse the spirit of Unionism; he spoke in West Virginia (then still a part of Virginia), Ohio and Illinois.

Related Topics:
American Civil War - Secession - West Virginia - Ohio - Illinois

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Douglas died from typhoid fever on June 3, 1861 at Chicago, where he was buried on the shore of Lake Michigan; the site was afterwards bought by the state, and an imposing monument with a statue by Leonard Volk now stands over his grave.

Related Topics:
Typhoid fever - June 3 - 1861 - Lake Michigan - Leonard Volk

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In person Douglas was conspicuously small, standing somewhere from 4'6" (137 cm) to 5'4" (163 cm) in height, but his large head and massive chest and shoulders gave him the popular sobriquet "The Little Giant". Though his voice was strong and carried far, he had little grace of delivery, and his gestures were often violent. As a resourceful political leader, and an adroit, ready, skillful tactician in debate, he has had few equals in American history.

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Douglas Counties in Kansas, Nebraska Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, South Dakota and Nevada are named after him; as is Douglas, Georgia.

Related Topics:
Kansas - Nebraska - Washington - Oregon - Minnesota - South Dakota - Nevada - Douglas, Georgia

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