great West, in search of a more favorable location for the practice of the profession, in the study of which he had already made some progress. He landed at Cleveland, Ohio, where he presented several letters of introduction. Among them was one to S. J. Andrews, a lawyer of some distinction, and since that time a member of Congress. In a few days he had the good luck to make an arrangement with Mr. Andrews, by which he was to study in his office for one year, rendering him such assistance in writing and preparing office papers as he should require; and at the end of that time, when, according to the law of Ohio, he would be entitled to a license, he was to be associated with Mr. Andrews in business. This arrangement seemed exceedingly favorable, and held out a bright prospect for the future. Mr. Douglas had left home for the purpose of establishing himself well in business, and had avowed his determination never to return until he had accomplished this object. Success seemed to have crowned his efforts almost in advance, and he was astonished at his own good fortune. But in one week more he found himself prostrate with the rheumatism, and in another with the bilious fever. Between the two diseases he was confined to his bed the entire summer, and at one time with little hope of life. The frosts of winter, however, revived him. Still feeble, nearly out of money, living in dread of the return of the fever in the spring, the prospect was gloomy, and well calculated to turn his thoughts, and even his footsteps, toward home, where an anxious welcome awaited him. But there, before him, rose up his avowed purpose not to return until he should have accomplished the object of his mission!

At length he left Cleveland in search of a resting-place, he knew not where. He found himself successively at Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, and Jacksonville, Illinois. His health was now nearly restored, and necessity compelled him to seek some employment in order to pay his current expenses. Feeling that labor was honorable, he was ready to engage in any respectable pursuit. The only one which seemed to promise any success in relieving his immediate necessities was that of a common-school teacher. Acting upon this idea, he started out into the country in search of a school, and one afternoon walked into the little town of Winchester, situated about six

teen miles from Jacksonville. A youth of twenty years, in a strange land, fifteen hundred miles from home, in feeble health, without friends, and with but thirty-seven and a half cents in his pocket, it might be supposed that his situation was embarrassing; but he says it was not so. His spirits were never more buoyant. The morning after his arrival, and before his name was even known to a human being, he went out in search of employment, and, discovering a large number of persons assembled in the public square of the village, dressed in the real frontier style, his curiosity naturally led him to approach a scene so novel. The object of the assemblage was soon explained. A merchant in the place had recently died, and the people had assembled to attend the auction sale of his goods. The administrator was present with his auctioneer, and all the arrangements for the grand auction were completed, except that a clerk was wanting to keep the account of sale. The hour had arrived, the people were waiting impatiently, bidders plenty were present, but all business was suspended for want of a clerk, a man who could write a plain hand, add up figures, and keep the accounts. There lay the difficulty.

At length the eyes of the multitude were directed toward the young stranger, and the administrator, approaching him in the most respectful manner, explained his embarrassing situation, solicited him to consent to become clerk of the auction, adding that, besides remunerating him well for his services, he would consider the act a personal favor to himself and to the people present.

After some hesitation and much solicitation, Mr. Douglas was duly installed clerk of the auction, with a salary of two dollars per day, and performed his duties to the perfect satisfaction of the people for the three days of the sale. This was a glorious beginning; only three days in town, with six dollars in his pocket, and numerous friends sounding his praises, and urging him to remain among them!

He had made known his wish to obtain a school with forty scholars, at three dollars a quarter each. This object was secured, and the arrangements were all made for commencing on the following Monday. Accordingly, on the first Monday of December, 1833, he entered upon his duties as a school teacher. His evenings he devoted to the study of some old law books, VOL. I.-E

which he had borrowed of a friend in Jacksonville; and frequently, on Saturday afternoon, was employed in cases before the justice of the peace of the town. The proceeds of his school and law practice, during the three months for which he had engaged himself, were sufficient to enable him to open an office, and begin the practice of his profession in the higher courts. This he did in the month of March, 1834, having obtained license for that purpose, after examination, from the judges of the Supreme Court.

His first efforts in his profession were remarkably successful in securing and conducting business. This may be inferred from the fact that, in less than one year, he was elected, by a joint vote of the two houses of the Legislature, State's Attorney, over the lamented Colonel John J. Hardin, who gloriously gave his life to his country on the memorable field of Buena Vista. Be the grave of the soldier honored forever!

The duties of this office imposed upon Mr. Douglas the highest responsibilities. As the public prosecutor in all criminal cases, he was necessarily brought in immediate contact and collision with the first lawyers of the state. At this time, and in this office, he laid the foundation of whatever reputation he may since have attained in his own state as a lawyer and jurist. His extreme youth, being but in his twenty-second year, and his comparative inexperience, warned him of the necessity of the most untiring and systematic application to his books; and his great success in the most important criminal as well as civil cases, against learned and able competitors, gave him confidence that application, energy, and industry would eventually triumph over obstacles which seemed almost insurmountable.

He resigned the office of State's Attorney in December, 1836, to accept a seat in the Legislature of his state, to which he had been elected by the people of the county in which he resided. The canvass preceding this election was attended by an unusual degree of political excitement, and was conducted with great energy by the opposing candidates. The county of Morgan was the largest in the state, nearly equally divided in politics, and sent six representatives to the Legislature. Mr. Douglas, in the first instance, declined the nomination tendered by the convention of his party, preferring to retain the office of State's Attorney, and to devote himself exclusively to his pro

fession, assuring his friends, however, that he would attend the public meetings, and render the Democratic cause and candidate the same aid that he would be able to render if he were himself on the ticket. In consequence of his earnest solicitations, a full ticket was presented to the people without his name. The Whigs presented a strong ticket of their best men, with the popular name of John J. Hardin at its head. The appearance of Mr. Douglas on the stump, as the champion of the Democracy, in support of a ticket which did not contain his name, was calculated to produce a prejudice against himself as well as his party, and to create the impression on the minds of the people that the Democratic candidates were incompetent to the defense of themselves and their cause. Besides, it was frequently intimated, and sometimes openly said, that Mr. Douglas, who had succeeded in defeating Colonel Hardin before the Legislature, dare not run against him before the people of the county in which they both resided. These considerations led to a reorganization of the Democratic ticket, by which one of the candidates declined, and the name of Douglas was substituted in his place.

This arrangement placed the names of Douglas and Hardin at the head of their respective tickets, and produced one of the most exciting and interesting contests ever known in the state. Each took the ground distinctly and boldly, that he did not desire an election himself unless by the complete triumph of his party, in which the entire ticket should also be elected. In this, however, they were both disappointed to some extent; for, when the votes were counted, it was ascertained that Mr. Douglas, and all the Democratic candidates save one, were elected, but that Colonel Hardin had beaten the lowest Democratic candidate, and was also elected. This canvass, and the courteous manner in which it was conducted by the two leading spirits, laid the foundation of a personal friendship between them, which continued uninterrupted, and grew stronger until the hour of the colonel's death.

On the first Monday in December, 1836, Mr. Douglas took his seat as a member of the House of Representatives of his adopted state-the youngest member of the body. It was a very important session; perhaps more so, in its consequences, than any that had occurred in the annals of the state. The

same causes which had produced the wild mania of speculation, over-banking, and over-trading in other states, had pervaded the whole West, and were then in active operation in Illinois. The banking capital of the state was more than doubled during that session; the number of banking houses were increased, and their powers and privileges extended in the same proportion. The state became a joint partner in these institutions, and subscribed more than one half of the capital stock, while the individual stockholders retained the preponderance of power in all the directories. The banks were made the fiscal agents of the state in receiving, keeping, and disbursing the revenues and school fund of the state, and, in short, the alliance of bank and state was complete. Mr. Douglas opposed the entire system: he opposed the increase of the capital stock; the subscription on the part of the state; the increase of the number of branches and offices of discount, two of which were, by the law, located in his own town; opposed the union of bank and state, and, in short, opposed the creation of all new banks, and all extensions of the powers and privileges of the old ones. His principles and course of action on these matters were radical and inflexible. He was overruled by decided majorities in both branches of the Legislature, and the new system went into operation about February, 1837.

It is not our province to enter upon a discussion of the wisdom or propriety of those measures. Our only business is with facts, leaving the reader to his own conclusions.

All the banks in Illinois suspended specie payments in May of the same year, about three months after these laws had gone into operation. Their paper subsequently depreciated sixty cents on the dollar; and, after the banks had remained in a state of suspension some four or five years, their charters were repealed, and their business was ordered to be wound up by an act of the Legislature.

Next to the banking system, the question of internal improvements was the most important that came before the Legislature during that session. The state had previously undertaken and commenced the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal-one of the most magnificent works of the kind in the Union-connecting the line of northern lakes at Chicago with the navigable waters of the Illinois and Missis