Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative, a U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee for President in the 1860 election, losing to Republican Abraham Lincoln.
Stephen A. Douglas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from Illinois | |
| In office March 4, 1847 – June 3, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | James Semple |
| Succeeded by | Orville H. Browning |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 5th district | |
| In office 4 March 1843 – 3 March 1847 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | William A. Richardson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephen Arnold Douglas April 23, 1813 Brandon, Vermont |
| Died | June 3, 1861 (aged 48) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Martha Martin Adele Cutts |
Douglas had previously defeated Lincoln in a Senate contest, noted for the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. He was nicknamed the "Little Giant" because though short in physical stature, he was a forceful and even dominant figure in politics.
Douglas was born on April 23, 1813 in Brandon, Vermont.[1] He was raised in Jacksonville, Illinois. He was married to Martha Martin from 1847 until her death in 1853. They had three children. Then he was married to Adele Cutts from 1856 until his death in 1861. They had one child. Douglas died from pneumonia caused by Typhoid fever in Chicago, Illinois on June 3, 1861, aged 48.
Stephen A. Douglas Media
Stephen A. Douglas (1813-61) (b/w photo)
Adele Cutts, wife of Stephen A. Douglas. Library of Congress description: "Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas".
Stephen A. Douglas 
The United States in 1849, with Texas's land claims on New Mexico shown
The United States after the Compromise of 1850
Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler – An 1856 cartoon depicts a giant "Free Soiler" being held down by James Buchanan and Lewis Cass standing on the Democratic platform marked "Kansas", "Cuba" and "Central America". Franklin Pierce also holds down the giant's beard as Douglas shoves a black man down his throat.
Stephen A. Douglas, photograph by Mathew Brady
Abraham Lincoln was Douglas's opponent in both the 1858 Senate election in Illinois and the 1860 presidential election.
Statue of Douglas at the site of the 1858 debate in Freeport, Illinois
Douglas (dark blue) had the support of most Northern delegates on the presidential ballot of the 1860 Democratic National Convention.
References
- ↑ "''Stephen A. Douglas and the American Union'', University of Chicago Library Special Exhibit, 1994". Lib.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
Other websites
Media related to Stephen A. Douglas at Wikimedia Commons
- Project Gutenberg text of Life of Stephen A. Douglas by William Gardner
- Page images of two Speeches made by Douglas, one on the Compromise of 1850
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