to whom the rough victor at New Orleans was a hero in war and a
master in statecraft.

Douglas was an enthusiastic Democrat and an ardent admirer of
President Jackson. The favorite occupation of the young lawyer,
not yet harassed by clients, was to talk politics to the farmers,
or gather them into his half furnished office and discuss more
gravely the questions of party management.

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