vcczar Posted October 12 Share Posted October 12 SA Douglas (IL-D) might have the most actions for someone who never reached their 50th birthday. The fact that he was so young and influential and ambitious is probably why both Pierce and Buchanan shut him out. Buchanan was doubly upset that Pierce endorsed Douglas instead of him. For whatever reason, Buchanan has an intense jealousy and hatred for Douglas that was pathological. Destroying Douglas was his top priority. Sectional strife, tariffs, abolitionists, economic panics, etc was all 2nd and 3rd tier. This is a major reason Buchanan was so bad as president. He no ability to prioritize and sense any urgency. Buchanan would have any suspected Douglas ally or supporter removed from even the most minor office. He'd look for them! When it came to important crises he'd waffle. I think going after Douglas was just easier for him, but even then he still lost. He lost control of the party to Douglas for half his term. One could argue he "beat" Douglas in the 1860 election. Buchanan undermined Douglas at all costs there, splitting the Democratic Party. While he didn't like his own VP (Breckinridge), he endorsed him over Douglas, making the split sharper. I think Douglas as Buchanan target is something that gets too little attention. I think a close analogy would be if Trump had become president and there was an anti-Trump GOPer that had more support than they action have. Trump, like Buchanan, is more vehement at attacking allies (possibly because he sees them as traitorous, which is worse than being an opposition member opposing him). He demands loyalty, even if it isn't earned; Buchanan was the same way. Anyway, this is supposed to be Douglas's post and it's becoming a Buchanan post. His actions: Douglas, Stephen A. 1840 As 27 yr old US Rep, dines with Mormon founder Joseph Smith, who predicts Douglas will be president one day Douglas, Stephen A. 1845 promotes railroad to the Pacific Douglas, Stephen A. 1846 1 of only 4 Northern Dems to oppose Wilmot Proviso, which would have banned slavery in new territories Douglas, Stephen A. 1846 Breaks w/ Polk and Dems to vote against Walker Tariff Douglas, Stephen A. 1847 Promotes popular sovereignty doctrine Douglas, Stephen A. 1847 A leading expansionist regarding Mexico Douglas, Stephen A. 1848 says admit all annexed Mexican territory as one vast state Douglas, Stephen A. 1848 says extend MO Comp line to Pacific Douglas, Stephen A. 1850 managerial role in Compromise of 1850, splitting the package into isolated bills to vote one-by-one on to assure success Douglas, Stephen A. 1852 seeks Dem pres nom Douglas, Stephen A. 1853 Denied cabinet office he sought, as admin filled w/ Douglas rivals, like Buchanan; mostly ignored by Pierce until KS-NE Douglas, Stephen A. 1853 Originates KS-NE Act, which signed in 1854, created Bleeding Kansas by repealing MO Compromise Douglas, Stephen A. 1853 promotes transcontinental railroad Douglas, Stephen A. 1854 in Congress junto that hooked Pierce to KS-NE Act Douglas, Stephen A. 1856 Frontrunner for Dem nom for 14 ballots, and eventually endorsed by Pierce; loses nom to Buchanan eventually Douglas, Stephen A. 1857 Shut out from Buchanan admin; becomes Buchanan's chief target, over GOP, abolitionists, or secession threat Douglas, Stephen A. 1857 Upsets North by supporting the Dred Scott decision Douglas, Stephen A. 1857 key speech against Buchanan KS Lecompton policy Douglas, Stephen A. 1857 angry showdown with Buchanan over KS policy, calling KS Constitution fraudulent Douglas, Stephen A. 1857 leads Democratic opposition to Buchanan KS measure Douglas, Stephen A. 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates; delivers his Freepoint Doctrine; arguably loses the debates but defeats Lincoln to get reelected Douglas, Stephen A. 1858 Key influence in getting KS to reject Lecompton Const, enraging South and Buchanan Douglas, Stephen A. 1858 Gains majority of support of Dem Party with defeat of Buchanan allies in midterm elections Douglas, Stephen A. 1859 condemns John Brown's raid Douglas, Stephen A. 1859 leader of anti-Buchanan Democratic faction Douglas, Stephen A. 1860 Tries to dissuade secession by informing AH Stephens he'd help support annexing all of Mexico as slave territory Douglas, Stephen A. 1860 Northern Dem nom for Pres, rejected by Southern Dems, leading to a split party and no-win situation Douglas, Stephen A. 1860 backs the Union cause Douglas, Stephen A. 1860 deliberates on Committee of 13 Douglas, Stephen A. 1861 Calls for customs union w/ North American nations -- a proto-NAFTA Douglas, Stephen A. 1861 stages peace offensive to stop secession Douglas, Stephen A. 1861 Goes on campaign spree to urge support for Union and Lincoln's war effort; dies suddenly of typhoid, aged 48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeP47 Posted October 12 Share Posted October 12 Ironically, for my usual pro-Illinois rhetoric, there's a massive, massive, massive, like I *cannot* overstate love for Douglas in my part of the state, but I've really trended negative on him overall. There's a trifecta of dorms at the university I went to (which is only a 20 minute drive away still) named Lincoln, Douglas, and Stevenson, with Douglas under perpetual petition to be changed to Douglass to be fair. The same city has a "main entrance", so to speak, geographically, and the intersection/stop light there is the corner of Lincoln and Douglas. There's also a Lincoln Douglas Debate museum in town (as it was one of the sites). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeP47 Posted October 12 Share Posted October 12 Just now, OrangeP47 said: Ironically, for my usual pro-Illinois rhetoric, there's a massive, massive, massive, like I *cannot* overstate love for Douglas in my part of the state, but I've really trended negative on him overall. There's a trifecta of dorms at the university I went to (which is only a 20 minute drive away still) named Lincoln, Douglas, and Stevenson, with Douglas under perpetual petition to be changed to Douglass to be fair. The same city has a "main entrance", so to speak, geographically, and the intersection/stop light there is the corner of Lincoln and Douglas. There's also a Lincoln Douglas Debate museum in town (as it was one of the sites). @Willthescout7 went to this university too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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