Douglas Stephen Arnold

Douglas, Stephen Arnold (1813-1861), an American statesman born at Vermont. He became attorney-general of the state of Illinois, and in 1843 was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives. From 1847 till his death he was in the Senate, and in 1860 he was a candidate for the Presidentship which Mr. Lincoln gained. Mr. Douglas as a politician was "a Freesoiler," i.e. in favour of each new state or territory settling for itself whether it should admit slavery or not. He was also in favour of the annexation of Texas and the enlargement of the borders of the United States generally.